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Iraq's historic marshes revive as water returns after years of drought
Heavy winter rainfall lifted reservoir levels and helped raise submerged marshland to 32% to 36%, officials and experts said.
- On May 7, 2026, rising water levels began reviving Iraq's historic Chibayish marshes, drawing buffalo herders and fishermen back to once-abandoned areas after years of devastating drought.
- Drained by Saddam Hussein in the 1990s to root out insurgents, the wetlands believed by some to be the biblical Garden of Eden dried up completely between 2021 and 2025, forcing residents to abandon the UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Iraqi marshland expert Jassim al-Assadi reported submerged marshland rose to 36%, compared with no more than 8% over the past five years. Higher water levels are supporting a gradual recovery in biodiversity, including fish stocks and vegetation growth.
- Iraq's water resources ministry increased strategic reserves by about 6 billion cubic metres this year, enabling restoration efforts. "Some time ago, all our livestock died and there was no water at all," said Haidar Qassem, a farmer who has returned.
- Stronger seasonal rainfall and improved water management boosted flows in the Tigris and Euphrates, allowing the current recovery. Residents like buffalo herder Raheem Abdul Zahra hope for further water releases to sustain the region's long-term stability.
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IN PHOTOS: Iraq's historic marshes revive as water returns after years of drought
The Ishan Hallab area—part of Iraq's marshes, believed by some to be the biblical Garden of Eden—dried up between 2021 and 2025. In recent months, wetter conditions have helped restore it.
·Quezon City, Philippines (the)
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Iraq's historic marshes revive as water returns after years of drought
After years of drought that left large swathes of Iraq's historic marshes cracked and empty, rising water levels are beginning to revive the wetlands, drawing buffalo herders and fishermen back to areas once abandoned.
·United Kingdom
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Total News Sources8
Leaning Left3Leaning Right3Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Left, 37% Right
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left, 37% of the sources lean Right
38% Left
L 38%
C 25%
R 37%
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