The Aquatic Environment and Its Protection From Pollution (Marshes of Southern Iraq as a Model)

The decrease of the marshes of southern Iraq represents a major problem as result of climatic changes and human conditions, especially the decrease in the water revenue of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which has resulted in the expansion of soil problems from waterlogging, desertification and salinity in the soil of the governorates of Basra, Maysan and Dhi Qar. Al-Hawizeh [11 billion m3 annually], and the decline of the marshes contributed to reducing the work of the Basra Paper Mill, which was previously working with about 168 tons of reed material, which had economic and social effects from 2002 to 2010 and now the marshes are fed with surface water, provided that this return The region with a wealth of fish and tourism represents the beating heart of Iraq.

2 live, such as fish, and are used in drinking water after purification of impurities and in other uses. And since the lecture is not enough to talk about each of them, we confine ourselves to the change that took place in the marshes, especially in southern Iraq . Hence the research problem, which states the need to know the environment of the marshes in southern Iraq .

2-Materials and Methods
The research includes three themes as follows; The first axis: the concept of the marshes and the estimation of their areas according to researchers. The marshes are combined into marshes, which is a wide lake and is usually shallow in most of its places where water forests grow, most of which are reeds and sedges. It was called the Waist Plain because the water swept through it, meaning that it flowed and expanded in the land, and it is a vast land. The marshes were also called albedo because of the color of the predominantly white water plate. [1] It also means the marsh pond. [2] .Marshes and swamps are a vast area of low lands covered by water, whether at most times of the year or in some of them. The marshes are also known as a depression of the land in which the surplus of rivers, canals and drains collects, forming lakes of different depths. These lakes may be linked to each other by natural channels called kawaheen. Which roads are suitable for the movement of the population within the marshes or the neighboring areas, and these caves contain running water that descends to the low areas. And the Euphrates, the determination of its area varies from year to year, and from season to season, according to the water levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It is also known and characterized as being in constant change, in the years when high and long-term floods occur, the borders of the marshes expand, flooding vast areas, while these borders shrink in the years of drought.The area of the marshes in Iraq varies according to the opinions of researchers .  Table 1. Estimations of a number of researchers for the area of the marshes in Iraq Dr. Ahmed Sousse 8780 km 2 Dr. Hassan Al-Khayat 3000-4000 km 2 in the Chihod season 15000 km 2 in the flood season Weaver Thisker 8800 km 2 Al-Tai 10000 km 2 Shaker Mustafa Salim 3885 km 2 Source: Research from the Internet, Plans and Development Magazine, 2012, website address . Table 2 and Figure2 shows the revenues of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for the period 1990-2015, as the area of the marshes in southern Iraq witnessed a great fluctuation in the water area for reasons related to the competing water imports obtained from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers according to the decreasing water imports that are evident in Table 1 as the per capita share decreased of water to reach 1287 m 3 in 2015.   which is due to Water imports rise and population size decreases. As for the discharge rates, they are not comparable to their counterparts during the sixties of the last century and later stages, if we know that these rates exceeded 445 m 3 /t in 1966 and 827 m 3 /t in 1969. Based on the foregoing, the governorates of southern Iraq were exposed to floods caused by the tyranny of river waters towards neighboring lands. The last one was in 1988.This was reflected on the area of the marshes during a period of 30 years if the area before drying in 1973 in Al-Hawizeh in the provinces of Mayson and Basra was about 1800 and 550 km 2 and the submerged area was about 534 and 1 km 2 and the rate of flooding was 29.6, 0.2%, in When the area of the central marshes in Qurna reached about 1450, 500 and 1050 km2] during 1973, while the area reached 152, 35 and 320 km 2 , the same was the case for the Hammer Marsh in the study area .  The emergence of the marshes in southern Iraq is related to the genesis and development of the sedimentary plain because it is part of it. On the basis of what applies to the whole applies to the part, what applies to the emergence of the sedimentary plain of opinions and analyzes mostly apply to the emergence of the marshes.

The second axis: the geographical distribution of the marshes in southern Iraq
The marshes are part of the sedimentary plain spread in three governorates [Basra, Maysan and Dhi Qar] and are fed by the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and extend between latitudes 50° 32° and 50° 30° from north to south and longitudes 50° 44° and 48° east from east to west 3 . They are not connected marshes but rather A group of marshes and it can be

1-The range of the eastern marshes located on the Tigris River [Al-Hawizeh Marshes].
It is located on the left side of the Tigris River and is considered a natural drain for the rivers coming from Iranian lands, including the rivers Al-Tayyib, Dureij and Karkheh. 4 Al-Hawizeh Marsh is the largest marsh in southern Iraq, with an area of about [965 square miles] 2500 km 2 with an extension of 80 km and a width of [30]. This marsh can absorb 7 billion/m 3 of water at a level ranging between [6.5] -13 feet] above sea level.
The area of the marsh varies from season to season as it increases during the flood season to about ]3500 km2], while its water recedes and shrinks in the Chihod season during the autumn to about ]650 km2]. The water level in the marsh varies from season to season as well, as the lowest level ranges during the autumn between ]1-2 m], while the maximum level ranges between [3-4.5 m] above sea level.

2-The range of the central marshes located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Marshes of Qurna).
It includes the Marshes of Qurna and Gharraf. The Qurna marshes are located on the left side of the Euphrates River between the cities of Kut, Nasiriyah and Qurna. It includes the marshes of [Al-Ghamuka, Al-Dawaya, Umm Al-Ajul, and Al-Awainah], as it also connects to the right of the Tigris River, forming a water body that extends from the valleys of Shatt Al-Gharraf to the direction of Al-Hammar and Shatt Al-Hammar. As for the outlets for the drainage of these marshes, they are towards the Euphrates stream and the Hammar marshes through a group of openings and bridges on the Madinah-Al-Jbayish road, especially within the confined distance between the city and the Cheetahs. The area of these marshes in wet seasons reaches8000 km 2 , while it decreases in dry years to 2400 km 2 .

3-The range of the western marshes located on the Euphrates River (Hammer Marsh).
It is the largest natural superficial depression of water on the right side of the Euphrates River, extending from Nasiriya in the west to the outskirts of Shatt al-Arab in the east. It is fed by the branching streams of the Euphrates River, the most important of which are Gliween, Al-Saffah, and its branches are Akika, Bani Hassan, Al-Haffar, Umm Nakhla and Karma Bani Saeed. The length of the Hammer marsh from the donkey side to the vineyard of Ali is [90 km], while its width ranges between [25-30 km]. There are other secondary marshes, the most important of which are: Al-Adl, Al-Karmashiyah, Umm Nakhla, Al-Shweariyah, Al-Abrat, Ayser Gliween, Al-Mashab, Al-Hilal and Hor Al-Shafi. [5] As for the natural and human aspect, the marshes are distinguished by important features that qualify them to be a nature reserve through the following: -A-The marshes are represented by the natural environment that combines the natural beauty of the marshes with the plant and animal living creatures that live in it, as some researchers and explorers considered it one of the treasures of the earth, and some described it as the Garden of Eden. B-The marshes are of great importance in improving climatic conditions through their role in increasing the relative humidity, as the surface evaporation from the water of the Al-Hawize Marsh is about 11.2 billion/m 3 annually. As for the amount of evaporation from the Hammer and Al-Qurna Marsh together, it amounts to 6.5 billion m 3 annually, which helps that in lowering temperatures. C-The marshes act as a natural store of water, as they store large quantities of the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, especially during the flood period, as the absorptive capacity of the water in the Hammar Marsh is more than 7 billion m during the flood season. The absorptive capacity of the Hammar Marsh ranges between (3.5-5.4 billion/m) In the flood season and in the dry season, its carrying capacity ranges 0.6-1.2 billion / m. [6] D-Economic characteristics[7] -Plant wealth: The marshes area is rich in the presence of many aquatic plants. Reed and papyrus are among the most important plants of that region and play an important role in supporting its economy, as they are considered among the most important resources of industrial wealth. The sedge needed by the Basra Paper Mill, which used to work previously, is about 168 tons per day of cane, and the annual need is estimated at 50,400 tons. -Livestock: The marshes are an ideal environment and natural pastures for different types of animals, whether those that live in the water or on the edges of the marshes, including fish, birds and buffalo. In terms of fish, the marshes bloom with different types of fish. The aquatic environment of the marshes provided the appropriate conditions for their existence, and studies have proven However, there are more than 18 thick species found in the southern marshes, especially the Hammar Marsh, which are (Hamri, Al-Bunni, Kattan, common carp, Al-Bayah, Shiga, Sabbour, and Shilluk) and other fish. The inhabitants of the marshes hunt for fish, whether for the purpose of selling or for daily food. The marshes are also important in hunting birds, especially the Huwaiza marsh and the Qurna marsh, as a number of birds are sheltered there, including al-Khudairi, water chickens, salt geese, European geese, herons, gulls and Abu Mullaqah. There are also animals such as buffalo, cows, goats and sheep, which are An important source for the production of milk, meat, wool and other products.
-Agricultural wealth: The area is an important center for agriculture, as various types of agricultural crops are grown, which are more important to the population and a main food for them.
-Oil wealth: The southern marshes are one of the richest oil regions in the world and are located in the Basra marshes, the largest and most important oil fields. The Majnoon oil field is located in the heart of Hawizeh Marsh within the administrative borders of Basra Governorate, while the West Qurna and Bahla oil fields are located within the city district It is one of the Basra marsh areas, and the Nahr Omar field is located in the Al-Haritha district, adjacent to the marsh areas -The marshes, with their natural potentials represented in water, plants, birds and fish, in addition to the shape of dwellings, boats, and land and water fishing methods, make them an important center for tourism activity, as it is possible to take enjoyable fishing trips for fish and birds, especially in winter amidst the reed and sedge forests and enjoy the water views along the length of the marshes. sight. As a result of these characteristics, the marshes occupy the second place in terms of their economic value.
These marshes with distinct natural characteristics, which constitute an area of more than 80%, according to studies, of the total area of the Iraqi marshes were subjected to drying, which led to environmental changes that affected the nature of its resources such as climate, vegetation cover and abundance of water, as it became a dry desert environment in which the storm phenomenon intensified. Dusty with the emergence of the phenomenon of salinization in the soil, and drying processes led to the emergence of spots of oil that is naturally present in all areas of the marshes. The area is rich in oil and the wells, by virtue of the natural balance, thousands of years ago were controlled by a watery crust over the earthen crust, and after the water dried up, the oil began to seep out in the form of wet spots that emit odors. The figure3 shows the stages of drying the marshes during different years The inclusion of any site in the list means that it has become one of the unique sites that must be preserved and the risk of its extinction removed. The responsible authorities are expected to provide appropriate conditions for global tourism, and UNESCO monitors these sites and organizes visits to assess their conditions, and issues warnings to the responsible authorities to remove any threats to them. In the absence of progress in rectifying the situation that convinces the experts, the site may be placed on the list of threatened sites.
[8] The third axis: the water environment and its characteristics in the marshes region in southern Iraq and the possibilities of its development.
Despite the ecological recovery of the marshes in southern Iraq and their selection on the World Heritage List, and despite the passage of years since drying out and despite their recovery, it is difficult to fully revive them, especially with the emergence of the main cause, which is the decreasing amounts of water allocated from neighboring countries and the prevalence of dry climatic characteristics. The environmental impacts were characterized by the following: A-The salinity of the soil in the low plain of Mesopotamia is a very important problem caused by the water used for irrigation and because of the capillary action of the saline groundwater, the saline soil is exposed to serious problems in reviving it, and that the seeds will not arise in highly salinized soil, as the calculations showed that one meter The irrigation water used contains [100]parts per million salt, that is, about [1000] kilograms of salt is added to the soil per hectare. It is estimated that every year, irrigation water adds 3 million tons of salt to the [irrigated] soil in Iraq and within [6000] After a year of irrigation, huge amounts of salt were added to the soil of the plain. [9] Table4: Soil salinity analysis results for the study area temperature for the month of July, especially in the Basra monitoring station, and this is evidence of the high daytime temperature and that the drying of the marshes reduced the role of water in not increasing the daytime temperature. [10] C-Environmental impact on industrial activity.The industry in the marshes of southern Iraq was affected by environmental changes and the deterioration of the biosphere of the land and its desertification, which changed the quality of the vegetation cover. For the disappearance of most of the local industries of a manual nature, such as the manufacture of trees, boats and huts, as for the food industries, such as the dairy industry and date pressing, more than 70% of them have been eliminated due to the decrease in the number of livestock and the shrinking of the areas planted with palms. [11] D-The shrinking of the area of the marshes of southern Iraq as a result of the decrease in the water revenue of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers resulted in the expansion of the soil problems from waterlogging, desertification and salinity in the soil of the governorates of Basra, Maysan and Dhi Qar, as the total lands affected by salinity reached (616,735 hectares) out of the total arable lands (1372937 hectares). As reflected in the area of land used in agriculture, which amounted to 331,586 hectares (Table 5) . This is due to the quality of the water from the high electrical conductivity and the total amount of dissolved salts that affected the nature of agriculture and the life of living organisms, especially fish.   (Table 6).

Conclusion Possibilities of protecting the environmental situation in the marshes of southern Iraq:
A-Finding ways and methods to protect and develop fisheries and birds and prevent the use of poisons for hunting them because this pollutes the water first and reduces biodiversity secondly, which requires providing them with natural reserves in order to develop the area as a tourist. B-Benefiting from studies and research that focused on the marshes and swamps area in order to know the defects and the areas that have been polluted in their waters and the decrease in their areas in order to advance the reality of the marshes and rehabilitate them for a pure environment of a beautiful tourist nature. C -The establishment of a number of circuit regulators on the drains of the marshes to ensure that the quantities of water entering them are not lost. D-The necessity of closer cooperation and contracting with neighboring countries in order to provide a large amount of water flow that feeds the areas on both sides of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and to provide a large amount of water supplying the marshes in order to achieve a pollution-free environmental balance to ensure the sustainability of the marshes and make them an important tourist attraction. C -Monitoring the biological diversity of living plant and animal organisms and controlling them well by benefiting from the experiences of neighboring countries. H-Providing services to the residents of the marshes area and providing them with services, especially health, electricity, fresh water, and developing roads and infrastructure in order to raise their morale in preserving the environment of the air and not polluting it. g-Treating wastewater and trying to develop it through filtering it in order to benefit from it instead of polluting it.