2006年-世界发展银行全球_Iraq_Country_Water_Resource_Assistance_Strategy___Addressing_Major_Threats_to_Peoples_Livelihoods_97页_2mb

Summary of Iraq: Country Water Resource Assistance Strategy

Core Content

This document, Report No. 36297-IQ, presents the Iraq Country Water Resource Assistance Strategy (CWRAS), aimed at addressing major threats to people's livelihoods through improved water resource management. The strategy is part of a broader effort to support Iraq's reconstruction and development in the water sector, particularly in the context of post-conflict recovery and long-term sustainability.

Main Objectives

The CWRAS has three primary objectives:

1. Provide an overview of the current status of water resources management and development practices in Iraq, and identify the challenges in managing these resources.
2. Help donors prioritize investment and technical assistance programs in response to the Government of Iraq's needs, especially in rehabilitating a deteriorating hydraulic infrastructure.
3. Advise Iraq on balancing short-term rehabilitation with long-term infrastructure and institutional development using economic criteria.

Key Recommendations

1. Analytical and Advisory Activities (AAA)

• Conduct targeted AAA to evaluate water demand and supply, and recommend policy instruments.
• Focus on agricultural, energy, and water-pricing policies, as well as environmental flows for marshland integrity.

2. Capacity Building and Technical Assistance

• Develop a technical assistance program to build capacity at international, national, sub-national, and community levels.
• Promote user involvement and accountability in water supply and irrigation services.
• Support mechanisms for community participation in decision-making processes over time.

3. Targeted Investments

• Prioritize investments in dam safety, irrigation and drainage networks, and urban water supply and sewerage systems.
• Use an output-based approach to ensure tangible and immediate results such as water security and employment creation.
• Ensure that wastewater infrastructure investments lead to measurable water quality improvements.

Strategic Vision

• The National Water Master Plan (supported by USAID) is a key strategic document that will outline the baseline information and recommendations for managing Iraq's water resources.
• Donor support is recommended to assist in the implementation of the Plan and to help the Government of Iraq develop a strategy for transboundary cooperation.

Institutional Priorities

• Centralized control has historically characterized Iraq's water management, but there is a need to integrate and decentralize decision-making.
• The government should consider inter-ministerial coordination and user involvement in planning and investment decisions.
• Decentralized management at the basin, provincial, and community levels is encouraged to improve efficiency and accountability.
• The government is advised to evaluate institutional models such as basin agencies and water-user associations to reflect stakeholder interests.

Transboundary Concerns

• Over 50% of Tigris and Euphrates flows originate in upstream countries, notably Turkey and Syria.
• The GAP project in Turkey and potential Syrian developments are expected to reduce Iraq's share of Euphrates water from 19–21 BCM/year to 9 BCM/year.
• This reduction threatens hydropower generation, irrigated agriculture, and ecological balance in the Euphrates basin.
• Transboundary cooperation is essential to secure water flows and reduce risks. Donors are encouraged to support data exchange programs and joint research initiatives among riparian states.

Rehabilitation Priorities

1. Dam Safety and Hydropower

• Iraq has 17 large dams, many of which are in critical condition due to years of underinvestment.
• Hydropower output is currently at 30–50% of full capacity, and the sector is at risk due to inadequate water flow and poor infrastructure.
• Donors are recommended to support rehabilitation of critical dams and modernization of irrigation and drainage networks.

2. Water Supply and Sanitation (WS&S)

• WS&S is a top priority in Iraq's National Development Strategy.
• The government has initiated an emergency investment program for the next ten years.
• The focus is on rehabilitation and reconstruction of WS&S facilities, with an emphasis on decentralized, demand-responsive, and financially self-sustaining utility models.
• Donors are advised to support rehabilitation of municipal facilities and restoration of service levels.

3. Flood Control

• Despite a complex hydraulic network, flood risks remain high, particularly in the Great Zab River.
• Modeling and forecasting tools are needed to improve flood management.

Modernization Priorities

1. Agricultural Sector

• Over 3 million hectares of land are under irrigation, contributing 10% to GDP and 35% to non-oil GDP.
• Irrigation efficiency is low, and drainage systems have led to soil salinization and waterlogging.
• The government has been interventionist in agriculture since the 1980s, leading to mismatch between investment and output.

2. Modernization of Irrigation and Drainage

• The Agriculture Sector Capacity Building Project (supported by the World Bank) will address institutional strengthening.
• Targeted investments in on-farm and off-farm systems are needed to improve water use efficiency.
• These investments should be piloted at sub-national levels before expanding to priority regions.

Expected Outcomes from Donor Support

• Donor support in institutional capacity building and physical infrastructure rehabilitation will help the Government of Iraq take greater responsibility for water planning and management.
• An inclusive decision-making process based on decentralization, stakeholder participation, and environmental sustainability will be progressively realized.
• This will lead to improved service delivery, increased water security, and enhanced environmental protection.

Conclusion

The CWRAS outlines a comprehensive strategy for addressing the current and future water challenges in Iraq, emphasizing the need for donor collaboration, institutional reform, and sustainable water management. The strategy highlights the importance of balancing short-term rehabilitation with long-term development, and calls for transboundary cooperation, capacity building, and modernization of agricultural and water systems.