Can We Restore the Marches in Iraq (Garden of Eden)?

Iraqi marshes are located within the southern part of Iraq where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers join. There are three main marshes (Hammar Central and Hawizeh). They used to cover an area 15,000 - 20,000 square kilometers. The government of Iraq started to dry the marshes since 1990 for military reasons. Oil companies started to work in that area, and they occupied about 25% of that area. After 2003, the government changed, and they started to restore the remainder 75% of marshes. To achieve this goal, they require about 13 billion cubic kilometers of water (BCM). The problem was the scarcity of water due to the building of dams in riparian countries and climate change. It is believed that if the government follows a prudent water resources strategy, then it will be possible to restore the marshes.


Introduction
The marshes in Iraq referred to as the "Garden of Eden" are located within the southern part of Iraq, which are created by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers system ( Figure 1). The area is characterized by its very tow slope where it ranges from 4 to 8 cm/km within the Euphrates and Tigris respectively which caused the two rivers to split and meander. The area stretches between double deltas, the inner delta produced by Hillah-Hindiyah on the Euphrates and Sghatt al-Gharaf on the Tigris, and a marine delta created by the Karun and Marunjerrahi river system [1].
The area represents a unique ecosystem providing local inhabitants with an essential source of habitat and livelihoods, and it has played a vital role in the economic and social advancement of the people of Iraq. In addition, they How to cite this paper: Al-Ansari, N.     Reed covers large areas of the marshes while the vegetation in the mud flats is usually Carex and Juncus spp., Scripus brachyceras. In the fresh water lakes, the aquatic vegetation dominates (e.g. hornwort, eel grass and pondweed, as well as bottom vegetation such as stonewart. In the smaller lakes and back swamps, floating vegetation of waterlilies, water soldier and duckweed is common [2] [10].
It has been estimated that 60% of the fish consumed in Iraq comes from the marshes [11]. Furthermore, oil reserves were discovered in the area [12]. This area is also very important for the migration of birds where several millions of N. Al-Ansari DOI: 10.4236/eng.2020.127033 469 Engineering birds reside in these marshes when they migrate, and about 80 bird species were used to be in the marshlands [8].
In the 1990s, the Iraqi Government started to dry the marshes for military and security reasons and as a consequence, catastrophic negative effects on the marsh dwellers, animals and plants took place ( Figure 6 and Figure 7). After 2003, the new Iraqi government started an attempt to restore the marshes. In this paper, the possibility of restoring the marshes is discussed.

Evolution of the Lower Mesopotamia
Most of the researchers attribute the climate change and sea level changes were the main factors that caused the development of the marshes and controlling its water quality (Figure 2, Figure 3 Al Amarah and An Nasiriyah areas about 7000 to 6000 years ago ( Figure 8 and Figure 9). This period known as the great flood period. It was reported that the    rise of sea level was relatively fast at this period [16]. This period was followed by semiarid climate that caused regression of the sea level. At this period, the marshes were formed (Figure 8 and Figure 9) [13]. Following that period, the area passed through an arid climate till the current time [13] [17] [18]. Marine fauna was found in Hammar formation (Holocene age) about −2.7 to −5.8 m below soil surface, and this indicates that the sea level at that period reached Amrah ( Figure 8 and Figure 9) [19] [20]. Above Hammar formation, the sediments are of fluvial nature that were deposited in the shallow northern region of the Gulf leading to the progression of the delta toward the southeast (Figure 9).
This changed the nature of the area from the brackish lagoon to fresh water within the formed delta area [21].
Within Hammar marsh and the area east of Qurna-Basra, number of archeological sites were discovered that indicated that during the second and first millennium indicating, the Gulf shoreline was further south. The southern limit of the Mesopotamian delta was very near its present limit during Hellenistic period. During that period, the sea level was about 1 m lower than its present level [15] [22]. Following this period, no major events took place apart from the Tigris River followed the Gharaf bed into the Euphrates forming a very big marsh 370 km long and 90 km wide during the seventh century.

Climate of Marshland
Generally, the area is characterized by dry hot summer that extends from June to September and mild wet winter that extends from October to May reflecting continental to subtropical climate. Annual precipitation increases from southwest to the northeast ( Figure 10). The average annual rainfall in the area ranges from 42 to 185 mm. The long term average annual rainfall within the marshland at the rainy period is between 40 to 60 days, and the probability of intensive rainfall (1 -10 mm) is only 25% -27% [23]. It is noteworthy to mention that year the temperature is equal or below 0˚C.
As far as the humidity of the area is concerned, it is considered a humid area ( Figure 12) where the humidity reaches its maximum in winter (67% -80%) and   the minimum in summer (18% -27%) with a mean value of 40% -45%. The total annual radiation reaches 525 milliwatt/hour where it reaches its maximum in June and July and its minimum in December and January. Eight to nine hours is the sunshine duration as an average during the day, this is equivalent to 69% -74%. In summer sunshine duration reaches 80% -90% while in winter it does not exceed 70%. The prevailing wind direction is northwesterly and westerly.
During spring, a south-easterly wind present refereed to as "khansin". This wind comes from Saudi Arabia and usually brings sand storms. Mean annual wind velocities are ranging from 3.6 to 5.7 m/sec with the highest mean monthly wind velocities taking place in the period June to August. Potential evapotranspiration (ETo) map ( Figure 13) shows that the rate is higher in the south relative to the north. The average annual ETo is higher than 2000 mm. ETo reaches its maximum values from May to September and its minimum during January. During summer, 50% of ETo annual amount occurs while it is 22% -23% during spring and autumn, and it reaches its minimum (6%) during winter. The average annual day with fog is 27 days, and the maximum number of fog days occurs in December and January. As far as thunderstorms are concerned, its mean annual number of days is 7 usually occurring during the period October to May. The average annual dust days are of the range 36 -53 days, and they usually occur from April to August with the peak in June and July. The western parts suffer more than other parts from the dust storms.

The Marshes
The marshland is located in a very flat area. It rises gently toward the southwes- 2) North Rumayllah in the Hammar Marsh. North Rumayllah was discovered shortly after the main Rumayllah field in 1954, but did not go online until 1972.
Approximately 200 km 2 of marshlands were drained to accommodate its production footprint.
3) Zubayr field within the southeastern most Hammar Marsh. This oilfield has been producing since 1949; approximately 100 km 2 of marshland were drained to allow for production facilities. For this reason, this phenomenon continued with time (see Figure 14).

How Much Water Is Required to Restore the Marshes?
The volume of water required to restore 75% of the marshes is about 13 BCM (        these projects caused a decrease in the flow of the rivers and decrease in the water quality of the river too.
Furthermore, climate change also affected the flow of the two rivers. All research carried out concerning the Middle East indicates that this area is suffering more than other areas in the world due to climate change, and this caused decrease of precipitation and increase of the temperature [42]- [63]. Prediction models indicate that there will be 15% -25% reduction in precipitation, and that will cause a reduction of surface water flow about 29% to 73%. This situation will cause grave depletion of groundwater resources. Water scarcity will affect agriculture, municipal water supply, sanitation industry and life quality. It is expected that Iraq will suffer from water shortages where it will reach −20.6 BCM in 2040 [66].
In view of the above, prudent strategic water management plan is required.
The main outlines are such a plan should include: • Projects in riparian countries.
• Climate change effect. • -Using modern irrigation techniques and highly consuming water plants and vegetables is to be avoided. • Using non-conventional water resources.
• Public awareness program is to be put into practice.
• Maintenances of all existing projects.
• Executing new suggested dams.
• Human resources development plan.
• Discussions with riparian countries about Iraq's water share from the rivers.
The details of such plan are given by [40]  In addition, in case the situation remains as it is, all future predictions suggest that all riparian countries will be under water shortage stress. Bilateral talks and/or agreements are not sufficient to begin discussions for a regional solution.
Therefore, such negotiations and discussions require a third party to intervene to bring all riparian countries together. To reach a final solution and sign an agreement between riparian countries this requires an external mediator that can highlight and frame the issues in such a way that each country believes that it is gaining by joining the discussion and will lose something by avoiding the discussions. The third party (mediator) should be influential on the international political level, has the capability of financial support and has high technical skills that can be used. In such a case, all parties will be seriously involved in the discussions. Furthermore, it is believed that such negotiations between Iraq and others should include commercial, agricultural, industrial, military and security, trade and water. This is because Turkey is the dominant regional power and will not take the discussion seriously unless there are incentives.
In this context, it is believed that if this plan is put into practice, the water can be made available to restore the marshes.

Conclusion
Iraqi marshes are located within the southern part of Iraq where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers join in a very gentle slope area (4 to 8 cm/km). The marshes used to cover an area 15,000 -20,000 square kilometers, and about 500,000 people used to live within that area. After the first Gulf war, the government of Iraq started to dry the marshes since 1990 for military and security reasons. Oil companies started to work in that area and some of the locals used some areas for agricultural activities, and this led to be occupied about 25% of the marsh area. After 2003, the government changed and they started to restore the remainder 75% of marshes. To achieve this goad they require about 13 billion cubic kilometers of water (BCM). The problem was the scarcity of water due to the building of dams in riparian countries and climate change. It is believed that if the government has to change its strategy of water resources management because the existing strategy will lead to more water scarcity problems. A new strategy must reach agreements with riparian countries to secure the amount of water that Iraq should get from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and their tribu- taries. In addition, this strategy should seriously consider scientific outlines to consider the effect of climate change and modernizing irrigation techniques and maintenance of existing water and agricultural projects. The use of non-conventional water resources use, and public awareness programs are to be put in practice.