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Hur al-Azim Marsh sees 5% increase in water levels
Davood Mirshekar, in an interview with IRNA on Monday, described the condition of Hur al-Azim Marsh compared to the same period last year as “more favorable,” noting that last year it was only 52% filled, indicating a five percent increase in water levels.
He also said that, given the intense heat and the looming of wildfires in the wetland over the next two months, communication has been established with the Crisis Management Department and the Urban Development Office of the Khuzestan Governorate to ensure that water releases proceed in a controlled manner.
The head of Khuzestan’s Department of Environment expressed hope that by securing water rights for the marsh, there would be minimal reduction in water levels.
The border wetland of Hur al-Azim, spanning over 300,000 hectares, is the last remnant of the marshlands of Mesopotamia, with one-third located in Iran and two-thirds in Iraq.
This unique habitat is situated in the southwest of the country, in Khuzestan, at the end of the Karkheh River. The water crisis in the Karkheh basin has posed challenges to this marsh for the past three years.
In recent years, due to the drying of vast areas of Hur al-Azim, the wetland has experienced widespread wildfires, particularly in the Iraqi section, leading to thick smoke that affected several counties in Khuzestan on certain days.