Iraq's Euphrates River is experiencing historically low water levels due to the country's severe water scarcity, which has intensified as a result of climate change.

The issue affects the river's flow, leading to poor water quality and threatening the local ecosystem.

The situation is particularly dire in southern Iraq, where reduced water flow has fueled rapid algae growth and pollution.

Algae depletes oxygen levels in the water, posing a significant threat to aquatic life.

The Euphrates River, along with its counterpart, the Tigris River, originates in Turkey, which Iraqi authorities blame for significantly reducing river flows due to upstream dams.

Iraq currently receives less than 35% of its allocated share from these rivers, according to government sources.

To maintain the flow of the Euphrates, Iraq releases more water from its dwindling reservoirs than it receives, a measure that may prove unsustainable in the long term.

Water reserves in artificial lakes have fallen from 10 billion cubic meters in late May to less than 8 billion, representing only 8% of their capacity.

The environment ministry has warned of increased bacterial pollution and large areas of algae in Karbala province.

Authorities have also reported 'very poor' water quality in neighboring Najaf province.

Lake Najaf, once lush with vegetation, has been reduced to stagnant pools, while water hyacinth, an invasive plant present in Iraq since the 1990s, is now more prevalent due to low water flow.

Water hyacinths can absorb up to 5 liters of water per plant per day and obstruct sunlight and oxygen necessary for aquatic life.

Despite these concerns, the Environment Ministry stated that it purifies water to strict standards, maintaining that the quality remains 'acceptable' and safe for use in cities in southern and central Iraq.