Mesopotamian Marshlands: Salinization Problem
Affiliation(s)
Biology Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Department of Marine Environmental Chemistry, Marine Science Center, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq.
Biology Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Department of Marine Environmental Chemistry, Marine Science Center, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq.
ABSTRACT
Salinization becomes a very serious problem affecting the restoration assessment of the newly re-flooded marshes of the Mesopotamian southern Iraq. From mid-1970 to early-1990, the whole marsh area was influenced by water shortage and desiccation processes. Increasing the average salinity level in the re-flooded marshes is acting versus their recovery progress and significantly affecting their aquatic biota. This study will examine the contributions of dams’ construction and desiccation on increasing the salinity level with in the Mesopotamian marshlands overtime. Water discharge and salinity concentration were monitored in the direct water inputs and outlets of the three marshlands from May 2006 to February 2007 on a monthly basis, while salinity and major ions concentrations including “Ca1+, Mg2+, Cl1-, and SO42-” were monitored in 28 re-flooded marshes from March 2005 to August 2008 on a seasonal basis. The study indicate that increasing the salinity level in the Mesopotamian marshlands is due to three reasons: 1) The overtime increasing in the salinity level of their direct water inputs, due to dams’ constructions; 2) the increase of the Arab Gulf tide via Shatt Al-Arab river due to the reduction of the water level in the outlets of the Central and Al-Hammar marshlands; and 3) the huge accumulation of salts due to desiccation.
Salinization becomes a very serious problem affecting the restoration assessment of the newly re-flooded marshes of the Mesopotamian southern Iraq. From mid-1970 to early-1990, the whole marsh area was influenced by water shortage and desiccation processes. Increasing the average salinity level in the re-flooded marshes is acting versus their recovery progress and significantly affecting their aquatic biota. This study will examine the contributions of dams’ construction and desiccation on increasing the salinity level with in the Mesopotamian marshlands overtime. Water discharge and salinity concentration were monitored in the direct water inputs and outlets of the three marshlands from May 2006 to February 2007 on a monthly basis, while salinity and major ions concentrations including “Ca1+, Mg2+, Cl1-, and SO42-” were monitored in 28 re-flooded marshes from March 2005 to August 2008 on a seasonal basis. The study indicate that increasing the salinity level in the Mesopotamian marshlands is due to three reasons: 1) The overtime increasing in the salinity level of their direct water inputs, due to dams’ constructions; 2) the increase of the Arab Gulf tide via Shatt Al-Arab river due to the reduction of the water level in the outlets of the Central and Al-Hammar marshlands; and 3) the huge accumulation of salts due to desiccation.
Cite this paper
S. AlMaarofi, A. Douabul and H. Al-Saad, "Mesopotamian Marshlands: Salinization Problem," Journal of Environmental Protection, Vol. 3 No. 10, 2012, pp. 1295-1301. doi: 10.4236/jep.2012.310147.
S. AlMaarofi, A. Douabul and H. Al-Saad, "Mesopotamian Marshlands: Salinization Problem," Journal of Environmental Protection, Vol. 3 No. 10, 2012, pp. 1295-1301. doi: 10.4236/jep.2012.310147.
References
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[1] D. A. Scott, “A Directory of Wetlands in the Middle East,” IUCN, UK, 1995, p. 560. [2] J. Rzoska, “Euphrates and Tigris, the Mesopotamian Eco- logy and Destiny,” W. Junk, The Hague, Boston, Hingham, 1980. [3] J. F. Talling and I. B. Talling, “The Chemical Composition of African Lake Waters,” Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrographie, Vol. 50, No. 3, 1965, pp. 421-463. [4] M. I. Al-Hamed, “Limnological Study on the Inland Waters of Iraq,” Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum, Vol. 3, No. 5, 1966, pp. 1-22. [5] H. Partow, “The Mesopotamian Marshlands: Demise of an Ecosystem-Division of Early Warning and Assessment,” United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, 2001, p. 46. [6] Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources (IMWR), “Studying the Rehabilitation of Al-Hawizeh Marsh Ecological System,” Centre for the Restoration of Marshes, Iraq, 2006, p. 79. [7] F. Al-Manssori, “Future Assessment of Southern Iraqi Marshes,” Ph.D. Thesis, University of Basra, Basra, 2008, p. 164. [8] Iraq Foundation (IF), “Draft Report Physical Characteristics of Mesopotamian Marshlands of Southern Iraq,” Background Material Prepared for the Technical Advisory Panel Eden Again Project, 2003, p. 45. [9] Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), “Restoration Procedures Manual for Public Lands in Florida,” The Nature Conservancy, 1998, p. 124. [10] D. W. Blinn, “Diatom Community Structure Change the Physiochemical Gradients in Saline Lakes,” Ecology, Vol. 74, No. 4, 1993, pp. 1246-1263. [11] B. C. Chessman and W. D. Williams, “Distribution of Fish in Inland Saline Waters in Victoria, Australia,” Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1974, pp. 167-172. [12] R. H. Froend, E. M. Heddle, D. H. Bell and A. J. McConb, “Effect of Salinity and Waterlogging on the Vegetation of Lake Toolibin, Western Australia,” Australian Journal of Ecology, Vol. 12, No. 3, 1987, pp. 281-298. [13] D. L. Nielsen, M. A. Brock, G. N. Rees and D. S. Baldwin, “Effect of Increasing Salinity on Fresh Ecosystems in Australia,” Australian Journal of Botany, Vol. 51, No. 6, 2003, pp. 655-665. [14] S. S. Mahamed, “Phosphorus and Nitrogen in Al-Hawizeh Marshes, Southern Iraq,” M.Sc. Thesis, University of Waterloo, Ontario, 2008. [15] C. J. Richardson and N. A. Hussain, “Restoration the Garden of Eden: An Ecological Assessment of the Marshes of Iraq,” BioScience, Vol. 56, No. 6, 2006, pp. 477-489. [16] Americana Public Health Association (APHA), “Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Waste Water,” 20th Edition, Washington DC, 1979. [17] N. A. Husain, “Ahwar of Iraq: Environmental Approach,” University of Bassra, Iraq, 1994, p. 290. [18] W. Stumm and J. Morgan, “Aquatic Chemistry: Chemical Equilibrium and Rates in Natural Waters,” 3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1995.