Lake Habbaniyah's decline: Iraq's climate crisis takes toll on tourism

Iraqi trader Mohamed is witnessing a bleak tourist season due to years of severe drought, causing Lake Habbaniyah to shrink and repel vacationers.

Retreating shorelines and water levels have halted the once-popular destination, leaving lakeside shops and vacation homes empty. Once 3.3 billion cubic meters, the lake's capacity has been reduced to 500 million cubic meters.

They cite declining rainfall, rising temperatures, and upstream damming by Turkey as culprits. As water resources dwindle, Iraq faces challenges related to climate change and loss of diversity. Visitors now find a stagnant pond instead of a thriving lake.

35-year-old Mohamed, an Iraqi merchant, said, "There was some activity in the last two years, but now there's no more water." He laid out inflatable water floats, nets, and shirts in front of his lakeside shop, but he expected few if any customers. Mohamed asked to be identified by his first name only.

"This year, it's dry, dry!" Mohamed told AFP, his shirt soaked in sweat in the inhospitable heat of nearly 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit).

1979 resort, thriving lake retreat

Established in 1979 as a leisure haven around an artificial lake, the resort attracted tourists from the Middle East for years to come.

The recent four-year streak of decreased rainfall and elevated temperatures has hit Habbaniyah hard, echoing the difficulties facing much of the nation.

Baghdad attributes the terrible drop in water levels of the Euphrates River, which feeds the lake and runs through Syria, to the construction of the upstream Turkey Dam.

Khaled Shamal, the spokesman for Iraq's Ministry of Water Resources, issued a dire warning: "Iraq's strategic water reserves are at their lowest point in nearly a century."

During a visit to Baghdad last week, United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk sounded an alarm, linking rising temperatures, drought and biodiversity loss as a wake-up call for Iraq and the world community.

Sada'a Saleh Mohamed, a local official who oversees finances at the Habbaniyah complex, lamented the lake's decline and sharp decline in tourism, citing the once-thriving lake's transformation into a stagnant pond unfit for consumption or recreation.

As the evening sky darkened and temperatures moderated slightly, a handful of visitors ventured to the beach for a barbecue.

Qassem Lafta, a native of the nearby city of Fallujah, commented wistfully on the lake's past glory. He expressed his hope that the authorities would rejuvenate the lake, which he pointed to as the only refuge for the people of Anbar, southern Iraq and Baghdad to relax.

Climate change and water shortage endanger Iraq's stability

Iraq is facing a severe water crisis exacerbated by climate change, which has substantial implications for the country's economy, environment and regional stability.

Ranked fifth among the nations most vulnerable to climate change by the UN, Iraq is suffering from a severe drought, with temperatures topping 50°C last summer.

The iconic Habbaniyah Lake, once a tourist hotspot, has shrunk significantly due to reduced flow of the Euphrates River caused by decreased rainfall and the construction of dams.

Residents are dealing with the repercussions, including abandoned bungalows and receding shorelines. The Ministry of Water Resources warned against the closure of water treatment plants and urged local governments to provide assistance.

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