Dry up of Sawa Lake, Iraq

Problems

• Lake Sawa is a famous and prominent lake in Iraq’s southern province of Muthanna, known as the “pearl of the south.” It is a closed body of salt water with no inlet or outlet and is fed by underground springs and rainwater. It has a long history and cultural significance, as it is believed to have formed on the day of Prophet Muhammad’s birth and to have healing properties. Thousands of religious tourists and locals used to visit the lake annually.

• The main causes of Sawa Lake drying up

  In 2022, the lake dried up for the first time in its centuries-long history. One of the main reasons for the lake drying up is the decrease in water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Iraq’s main lifeline. Sawa Lake has no inlet or outlet, meaning no coastline opening. The water comes from the Euphrates through a cracked joint where the water flows beneath it. 
  
  Lake Sawa is only the latest casualty in this broad country-wide struggle with water shortages that experts say is induced by climate change, including record low rainfall and back-to-back drought. According to experts, the lake has not dried up permanently. They say its disappearance in 2022 is because of thousands of illegal wells. Businesses in nearby factories dig the wells because they cannot get enough water.
  
  The stress on water resources is driving up competition for the precious resource among business people, farmers, and herders, with the poorest Iraqis counting among the worst hit amid the disaster. And the future is poised to bring more hardship, with alarming predictions of more water stress. 

• Consequences for the local population

  The drying up of the lake has devastating consequences for the local population and the environment. The lake was a livelihood, recreation, and health source for many people and a complex ecosystem supporting fish and birds. 
  
  Fish species, unfit for human consumption, were food for various vulnerable migratory birds that sojourned along its banks. The birds must reroute their seasonal passage or perish with the fish gone. 
  
  The loss of the lake also threatens the cultural heritage and identity of the region, as many locals see it as a sign of God’s wrath or the end of days. The lake’s fate is a case study of climate change in Iraq and a warning for the future.