A Iraqi government official confirmed today, Monday, the flow of the largest wave of floods towards Hamrin Lake from two directions, marking a hopeful sign of relative compensation for the drought and lost water reserves over the past three years. Ahmed Al-Zirkoushi, the director of the Saadiya district (60 km northeast of Baqubah), stated that "a large wave of floods has been flowing from the Diyala River and the Jund Valley towards Hamrin Lake east of Saadiya since hours ago and is continuously increasing."
He added that "this wave represents the beginning of optimism, especially since Hamrin Lake serves as a lifeline for more than one million people in Diyala, as it is the source of water for five major rivers in the province." He pointed out that "Hamrin Lake has lost more than 90% of its water reserves in the past three years due to severe drought," considering that "the floods represent a good omen for a simple return to its normal state in securing drinking water and irrigating orchards in the coming phase if the floods continue at their current level for an extended period."
Hamrin Lake, located on the Diyala River, is considered a strategic water reservoir in the Diyala province and has the capacity to hold more than 2.4 billion cubic meters of water, according to experts.
