By Anna Bachmann
Voices in the Wilderness

So, got some questions for you (other inquiring minds want to know as well). What was the condition of water treatment effort under the Hussein rule? Has it worsened since the war/because of the war? In what ways? Was the water treatment ever good in Baghdad? The fisherman you qoted said fishing has not been good in years…What is the difference now vs. then?

It would be interesting to hear more on this subject. I know you have provided us with some figures on waste treatment, and river usage, but putting it all together with some historical information would put a frame around the picture, at least for me.

In any case, wear your sunscreen!

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Good questions … let’s see. The areas around Baghdad before the 1940’s was primarily used for Agriculture and irrigation which has a very LONG history in Iraq was the only major impact on the river. After the 40’s, urbanization began … The original city, located between the A’aima Bridge and the Sinik Bridge (on both sides of the river but more on the Rusafa side), started to expand. Other city centers started in Doura, New Baghdad, etc. The biggest expansion started during the era of the Republic. Sadr City (also known as Thawra and, during Saddam’s time, Saddam City) was and still is the poor part of town. During the Qassim government, the old shacks and mud houses were replaced with new government built housing for the poor (Shu’ala City on the Khark side of the river was built around the same time and has similar architecture I’m told). Important changes began when Turkey put in it’s dams on the upper river … there are 13 dams in Turkey that effect both the Tigris and Euphrates. During Saddam’s time, there was also some major dam building inside if Iraq. There are eight dams affecting the Tigris in Iraq. Historically the dams were for irragation, but they also were for providing electricity, flood control and storing water. Even with all the changes, the water level remained fairly constant through the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. But the dam building of the 70’s & 80’s started to have major effects. I’ve been told that the dam in Turkey cut the water to Iraq by half … but I don’t have detailed info on that.