Hammar Marshes
Encyclopedia
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. The Hammar Marshes formerly covered an area of 2,800 square kilometres of permanent wetland, extending to over 4,500 square kilometres in certain seasons, but were almost totally destroyed during the 1990s by drainage projects, and have only recently seen some recovery.
and Basra
and were located south of the Euphrates
River, which formed their principal source. Their main feature was the large brackish lake Haur al-Hammar
, the largest water body in the lower Euphrates. Additional water from the Tigris
reached the system through overflow from the Central Marshes
.
With a wide variety of habitats, the Hammar Marshes and the Haur al-Hammar supported large populations of birds, notably pelicans and ducks, with the Haur Aluwez in the south-east being especially significant for these species.
The area was formerly populated by the Marsh Arabs
or Ma'dan.
, directly increasing the salinity of the wetlands.
The greatest damage occurred in the early 1990s, when the Saddam Hussein government of Iraq undertook a series of major destructive drainage projects, at least partly in reprisal for the 1991 uprisings
. Reports suggested that the flow of the Euphrates had been diverted into the Third River, a huge drainage canal. By 2002, the Hammar Marshes and the Haur al-Hammar had entirely 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 are 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 Mesopotamian Marshes
Mesopotamian Marshes
The Mesopotamian Marshes are a wetland area located in southern Iraq and partially in southwestern Iran. Historically the marshlands, mainly composed of the separate but adjacent Central, Hawizeh and Hammar Marshes, used to be the largest wetland ecosystem of Western Eurasia...
which also encompass 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 Central
Central Marshes (Iraq)
The Draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes occurred in Iraq and to a smaller degree in Iran between the 1950s and 1990s to clear large areas of the marshes in the Tigris-Euphrates river system. Formerly covering an area of around , the large complex of wetlands was 90% drained prior to the 2003...
Marshes. The Hammar Marshes formerly covered an area of 2,800 square kilometres of permanent wetland, extending to over 4,500 square kilometres in certain seasons, but were almost totally destroyed during the 1990s by drainage projects, and have only recently seen some recovery.
Characteristics
The Hammar 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...
and Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and were located south of the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
River, which formed their principal source. Their main feature was the large brackish lake Haur al-Hammar
Lake Hammar
Lake Hammar is a saline lake in southeastern part of Iraq within the Hammar Marshes. It has an area of 600-1,350 km². Water level in the lake fluctuates, with maximum depths varying from 1.8 metres to 3.0 metres . The lake is an important wetland site for birds...
, the largest water body in the lower Euphrates. Additional water from 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:...
reached the system through overflow from the Central Marshes
Central Marshes (Iraq)
The Draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes occurred in Iraq and to a smaller degree in Iran between the 1950s and 1990s to clear large areas of the marshes in the Tigris-Euphrates river system. Formerly covering an area of around , the large complex of wetlands was 90% drained prior to the 2003...
.
With a wide variety of habitats, the Hammar Marshes and the Haur al-Hammar supported large populations of birds, notably pelicans and ducks, with the Haur Aluwez in the south-east being especially significant for these species.
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.
Draining
During the late 1970s, it was reported that some draining of the marshes was taking place; parts of the Haur Aluwez had been closed off by embankments and drained in order to facilitate oil exploration. Subsequently, much of the northern and western end of the Haur al-Hammar was drained for development of the West Qurnah Oilfield. In the Iran–Iraq War, the southern part of the Haur al-Hammar was connected to the Al-Basrah Canal and thence to the Persian GulfPersian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, directly increasing the salinity of the wetlands.
The greatest damage occurred in the early 1990s, when the Saddam Hussein government of Iraq undertook a series of major destructive drainage projects, at least partly in reprisal for the 1991 uprisings
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...
. Reports suggested that the flow of the Euphrates had been diverted into the Third River, a huge drainage canal. By 2002, the Hammar Marshes and the Haur al-Hammar had entirely disappeared.
Partial recovery
Following the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, embankments and drainage works were broken open, and the marshes began to reflood. By the following year there was a significant regrowth of vegetation in the western part of the Hammar Marshes, and refilling of the eastern parts. Recovery of the marshland habitat has been significantly greater than expected, though there are still long-term risks to the habitat's viability due to pollution and water extraction from the Euphrates.External links
- Hawr al-Hammar Gallery, edenagain.org