Iraq’s Historic Marshes Revive as Water Returns After Years of Severe Drought

After years of relentless drought that left vast stretches of Iraq’s historic marshes cracked, barren, and empty, rising water levels are now breathing new life into these ancient wetlands. The return of water is drawing buffalo herders, fishermen, and their families back to areas that were once abandoned as wastelands.

In the Chibayish marshes of southern Iraq, canoes once again glide silently through waterways that had vanished just a few seasons ago. Water buffalo wade through reviving marshland, and patches of green pasture have begun to reappear across the landscape.

“Some time ago, all our livestock died, and there was no water at all,” said Haidar Qassem, a farmer who raises water buffalo in the central marsh. “Many of our people migrated because of the drought,” he added, explaining that this year, water has returned, livestock numbers are slowly recovering, and several displaced families have come back.

The dramatic change follows unusually heavy winter rainfall, which boosted reservoir levels and enabled Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources to release increasing volumes of water into the marshes. Residents, however, remain cautiously optimistic, hoping for further releases to sustain the recovery, Reuters reported.

Jassim al-Assadi, an Iraqi marshland expert, noted that the Ishan Hallab area part of the broader marshlands, believed by some to be the biblical Garden of Eden and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016 had dried up completely between 2021 and 2025. That extreme dry period forced herders to abandon the area entirely. But in recent months, wetter conditions have helped restore Ishan Hallab, reviving pastureland and allowing some residents to make their way back.

According to al-Assadi, the proportion of submerged marshland has now risen to between 32% and 36%, a dramatic improvement compared with no more than 8% over the past five years. Iraqi water resources officials have confirmed these figures.

The rising water levels are also supporting a gradual recovery in biodiversity. Fish stocks are increasing, vegetation is spreading, and reeds used by residents to build traditional mudhif houses are growing once again. These marshes have been inhabited for thousands of years by the Marsh Arabs (Maʻdān), whose livelihoods, traditions, and unique culture are intimately tied to the water.

Mazin Wadai, a water resources official, said that larger inflow from tributaries, improved water management, and stronger seasonal rainfall have all contributed to boosting reserves in dams and increasing flows in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This, in turn, has allowed more water to reach the marshes.

The Ministry of Water Resources added that Iraq’s strategic water reserves have increased by approximately 6 billion cubic meters this year, giving authorities greater flexibility to manage supplies during the scorching summer months.

At their peak, Iraq’s marshes stretched across more than 3,600 square miles (9,500 sq km), forming one of the world’s largest wetland ecosystems. However, they were systematically drained in the 1990s by Saddam Hussein’s regime, which accused the Marsh Arabs of treachery during the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq war. The draining was part of a brutal campaign to root out insurgents and punish the region’s inhabitants.

Thousands of Marsh Arabs fled, and their ancient way of life was nearly destroyed. But since Saddam’s overthrow in 2003, parts of the wetlands have been deliberately reflooded by the government, and around 250,000 Marsh Arabs have gradually returned.

For residents like Raheem Abdul Zahra, a buffalo herder, the recent improvements have transformed daily life. “The land was dry, but now it’s alive again,” he said, watching his buffalo wade through water that had long been absent.

Despite the revival, experts warn that the marshes remain fragile. Climate change, upstream dam construction in Turkey and Iran, and the possibility of future droughts continue to threaten the region’s recovery. For now, though, the sound of water lapping against canoes and the sight of returning wildlife offer a rare glimmer of hope in a country long battered by environmental hardship.

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