Blog 3 July 24, 2010 Spain and France
Yesterday Nadia and I and 7 Iraqi men went on a road trip in a mini-van to the French and Spanish Mediterranean coast. Dr. Adil arranged the trip, got the van, and drove. It was beautiful driving through the Mediterranean countryside, with rolling hills. They were growing sunflowers, who smiled and waved as we drove past. It looks a lot like California, with oaks and pines and many of our plants escaped from here.
The roads are much better than California. You have to go through toll booths, but they don’t tell you how to pay or what to pay. We consistently got stuck and sat with our emergency lights on, a line of impatient traffic honking behind us, until some Spanish toll keeper came to tell us what to do.
We stopped at a lovely little town in France. There is a botanist among us. And we walked and looked at the lovely streams and plants. Beautiful sycamore trees lined the banks of the stream. I bought a beautiful blouse and skirt from France on sale! After shopping, we went to the coast. The little towns have tile roofs, and are beautifully colored pinkish tan, yellow and tan. Many have the shutters and trim painted in blue. I had a salmon-cheese crepe by the sea then went for a walk on the beach. I had a feeling my step-daughter Joeanna was having her baby. Kept trying to figure my phone out and call, finally got a picture of Nolan and showed it to all the Iraqi’s. they were happy for me and congradulated Joeanna and the baby.
The following pictures are from our trip and Barcelona. The first is of Tova Fleming, myself and Dr. Nadia Fawzi in the streets of Barcelona. The second is a street in one of the lovely coastal towns, then myself looking out to the Mediterranean Sea.
Driving back, we passed castle after castle. You could imagine Don Quixote in these hills, riding through the country side. It was very beautiful, wish we could have stayed longer. It was beautiful evening light, and the hills rolled into blue in the late afternoon. We crossed crops, forests, streams and very few homes. It appeared to be mostly small farming communities, with tourism along the coast. Most of the people are in the big sprawling area of Barcelona. We had a really fun day, ending with a Pakistan restaurant in Barcelona with chicken massala!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Round Table Dialogue and WOCMES conference synthesis
Round Table Dialogue and WOCMES conference synthesis.
I asked the participants, around 20 in all, to sit in a circle so that we could see each other and talk. As soon as everyone sat in a circle, the feeling of communication and conversation deepened. Dr. Malik sat on one side, Dr. Adil on the other.
As I absorbed the following comments, the following ah ha! moments came through to me. The biggest one, after the conference and all the people I met, is that we could serve as a wheel center for grassroots efforts to join together in protection of water in the middle east. I heard the Palestinians and Israeli’s speak of the Hula wetlands, and a marsh arab culture there. In Lebanon, the Ramsar wetland there was destroyed with the Palestinians and Lebanese were refugees from Israel and Syria, and they are now implementing hima and restoring their wetlands. In Turkey, they are proposing to build 2600 new dams, many along the Black and Aegean Seas, and also the Ilusu Dam on the Tigris River. These dams are proposed as a type of renewable hydroelectric energy, to offset carbon costs from fossil fuel energy emissions.
The second is that we shall collect and tell peoples stories and perspectives, and translate these into ecological/ scientific information as well as a story of the soul through video, photography, poetry and other media.
Below are comments from people who attended the circle.
1. Dr. Nadia Fawzi stressed having a watershed approach for the entire Tigris Euphrates. She says the whole drainage needs to be evaluated, and water conservation measures implemented throughout the watershed including in Iraq. It was pointed out that many of the irrigation systems and continued drainage system implemented by Saddam were very inefficient and resulted in the loss of a lot of water. They are wasting water in Iraq with out-dated irrigation systems, and crops that are not that tolerant of higher salinities. Need to use cultivars that have been developed to withstand rising salinities.
2. It was suggested to touch the hearts and souls of people. Bruce Pavlik mentioned the Arabic poetry reading in the room next door, and to include other media than science to join people together such as poetry and art. Others in the audience recommended getting really good people to help with projects. They brought up a BBC special that is coming up. They suggested more popular media and more soulful media, not just scientific papers.
3. Someone brought up a recent meeting with oil companies and CEO’s, suggesting that we use the word nature rather than biodiversity.
4. They also suggested getting the NGO’s to talk to top level people, including the oil companies. If we had contacts, we could get funding for some of our networking and outreach
5. They stressed above all to tell peoples stories. People are interested in people. By telling people’s stories you evoke a more personal connection with the reader and an emotional response. That’s how they will support the project and will lead to more public support gurgling up to policy makers and politicians.
6. Reach out to international sustainable agriculture
7. Outreach within Iraq to people who can listen. Poverty is soul deadening. If you have no drinking water or food, you cannot care properly for your children, the marshes become irrelevant. Iraqi citizens who have jobs and professions, in parliament and middle or upper class, are in a better position to negotiate for the marshes.
8. Hima. The concept of Hima was brought up repeatedly as a concept that pre-dates Islam. It was brought up as a traditional land management tool on Arabian pasture lands. It was used for tribes to protect their lands for their community. There is a lot of poetry in Arabic around conserving and protecting your tribe and resources. It has a lot to do with protection of your tribe. For the Bedouin who moved around a lot, they would protect the water sources and leave a sign for travelers that there was water.
Someone pointed out that the Bedouin had a very harsh life in the desert. The Marsh arabs had more resources and less competition for resources, so could be softer and gentler in their interactions and behavior.
I asked the participants, around 20 in all, to sit in a circle so that we could see each other and talk. As soon as everyone sat in a circle, the feeling of communication and conversation deepened. Dr. Malik sat on one side, Dr. Adil on the other.
As I absorbed the following comments, the following ah ha! moments came through to me. The biggest one, after the conference and all the people I met, is that we could serve as a wheel center for grassroots efforts to join together in protection of water in the middle east. I heard the Palestinians and Israeli’s speak of the Hula wetlands, and a marsh arab culture there. In Lebanon, the Ramsar wetland there was destroyed with the Palestinians and Lebanese were refugees from Israel and Syria, and they are now implementing hima and restoring their wetlands. In Turkey, they are proposing to build 2600 new dams, many along the Black and Aegean Seas, and also the Ilusu Dam on the Tigris River. These dams are proposed as a type of renewable hydroelectric energy, to offset carbon costs from fossil fuel energy emissions.
The second is that we shall collect and tell peoples stories and perspectives, and translate these into ecological/ scientific information as well as a story of the soul through video, photography, poetry and other media.
Below are comments from people who attended the circle.
1. Dr. Nadia Fawzi stressed having a watershed approach for the entire Tigris Euphrates. She says the whole drainage needs to be evaluated, and water conservation measures implemented throughout the watershed including in Iraq. It was pointed out that many of the irrigation systems and continued drainage system implemented by Saddam were very inefficient and resulted in the loss of a lot of water. They are wasting water in Iraq with out-dated irrigation systems, and crops that are not that tolerant of higher salinities. Need to use cultivars that have been developed to withstand rising salinities.
2. It was suggested to touch the hearts and souls of people. Bruce Pavlik mentioned the Arabic poetry reading in the room next door, and to include other media than science to join people together such as poetry and art. Others in the audience recommended getting really good people to help with projects. They brought up a BBC special that is coming up. They suggested more popular media and more soulful media, not just scientific papers.
3. Someone brought up a recent meeting with oil companies and CEO’s, suggesting that we use the word nature rather than biodiversity.
4. They also suggested getting the NGO’s to talk to top level people, including the oil companies. If we had contacts, we could get funding for some of our networking and outreach
5. They stressed above all to tell peoples stories. People are interested in people. By telling people’s stories you evoke a more personal connection with the reader and an emotional response. That’s how they will support the project and will lead to more public support gurgling up to policy makers and politicians.
6. Reach out to international sustainable agriculture
7. Outreach within Iraq to people who can listen. Poverty is soul deadening. If you have no drinking water or food, you cannot care properly for your children, the marshes become irrelevant. Iraqi citizens who have jobs and professions, in parliament and middle or upper class, are in a better position to negotiate for the marshes.
8. Hima. The concept of Hima was brought up repeatedly as a concept that pre-dates Islam. It was brought up as a traditional land management tool on Arabian pasture lands. It was used for tribes to protect their lands for their community. There is a lot of poetry in Arabic around conserving and protecting your tribe and resources. It has a lot to do with protection of your tribe. For the Bedouin who moved around a lot, they would protect the water sources and leave a sign for travelers that there was water.
Someone pointed out that the Bedouin had a very harsh life in the desert. The Marsh arabs had more resources and less competition for resources, so could be softer and gentler in their interactions and behavior.
Conference on Biodiversity of Middle East, July 17
I arrived in Barcelona late on July 17. My plane was delayed from London, so arrived after midnight. I took a bus with two heavy bags to the main Plaza de Catalunya at about 1:30 in the morning. A nice Catalonian woman helped me find the bus station, warning me to keep my luggage close as there are a lot of pick pockets. There wasn’t another bus for an hour and a half, so tried to find the train station. Finally, after wandering in the dark with luggage, a police woman advised me to take a taxi. It was very expensive, but was able to get to the Villaterra campus after about 40 minutes (around 2:00 am). The driver dumped me off, exhausted, in the middle of buildings and dark. I had no idea where to go to check in, or if it was open. At this point I was frayed and scared. Some young men directed me up the hill to the hotel; I wasn’t at the hotel, but he directed me to the check in, which was open. I got into my room at 2:30 am after travelling for over 24 hours straight.
The next day my roommate Dr. Nadia Fawzi and I welcomed two other Iraqi scientists, Dr. Adil and Dr.Nadir, and Tova Fleming arrived from US. We went into Barcelona, and experienced the radical night life in this city. Women were dressed extremely feminine and sexy, with very short skirts, clingy dresses and low cut tops. Mingled among them were the Muslim women and more modest women of other cultures. People would stand dressed up in elaborate costumes as statues, with a box in front for spare change. One gimmick was to sell these loud quacking toys, so men would stand around making quacky annoying noises. Other gimmicks were these blue lighted toys that flew up into space. This area has the most pick pockets of anywhere in Europe, and one of our Iraqi colleagues had his identify and passport stolen. We went to a restaurant where they served meat that is OK for religious Muslims to eat called Hillel. The animal is slaughtered facing toward Mecca, and a prayer is said. Its throat is cut and all the blood drained out before butchering.
Sunday all the Iraqi’s arrived. It was fun, loud and boisterous. We sat around and talked about what we wanted to achieve at the conference, and that we wanted to reach as many people as possible. I wrote the session organizers and asked that we have a round table at the end of our 5 sessions on Biodiversity and the Middle East. I helped go over several scientists’ presentations, and then worked on my own. I was the introduction, Dr. Adil was the conclusion.
Tuesday July 20
My Introductory remarks ( opening act) was in the Conservation and Restoration in the Middle East: Successes, Challenges, and Methodologies.” My talk was on “Cultural and Ecological Restoration of the Al Ahwar Wetlands, Iraq”. I opened up with Traditional Resource Management, the 5,000 year cultural relationship of the Marsh Arabs and the Mesopotamian Marsh ecosystems. I discussed the devastation to the marshes under the Baathist Regime and Iran-Iraq war, where only 10% of the marshes remained and the Marsh Arabs were killed or displaced as refugees. Then in 2003-2006 during good water years the marshes were rejuvenated to around 58%. Now with drought and upstream water withdrawals, only 10-30% of marshes remain. Tragically, the Haweizeh Marshes were drained immediately upon designation as a Wetland of International Significance under the Ramsar Convention. People who returned to the marshes now cannot make a living, as the reeds and fish are dying, and there is nowhere to care for their water buffalo.
The first Session “Impacts on Aquatic Biodiversity in Southern Iraq – Salinity and Shatt Al Arab” had the following oral presentations:
1 – Musafa Sami Faddah “Expected Genetic Fish Populations inhabiting Shatt al Arab River in Iraq De to Fluctuations in Water Salinity”
2 – Dr. Nadia Fawzi and H.T. Al-Saad “Examining the Condition of Iraq’s Water Ways and their Impact on the Water Quality of the North-Western Arabian Gulf”
3 – Nadir a Salman and M.M. Taher “Impact of Salinity Changes in Shatt Al Arab Estuary on Biodiversity of Marine Mammals of the Arabian Gulf”
4 – Dr. Malik Ali and HK. Ahmed – “The Impact of Low Fresh Water Discharge on Community Structure of Shrimps at Shatt Al Arab Estuary and Northern Arabian Gulf”
Dr. Adil Yousif Al-Handal ended this session stressing the condition of the marshes with low water flows, high salinity, and the suffering of people who cannot get clean drinking water to drink. He said that Basrah was unable to get even their small share of the Shatt Al Arab water due to towns’ upstream diverting water.
Our last session was “Biodiversity in the Mesopotamian Marshes and the Gulf”. The talks presented were:
1 – Mustafa Al-Mukhtar & K. Younis, “The Effect o Environmental Changes on Ichthyofauna in the Inland Waters of Basrah Government”
2 – Abdulridah Alwan “The Deterioration of the Aquatic Macrophytes of Southern Iraq: Al-Safay Preserve as an Example:
3 – Salman Salman, M. Abbas and A. Akaash “Distribution and Abundance of Cladocera in the Southern Iraqi Marshes”
At the end of the papers, we had a round table discussion, with participants arriving from the other talks and sessions. I will write this in the next email blog entry.
The next day my roommate Dr. Nadia Fawzi and I welcomed two other Iraqi scientists, Dr. Adil and Dr.Nadir, and Tova Fleming arrived from US. We went into Barcelona, and experienced the radical night life in this city. Women were dressed extremely feminine and sexy, with very short skirts, clingy dresses and low cut tops. Mingled among them were the Muslim women and more modest women of other cultures. People would stand dressed up in elaborate costumes as statues, with a box in front for spare change. One gimmick was to sell these loud quacking toys, so men would stand around making quacky annoying noises. Other gimmicks were these blue lighted toys that flew up into space. This area has the most pick pockets of anywhere in Europe, and one of our Iraqi colleagues had his identify and passport stolen. We went to a restaurant where they served meat that is OK for religious Muslims to eat called Hillel. The animal is slaughtered facing toward Mecca, and a prayer is said. Its throat is cut and all the blood drained out before butchering.
Sunday all the Iraqi’s arrived. It was fun, loud and boisterous. We sat around and talked about what we wanted to achieve at the conference, and that we wanted to reach as many people as possible. I wrote the session organizers and asked that we have a round table at the end of our 5 sessions on Biodiversity and the Middle East. I helped go over several scientists’ presentations, and then worked on my own. I was the introduction, Dr. Adil was the conclusion.
Tuesday July 20
My Introductory remarks ( opening act) was in the Conservation and Restoration in the Middle East: Successes, Challenges, and Methodologies.” My talk was on “Cultural and Ecological Restoration of the Al Ahwar Wetlands, Iraq”. I opened up with Traditional Resource Management, the 5,000 year cultural relationship of the Marsh Arabs and the Mesopotamian Marsh ecosystems. I discussed the devastation to the marshes under the Baathist Regime and Iran-Iraq war, where only 10% of the marshes remained and the Marsh Arabs were killed or displaced as refugees. Then in 2003-2006 during good water years the marshes were rejuvenated to around 58%. Now with drought and upstream water withdrawals, only 10-30% of marshes remain. Tragically, the Haweizeh Marshes were drained immediately upon designation as a Wetland of International Significance under the Ramsar Convention. People who returned to the marshes now cannot make a living, as the reeds and fish are dying, and there is nowhere to care for their water buffalo.
The first Session “Impacts on Aquatic Biodiversity in Southern Iraq – Salinity and Shatt Al Arab” had the following oral presentations:
1 – Musafa Sami Faddah “Expected Genetic Fish Populations inhabiting Shatt al Arab River in Iraq De to Fluctuations in Water Salinity”
2 – Dr. Nadia Fawzi and H.T. Al-Saad “Examining the Condition of Iraq’s Water Ways and their Impact on the Water Quality of the North-Western Arabian Gulf”
3 – Nadir a Salman and M.M. Taher “Impact of Salinity Changes in Shatt Al Arab Estuary on Biodiversity of Marine Mammals of the Arabian Gulf”
4 – Dr. Malik Ali and HK. Ahmed – “The Impact of Low Fresh Water Discharge on Community Structure of Shrimps at Shatt Al Arab Estuary and Northern Arabian Gulf”
Dr. Adil Yousif Al-Handal ended this session stressing the condition of the marshes with low water flows, high salinity, and the suffering of people who cannot get clean drinking water to drink. He said that Basrah was unable to get even their small share of the Shatt Al Arab water due to towns’ upstream diverting water.
Our last session was “Biodiversity in the Mesopotamian Marshes and the Gulf”. The talks presented were:
1 – Mustafa Al-Mukhtar & K. Younis, “The Effect o Environmental Changes on Ichthyofauna in the Inland Waters of Basrah Government”
2 – Abdulridah Alwan “The Deterioration of the Aquatic Macrophytes of Southern Iraq: Al-Safay Preserve as an Example:
3 – Salman Salman, M. Abbas and A. Akaash “Distribution and Abundance of Cladocera in the Southern Iraqi Marshes”
At the end of the papers, we had a round table discussion, with participants arriving from the other talks and sessions. I will write this in the next email blog entry.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Leaving for World Congress in Spain
I leave today for the World Congress on Biodiversity of the Middle East. I just found out that the 11 Iraqi scientists whom we have set up two panels with received their visa's from Spain. Our big conference participation will be next Tuesday, July 20. My student assistant and right hand woman, Tova Fleming, has been a great assistance in this process. My colleague Dr. Adil Yousif al Handel, Dr. Matthew Hall and myself helped to coordinate and put the Iraqi syposia together.
I am also starting a non profit, Hima Mesopotamia: Water and Peace in the Middle East and the web site should be up soon.
I am also starting a non profit, Hima Mesopotamia: Water and Peace in the Middle East and the web site should be up soon.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Desperate situation in Mesopotamian marshes
I am currently assisting in putting together three panels for the Woprld Congress on Middle Eastern Studies in Barcelona, Spain in July, 2010. The situation in the marshes has worsened badly, with the Shat al Arab running salt water. With low flows and drought, the Shat al Arab has increased salinity levels from 1 ppt to 9-13 ppt and even higher. Sea wter has started to reach far to the north of the Shat al Arab, with big changes in the biodiversity. Marine species are now seen in places where they never occurred before. Shad populations, an important fish species, have declined 75%. Many other invertebrates are also declining, and the salty turbid water with warmer termperatures is adversely affecting fish production and biodiveristy in the Gulf. The people and the water buffaloes have no where to go, its an ecological and human rights disaster!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Talk on marshes on Feb 26, 2010
I will be giving a talk on my recent trip to Iraq on Feb 26, 2010 at 7:30 pm at the Placer Nature Center's Lecture Series.
Title of Talk: Mesopotamian Marshes of Iraq: Restoring the Garden
Time of Talk: 7:00 music starts, 7:30 talk begins
Location: Unity of Auburn's auditorium on 1212 High St., Auburn, CA 95603. (530) 878-6053
Cost: $10 general tickets, $5 students
Title of Talk: Mesopotamian Marshes of Iraq: Restoring the Garden
Time of Talk: 7:00 music starts, 7:30 talk begins
Location: Unity of Auburn's auditorium on 1212 High St., Auburn, CA 95603. (530) 878-6053
Cost: $10 general tickets, $5 students
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Terrible Water Scarcity In Marshes
Desperate Plight of the Mesopotamian Marshes, southern Iraq
By Michelle L. Stevens, Assistant Professor, CSUS, Environmental Studies Department, 916-765-7397, stevensm@csus.edu
I have been a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists since the mid-1980’s, and have worked in the wetlands field professionally since that time. The most compelling, heart breaking and inspiring project I have ever worked on is the rehydration and now desiccation of the marshes of Iraq, and the adverse impacts on both the people of the marshes and the ecosystem. I became familiar with the ecological and cultural geography of the Mesopotamian Marshes in 2002, while serving as project manager for the Eden Again project (Eden Again Project 2003). Azzam and Suzie Alwash, founders of Eden Again/ Nature Iraq, inspired me with their dedication and commitment to the sustainable cultural and ecological restoration of the marshes (www.natureiraq.org).
In April 2009, I was invited by the Marine Science Center at the University of Basrah, Iraq to give the keynote address at the 3rd International Conference on the Rehabilitation of the Iraqi Southern Marshes. Iraqi scientists asked me to assist with translating a referendum to be signed by the 500 conference participants, which was an “appeal to governments of the neighboring countries and international societies to help by insuring and assigning a specific share of water for the Mespotamian Marshes. For over thousands of years the cultures and ecosystem of the al Ahwar marshes have flourished and been sustained through life giving waters; we request enough water to restore and preserve the biodiversity and long lasting cultural heritage of this region”. I am asking SWS scientists to go to my web site at www.csus.edu/indiv/s/stevensm to sign a petition in support with the Iraqi scientists.
The Mesopotamian Marshes of southern Iraq and Iran are the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and Western Eurasia, historically covering over 12,000 km2 of interconnected lakes, mudflats, and wetlands. In what the United Nations Environmental Program has declared “one of the world’s greatest environmental disasters”, over 90% of the marshlands were desiccated through the combined actions of upstream damming of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and downstream drainage projects undertaken by the Iraqi Baathist government.
With good water years since 2003, approximately 68% of marshes had been rejuvenated (an area approximately the size of the Everglades), and people had returned to their lives in the marshes. Draft comprehensive management plans for the Hawizeh Marsh Ramsar site and the Central Marsh proposed National Park have been prepared by the Government of Iraq. Unfortunately, the past two water years have resulted in severe drought and now the Mesopotamian Marshes are once again drying up. Less than 25% of the marshes remained hydrated in June 2009 . The Twin Rivers water levels continue to drop; marshes recede; salinities increase; and the fish, reeds and water buffalo that embody the marshes die. After persecution and genocide under Saddam Hussein, the Ma’dan came home to the marshes hoping to regain their traditional lifestyle. With their marsh homeland disappearing into a salt-encrusted wasteland, they are once again a people dispossessed. The Ma’dan are now becoming urban refugee squatting on lands they do not have ownership or rights to, attempting to eke out an existence with their water buffalo. The fragility and vulnerability of the vast marsh ecosystem needs stronger action by the Iraqi government, to negotiate riparian water rights from upstream users in the Tigris-Euphrates watershed.
"The drought is indeed very serious," UN Environment Programme (UNEP) expert Hassan Partow told the BBC by email (Muir 2009). "The 2007-2008 season was one of the worst droughts on record, and snowfall in the catchments feeding the Tigris and Euphrates has also been limited. For the marshes, which are fed by a snow-driven hydrology, the spring snowmelt in March/April is critical… The signs don't look great." (See Figure 1). The proliferation of dams and irrigation schemes have disrupted natural flows and choked off much of the water supply. While Iraq has water-sharing agreements with neighboring countries, they are not effective, and there is a continuous loss of water quality, water supply, and marshland ecosystem functions and cultural services. The Central and Hamar marshes are also being dehydrated due to upstream water diversions of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Turkey and Syria. Iran's damming of the Karkheh River, which feeds directly into the Hor al Hawizeh marsh, is resulting in the desiccation and destruction of Iraq’s most pristine remaining marsh.
It has been a tragic and bittersweet year for the Hor al Haweizeh marsh, recommended as a Peace Park between Iran and Iraq (Stevens 2007). In October 2007, the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands announced that the Hawizeh Marsh was designated a Wetland of International Significance, and Iraq’s first Ramsar site. Simultaneously to the marshes being awarded international conservation status, Iran began diverting water from the Karkheh River and is completing construction of a militarized border dyke choking off water flows into Iraq.
It is especially sad that many the Ma’dan were returning to the marshes from exile in Iran; those who lived as environmental refugees throughout the 1990’s returned to the marshes with their water buffalo. Even with the original rehydration of large marsh areas, much of the marsh ecosystem remained in poor condition. Less than 10% of the original marshes in Iraq remained as fully functioning wetlands by 2003 (Richardson et al 2005). Drought and water withdrawals are now again desiccating the marshes, and pollution of water, air, and land is extremely severe (Nature Iraq 2009). Iraq’s environmental problems include the following: 1) water resource pollution (including groundwater); 2) ecosystem and biodiversity degradation; 3) waste and sanitation disposal; and 4) industrial and military pollutants and unexploded ordinance. Reduced flows have exacerbated water quality problems.
With low flows, salinity in the Shat al Arab has increased from salinity levels of 1 ppt to 4-5 ppt (data provided by Basra Marine Science Center, unpublished). Flows are significantly reduced. In 1977-1978 flows in the Shat al Arab ranged from 990-1,277 m3/sec; in 1993-1994 flows ranged from 550-1,100 m3/sec; in 2005-2006 flows were as low as 204 m3/sec; and in 2008-2009 flows reached a low of <100 m3/sec. Shad populations have declined 75%. Many other invertebrates are also declining, and the salty turbid water with warmer temperatures is adversely affecting fish production and biodiversity in the Gulf. The environment I witnessed in Basra had shattered buildings, and rivers so polluted with the algae (Dunaliella sp) that the water turned bright pink. Garbage was everywhere, and stray dogs snuffled through the garbage, well fed but in ill health. Heavy particulates from dust caused the air to appear sepia-toned, and visibility was similar to dense fog.
The marshes are a culturalized landscape, formed over thousands of years by agricultural and traditional management. Because the marsh ecosystem is adapted to human management, economic stability and the success of the restoration effort depends on integration of both the Marsh Arab and local Iraqi culture, sustainable ecosystem services, and the economic stability of a large portion of southern Iraq. Water buffalo illustrate this point, as they represent both an umbrella species and a cultural icon, important to the well-being of indigenous Ma’dan people. They are also a keystone species in the marsh ecosystem. “Water buffalo are widespread through the marshes in the south of Iraq. There are no houses in the marshes without a water buffalo. They are the main source of livelihood of people in the marshes, and are indicators of the quality of marsh life and restoration of the Iraqi marshes. I expect that the absence of water buffaloes will lead to the disappearance of people in the marshes” (Al Fartosi, pers comm., 2009).
Jassim Al-Asadi of Nature Iraq, says “There is drought, the water levels are getting lower and water quality has worsened; the marshes are continuously shrinking. This leads to great suffering, especially for the water buffalo breeders and fishermen. We must put pressure on decision makers to implement temporary solutions to provide marshes with water from the rivers. Please help us in writing and demanding water from Turkey and Iran, providing us with the water required to revive the marshes”. About 10% of the marsh is shared with Iran (where it is called the al Azim marsh), where that area is being systematically drained.
The marshes are loved by the Iraqi people, and they are anxious to see the marshes restored. Over 500 Iraqi scientists and researchers have appealed to the Iraqi government, other governments in the Tigris-Euphrates watershed, and scientific organizations for help to ensure maintenance flows of water for the Iraqi Mesopotamian marshes. They ask for help to make the world aware of the continued degradation of the marshes and to help apply pressure on adjacent riparian countries to allow water flows into the system. This is a regional issue affecting all of the Middle Eastern countries in one way or another; basin wide planning or third party negotiation needs to occur for equitable water sharing. It seems apparent that without intervention from powerful outside countries to broker water rights in the Twin Rivers watershed, the marshes will die and the people will be dispossessed of their lifestyle, their cultural heritage, and the beloved marshes.
If you would like to sign the petition in support of Iraq efforts to restore water to the marshes, please go to my web site at www.cuss.edu/indiv/s/stevensm Please contact Michelle Stevens blog at iraqmarshrestoration.blogspot.com, my email mstevens@csus.edu. Thank you.
References
Al Fartosi, Khalid, Pers Comm., April 2009, Basrah, Iraq
Bowman, R. E. 2005. Global cornerstones for environmental recovery in Iraq: A comparative law and policy analysis of lessons in environmental response and remediation. N.Y.U. Environmental Law Journal 13: 501-560.
Eden Again Project, Iraq Foundation. 2003. Building a scientific basis for restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshlands. Findings of the international technical advisory panel restoration planning workshop.
Muir, J. 2009. Iraq marshes face grave new threat. BBC News, Middle East, Iraq (2/24/2009) http://news.bbc.co.uk (February 24, 2009)
Nature Iraq. 2009. http://www.natureiraq.org/Eng/home.html(May 25, 2009)
Richardson, C.J., P. Reiss, N.A. Hussain, A. Alwash, and D.J. Pool , 2005. The restoration potential of the Mesopotamian Marshes of Iraq. Science 25 (2005): 1307–1311.
Stevens, M.L. 2007. Iran and Iraq reconsidered: the Mesopotamian Marshes and the al ahwar peace park. Salim H. Ali, ed., Peace parks: Conservation and conflict resolution (Global Environmental Accord: Strategies for Sustainability and Institutional Innovation), MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 406.
By Michelle L. Stevens, Assistant Professor, CSUS, Environmental Studies Department, 916-765-7397, stevensm@csus.edu
I have been a member of the Society of Wetland Scientists since the mid-1980’s, and have worked in the wetlands field professionally since that time. The most compelling, heart breaking and inspiring project I have ever worked on is the rehydration and now desiccation of the marshes of Iraq, and the adverse impacts on both the people of the marshes and the ecosystem. I became familiar with the ecological and cultural geography of the Mesopotamian Marshes in 2002, while serving as project manager for the Eden Again project (Eden Again Project 2003). Azzam and Suzie Alwash, founders of Eden Again/ Nature Iraq, inspired me with their dedication and commitment to the sustainable cultural and ecological restoration of the marshes (www.natureiraq.org).
In April 2009, I was invited by the Marine Science Center at the University of Basrah, Iraq to give the keynote address at the 3rd International Conference on the Rehabilitation of the Iraqi Southern Marshes. Iraqi scientists asked me to assist with translating a referendum to be signed by the 500 conference participants, which was an “appeal to governments of the neighboring countries and international societies to help by insuring and assigning a specific share of water for the Mespotamian Marshes. For over thousands of years the cultures and ecosystem of the al Ahwar marshes have flourished and been sustained through life giving waters; we request enough water to restore and preserve the biodiversity and long lasting cultural heritage of this region”. I am asking SWS scientists to go to my web site at www.csus.edu/indiv/s/stevensm to sign a petition in support with the Iraqi scientists.
The Mesopotamian Marshes of southern Iraq and Iran are the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and Western Eurasia, historically covering over 12,000 km2 of interconnected lakes, mudflats, and wetlands. In what the United Nations Environmental Program has declared “one of the world’s greatest environmental disasters”, over 90% of the marshlands were desiccated through the combined actions of upstream damming of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and downstream drainage projects undertaken by the Iraqi Baathist government.
With good water years since 2003, approximately 68% of marshes had been rejuvenated (an area approximately the size of the Everglades), and people had returned to their lives in the marshes. Draft comprehensive management plans for the Hawizeh Marsh Ramsar site and the Central Marsh proposed National Park have been prepared by the Government of Iraq. Unfortunately, the past two water years have resulted in severe drought and now the Mesopotamian Marshes are once again drying up. Less than 25% of the marshes remained hydrated in June 2009 . The Twin Rivers water levels continue to drop; marshes recede; salinities increase; and the fish, reeds and water buffalo that embody the marshes die. After persecution and genocide under Saddam Hussein, the Ma’dan came home to the marshes hoping to regain their traditional lifestyle. With their marsh homeland disappearing into a salt-encrusted wasteland, they are once again a people dispossessed. The Ma’dan are now becoming urban refugee squatting on lands they do not have ownership or rights to, attempting to eke out an existence with their water buffalo. The fragility and vulnerability of the vast marsh ecosystem needs stronger action by the Iraqi government, to negotiate riparian water rights from upstream users in the Tigris-Euphrates watershed.
"The drought is indeed very serious," UN Environment Programme (UNEP) expert Hassan Partow told the BBC by email (Muir 2009). "The 2007-2008 season was one of the worst droughts on record, and snowfall in the catchments feeding the Tigris and Euphrates has also been limited. For the marshes, which are fed by a snow-driven hydrology, the spring snowmelt in March/April is critical… The signs don't look great." (See Figure 1). The proliferation of dams and irrigation schemes have disrupted natural flows and choked off much of the water supply. While Iraq has water-sharing agreements with neighboring countries, they are not effective, and there is a continuous loss of water quality, water supply, and marshland ecosystem functions and cultural services. The Central and Hamar marshes are also being dehydrated due to upstream water diversions of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Turkey and Syria. Iran's damming of the Karkheh River, which feeds directly into the Hor al Hawizeh marsh, is resulting in the desiccation and destruction of Iraq’s most pristine remaining marsh.
It has been a tragic and bittersweet year for the Hor al Haweizeh marsh, recommended as a Peace Park between Iran and Iraq (Stevens 2007). In October 2007, the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands announced that the Hawizeh Marsh was designated a Wetland of International Significance, and Iraq’s first Ramsar site. Simultaneously to the marshes being awarded international conservation status, Iran began diverting water from the Karkheh River and is completing construction of a militarized border dyke choking off water flows into Iraq.
It is especially sad that many the Ma’dan were returning to the marshes from exile in Iran; those who lived as environmental refugees throughout the 1990’s returned to the marshes with their water buffalo. Even with the original rehydration of large marsh areas, much of the marsh ecosystem remained in poor condition. Less than 10% of the original marshes in Iraq remained as fully functioning wetlands by 2003 (Richardson et al 2005). Drought and water withdrawals are now again desiccating the marshes, and pollution of water, air, and land is extremely severe (Nature Iraq 2009). Iraq’s environmental problems include the following: 1) water resource pollution (including groundwater); 2) ecosystem and biodiversity degradation; 3) waste and sanitation disposal; and 4) industrial and military pollutants and unexploded ordinance. Reduced flows have exacerbated water quality problems.
With low flows, salinity in the Shat al Arab has increased from salinity levels of 1 ppt to 4-5 ppt (data provided by Basra Marine Science Center, unpublished). Flows are significantly reduced. In 1977-1978 flows in the Shat al Arab ranged from 990-1,277 m3/sec; in 1993-1994 flows ranged from 550-1,100 m3/sec; in 2005-2006 flows were as low as 204 m3/sec; and in 2008-2009 flows reached a low of <100 m3/sec. Shad populations have declined 75%. Many other invertebrates are also declining, and the salty turbid water with warmer temperatures is adversely affecting fish production and biodiversity in the Gulf. The environment I witnessed in Basra had shattered buildings, and rivers so polluted with the algae (Dunaliella sp) that the water turned bright pink. Garbage was everywhere, and stray dogs snuffled through the garbage, well fed but in ill health. Heavy particulates from dust caused the air to appear sepia-toned, and visibility was similar to dense fog.
The marshes are a culturalized landscape, formed over thousands of years by agricultural and traditional management. Because the marsh ecosystem is adapted to human management, economic stability and the success of the restoration effort depends on integration of both the Marsh Arab and local Iraqi culture, sustainable ecosystem services, and the economic stability of a large portion of southern Iraq. Water buffalo illustrate this point, as they represent both an umbrella species and a cultural icon, important to the well-being of indigenous Ma’dan people. They are also a keystone species in the marsh ecosystem. “Water buffalo are widespread through the marshes in the south of Iraq. There are no houses in the marshes without a water buffalo. They are the main source of livelihood of people in the marshes, and are indicators of the quality of marsh life and restoration of the Iraqi marshes. I expect that the absence of water buffaloes will lead to the disappearance of people in the marshes” (Al Fartosi, pers comm., 2009).
Jassim Al-Asadi of Nature Iraq, says “There is drought, the water levels are getting lower and water quality has worsened; the marshes are continuously shrinking. This leads to great suffering, especially for the water buffalo breeders and fishermen. We must put pressure on decision makers to implement temporary solutions to provide marshes with water from the rivers. Please help us in writing and demanding water from Turkey and Iran, providing us with the water required to revive the marshes”. About 10% of the marsh is shared with Iran (where it is called the al Azim marsh), where that area is being systematically drained.
The marshes are loved by the Iraqi people, and they are anxious to see the marshes restored. Over 500 Iraqi scientists and researchers have appealed to the Iraqi government, other governments in the Tigris-Euphrates watershed, and scientific organizations for help to ensure maintenance flows of water for the Iraqi Mesopotamian marshes. They ask for help to make the world aware of the continued degradation of the marshes and to help apply pressure on adjacent riparian countries to allow water flows into the system. This is a regional issue affecting all of the Middle Eastern countries in one way or another; basin wide planning or third party negotiation needs to occur for equitable water sharing. It seems apparent that without intervention from powerful outside countries to broker water rights in the Twin Rivers watershed, the marshes will die and the people will be dispossessed of their lifestyle, their cultural heritage, and the beloved marshes.
If you would like to sign the petition in support of Iraq efforts to restore water to the marshes, please go to my web site at www.cuss.edu/indiv/s/stevensm Please contact Michelle Stevens blog at iraqmarshrestoration.blogspot.com, my email mstevens@csus.edu. Thank you.
References
Al Fartosi, Khalid, Pers Comm., April 2009, Basrah, Iraq
Bowman, R. E. 2005. Global cornerstones for environmental recovery in Iraq: A comparative law and policy analysis of lessons in environmental response and remediation. N.Y.U. Environmental Law Journal 13: 501-560.
Eden Again Project, Iraq Foundation. 2003. Building a scientific basis for restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshlands. Findings of the international technical advisory panel restoration planning workshop.
Muir, J. 2009. Iraq marshes face grave new threat. BBC News, Middle East, Iraq (2/24/2009) http://news.bbc.co.uk (February 24, 2009)
Nature Iraq. 2009. http://www.natureiraq.org/Eng/home.html(May 25, 2009)
Richardson, C.J., P. Reiss, N.A. Hussain, A. Alwash, and D.J. Pool , 2005. The restoration potential of the Mesopotamian Marshes of Iraq. Science 25 (2005): 1307–1311.
Stevens, M.L. 2007. Iran and Iraq reconsidered: the Mesopotamian Marshes and the al ahwar peace park. Salim H. Ali, ed., Peace parks: Conservation and conflict resolution (Global Environmental Accord: Strategies for Sustainability and Institutional Innovation), MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 406.
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