Central Marshes
Encyclopedia
The Central or Qurna Marshes were a large complex of wetlands in Iraq
that were part of the Tigris-Euphrates river system
, along with the Hawizeh
and Hammar
Marshes. Formerly covering an area of around 3000 square kilometres, they were almost completely drained following the 1991 uprisings in Iraq
and have in recent years been reflooded.
, Al-'Uzair
(Ezra's Tomb) and Al-Qurnah
and were mainly fed by the Tigris
and its distributaries. They were characterised by tall qasab reeds
but included a number of freshwater lake
s, of which the largest were the Haur az-Zikri and Umm al-Binni
(literally "mother of binni", the latter being a species of barbel.) The marshes supported breeding populations of the Basra Reed-warbler
and Marbled Teal, along with several other species of non-breeding birds. A bird subspecies
unique to the marshes, the African Darter
Anhinga rufa chantrei, may have already become extinct
by the 1990s. There were also populations of several mammal
species including the unique Erythronesokia bunnii (Bunn's Short-Tailed Bandicoot Rat) and the Smooth-coated Otter
subspecies Lutra perspicillata maxwelli, which had only been described from specimens obtained in the Central Marshes.
The area was formerly populated by the Marsh Arabs
or Ma'dan, who grazed buffalo on the natural vegetation and carried out cultivation of rice.
, resulting in the loss of two-thirds of the Central Marshes by as early as 1993. A further canal, the Prosperity Canal, was constructed to prevent any overflow into the marsh from the main channel of the Tigris as it ran southwards from Qalat Saleh. By the late 1990s, the Central Marsh had become completely desiccated, suffering the most severe damage of the three main areas of wetland. By 2000, United Nations Environment Programme estimated that 90% of the marshlands had disappeared.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
that were part of the Tigris-Euphrates river system
Tigris-Euphrates river system
The Tigris–Euphrates river system is part of the palearctic Tigris-Euphrates alluvial salt marsh ecoregion, in the flooded grasslands and savannas biome, located in West Asia.-Geography:...
, along with the Hawizeh
Hawizeh Marshes (Iraq/Iran)
The Hawizeh Marshes are a complex of marshes that straddle the Iraq and Iran border. The marshes are fed by the Tigris River in Iraq and Karkheh River in Iran...
and Hammar
Hammar Marshes
The Hammar Marshes are a large complex of wetlands in Iraq that are part of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, along with the Mesopotamian Marshes which also encompass the Hawizeh and Central Marshes...
Marshes. Formerly covering an area of around 3000 square kilometres, they were almost completely drained following the 1991 uprisings in Iraq
1991 uprisings in Iraq
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq were a series of anti-governmental rebellions in southern and northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War. The revolt was fueled by the perception that the power of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was vulnerable at the time; as well as by heavily fueled anger at...
and have in recent years been reflooded.
Characteristics
The Central Marshes stretched between NasiriyahNasiriyah
Nasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar...
, Al-'Uzair
Ezra's Tomb
Ezra's Tomb or the Tomb of Ezra is a location in Iraq on the western shore of the Tigris that was popularly believed to be the burial place of the biblical figure Ezra. Al-ʻUzair is the present name of the settlement that has grown up around the tomb....
(Ezra's Tomb) and Al-Qurnah
Al-Qurnah
Al-Qurnah is a small village in southern Iraq about 74 km northwest of Basra, within the town of Nahairat. Qurna is located at the point where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers join to form the Shatt al-Arab....
and were mainly fed by the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
and its distributaries. They were characterised by tall qasab reeds
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
but included a number of freshwater lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, of which the largest were the Haur az-Zikri and Umm al-Binni
Umm al Binni lake
Umm al Binni lake is a lake in Maysan Governorate in southern Iraq within the Central Marshes. The 3.4 km wide lake is approximately 45 km northwest of the Tigris–Euphrates confluence...
(literally "mother of binni", the latter being a species of barbel.) The marshes supported breeding populations of the Basra Reed-warbler
Basra Reed-warbler
The Basra Reed Warbler is a "warbler" of the genus Acrocephalus. It is an endemic breeder in East and southern Iraq and Israel in extensive beds of papyrus and reeds. It is easily mistaken for the Great Reed Warbler but is a bit smaller, has whiter under parts and has a narrower, longer and more...
and Marbled Teal, along with several other species of non-breeding birds. A bird subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
unique to the marshes, the African Darter
African Darter
The African Darter , sometimes called the Snakebird, is a water bird of sub-Saharan Africa.-Taxonomy:The African Darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American , Oriental , and Australian Darters.-Description:The male is mainly glossy...
Anhinga rufa chantrei, may have already become extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
by the 1990s. There were also populations of several mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
species including the unique Erythronesokia bunnii (Bunn's Short-Tailed Bandicoot Rat) and the Smooth-coated Otter
Smooth-coated Otter
The Smooth-coated Otter is a species of otter, the only extant representative of the genus Lutrogale. The species is found from southern Pakistan and parts of the India east to Southeast Asia, and there is a disjunct population in Iraq...
subspecies Lutra perspicillata maxwelli, which had only been described from specimens obtained in the Central Marshes.
The area was formerly populated by the Marsh Arabs
Marsh Arabs
The Marsh Arabs , also known as the Maʻdān , are inhabitants of the Tigris-Euphrates marshlands in the south and east of Iraq and along the Iranian border....
or Ma'dan, who grazed buffalo on the natural vegetation and carried out cultivation of rice.
Draining
By the early 1980s, it was evident that irrigation projects were already affecting water levels in the marshes. In the early 1990s, the government of Iraq undertook a series of major drainage projects, at least partly in retribution for the events of the 1991 uprisings, and to prevent the area being used as a refuge by militias. The flow southwards from the distributary streams of the Tigris was blocked by large embankments and discharged into the Al-Amarah or Glory CanalGlory Canal
The Glory River , Glory Canal or Prosperity Canal is a shallow canal in Iraq about two kilometers wide built by Saddam Hussein in 1993 to redirect water flowing from the Tigris river into the Euphrates, near their confluence at the Shatt al-Arab...
, resulting in the loss of two-thirds of the Central Marshes by as early as 1993. A further canal, the Prosperity Canal, was constructed to prevent any overflow into the marsh from the main channel of the Tigris as it ran southwards from Qalat Saleh. By the late 1990s, the Central Marsh had become completely desiccated, suffering the most severe damage of the three main areas of wetland. By 2000, United Nations Environment Programme estimated that 90% of the marshlands had disappeared.