Iraq

In the area you have selected (Iraq) water scarcity is classified as high according to the information that is currently available to this tool. This means that droughts are expected to occur on average every 5 years. Based on this information, the impact of drought must be considered in all phases of the project, in particular its effect on personnel and stakeholders, and during the design of buildings and infrastructure. Project planning decisions, project design, and construction methods must take into account the level of water scarcity. Further detailed information should be obtained to adequately account for the level of hazard.

Climate change impact: Model projections are inconsistent in their estimates of change in drought hazard, which influences water scarcity. The present hazard level may increase in the future due to the effects of climate change. It would be prudent to design projects in this area to be robust to increased drought hazard and water scarcity in the long-term.

Recommendations

  • SEEK INFORMATION: Conduct a risk assessment to further evaluate if your project is vulnerable to water scarcity/drought and whether a more detailed assessment and/or intervention should be considered. More information
  • EXISTING INFORMATION: Obtain pre-existing drought and water scarcity information. ThinkHazard! predominantly uses global datasets, therefore you should determine the availability of pre-existing local information to check whether your project is indeed located in a region prone to water scarcity / drought. More information
  • TECHNICAL EXPERTISE: Consultation with water scarcity and drought experts will provide a more detailed understanding of the risk posed to your project. The level of professional guidance required will depend upon the level of hazard present, the vulnerability of project assets, and any existing local legislation that might apply. More information
  • MONITORING AND FORECASTING: Identify any drought monitoring and forecasting systems that may exist in your project area. Be aware of how to receive messages what happens when they forecast a drought. These systems are designed to provide communities with information on evolving drought conditions using information on climate and water availability, and can be used to trigger drought management plans to mitigate the effects of a potential drought event. More information
  • WATER MANAGEMENT: Your project should consider water scarcity/drought management measures to alleviate risk, including water storage, alternative sources, and reduced use of resources. More information
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