Aquatic Ecosystems Pollution in Iraq and the Future Challenges

Abstract

Ecosystems are functional units of permanent life on earth. They compose of biotic and abiotic materials. They are in a continuous active prospect of sustainability, characterized by the continuous production of organic materials. Ecosystems were found since thousands of years. Inspite of their differences they share two major characters:-They depend on infinite non polluted source of energy, the sun. Secondly they have efficient ability to recycle the nutrients, during many different chemical and biological activities. So the wastes did not accumulated in the ecosystems and the major elements of primary productivity return back to the plant. The diversity of biomes was due to the differences of their environmental factors. The Aquatic Biome is the largest one it comprises of Marine Biome 97.5% of water and Freshwater Biome 2.5% (including 1.7% glaciers and ice in the poles, and 077% of freshwaters in rivers, lakes and ,marshes). So the new conflict in the world is about controlling this vital source of freshwater, because of the rapid increase of human population, high demand on freshwater and the decrease of freshwater quantity together with the increasing water pollution, climate changes and global warming.
Water resources of Iraq were decreased sharply. In Tigris River it was decreased from 96.58 in 1969 to 18.6 milliard m³/year in 1999. In Euphrates River it drops from 63.31 in 1969 to 9.56 milliard m³/year 2001. This was due to the establishment of many dams and reservoirs in Turkey. The big project (South east Anatole project (KAB)) in Turkey is to build 22 dams and 19 hydroelectrically stations on both Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Some of them were completed, others are on the way. These projects have affected seriously the agricultural system on both sides of Tigris and Euphrates as well as the Marshes of south Iraq. The threaten went on to the biodiversity of these marshes, where there are many species(, 46 fish species, 42 bird species, 71 plant species and many species of Amphibians and Reptilians, and even mammals including the water buffalo.) Marshes also represent a very important migration ground, for many birds and fishes (feeding, reproduction and crossing). It's also represent a supporting store for fisheries, breeding, hatching incubation and raring. Marshes support biological life system of the Arabian Gulf. Marshes represent also a unique civilian history. Now the capacity of artificial dam's reservoirs and lakes was more than the real size of waters in the two rivers. The sensitive problems for remediation of marshes are:- Marshes deterioration, shortage of drinking water, lack of sanitation systems. Four challenges are facing remediation of marshes south Iraq:- The drying off, The absence of water resource treaty between Turkey, Syria and Iraq, Deterioration of water quality, and the iterance of salty Gulf water to the Shat Al-Arab water way. We are in argent need to put a new water strategy use system. Taking in account rehabilitation of marshes, new technology for agricultural irrigation system and using all possible ways to put pressure on Turkey, Syria and Iran to sign treatment of dividing waters under the international law of common international Rivers on Tigris and Euphrates.
Pollutants have Increased rapidly in the aquatic environment of Iraq in the past two decades, which due to: Inefficiency and lack of sanitation projects health Disqualification units of sewage treatment prior to release to the river, Failure to complete the disposal of agricultural drainage projects and their linking to the main drainage canal, that connects to the Shatt Al-Basra, leading to Khore Al-Zubair. This will lead to the reuse of drainages water in agricultural, ended in the increase of salinity, fertilizer and pesticides in the water of rivers where they discharged their contents, failure to comply with treatment of water used in industrial projects, and emptied directly to the river without treatment. Illegal sewerage connection by industrial projects for the disposal of their polluted water without treatment. Throwing household waste in the river and on its bank.. Research on the level of pollutants in the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates, has shown the presence of pollutants from heavy metals, fertilizers, salts and bacterial content. Their level increase as we head north to the center and south of Iraq. The results indicate high-rise in the mean ratios of heavy metals in bottom sediments of the river, in fish and in the water as we head to the center and south. Fortunately running water stream mitigate these harmful effects, but they will increase in benthic sediments certainly as well as aquatic organisms, which will accumulate in them, and thus become a source of contamination to the man who feeds on them.