East Tigris Drain Network – Central Part

East Tigris Drain is proposed to serve the agricultural areas that fall to the east of the Tigris River in Diyala and Baghdad Governorates. The central part of the drain network will serve the agricultural lands within the following projects: Upper and Lower Khalis Projects (total net area 446,000du), Haruniyay, The Combined head reach (Sudour) + Muqdadiyah, Mahrut, Ruz and Sareah+Tel Asmar projects (total area of 644,000du), in addition to Wihda and Nehrawan projects (total area 196,000 du), Suwairah (134,000du) and Middle Tigris project (160,000du). The proposed drainage plan suggested that this part of the drain will discharge the drainage water to Al-Aziziya Depression. (Note: the project is in the planning and design stage – funds allocated for studies and designs are included under the plan of the General Directorate for Engineering Designs).

At present, drainage water from numerous irrigation projects is discharged back into the adjacent rivers (Diyala and Tigris Rivers), reduce their water quality. As river flows become more saline, they are less useful as source waters for irrigation and potable water supply.

Reduce the salinity level in the Tigris River. This project aims to divert the drainage water generated from the projects that are located to east of Tigris River to the proposed Aziziya evaporation lake.