DUBAI: Iraq’s ministry of water resources is taking a series of measures to reduce the effects of water scarcity in marshes in the southern governorate of Dhi Qar, according to the Iraq News Agency. 

The Marsh Revival center at the ministry said the low-lying lands have been suffering from water scarcity for the past three seasons, saying the “marches have paid the price for the consequences of water scarcity.”

 The statement said the Ministry of Water Resources continues to put efforts to reduce the effects of this scarcity, which resulted from a decline in rainfall, and also reduced water flows from neighboring Turkey across the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to Iraq.

This has “greatly affected the waters that reach the marshes and cut the size of agricultural plans in half,” it added. 

The statement said the center has implemented measures to address the issue since the beginning of this summer, by “refining the rivers feeding the marshes, and secondly by delivering water rations to ensure the stability of the local population and the ease of movement of their boats.”