Report: water crisis in Ahwaz reaches Critical level with only 24% of dam reserves remaining

The occupied Arab state of Ahwaz is facing an unprecedented water crisis, with water scarcity entering a truly dangerous phase amid ongoing drought and a sharp decline in rainfall over recent seasons.

According to official sources affiliated with Iranian occupation authorities, usable water levels in dams across northern Ahwaz have dropped to just 24% of their effective capacity an alarming indicator of potentially severe environmental and humanitarian consequences.

The Deputy for Integrated Resources Studies at the Ahwaz Water and Electricity Organization confirmed that the current volume of stored water in the region’s dams is approximately 3.146 billion cubic meters, which amounts to less than a quarter of the dams’ actual capacity needed to meet drinking, agricultural, and industrial demands.

The official further noted that water flow into key dams in northern Ahwaz particularly the Karkheh, Dez, and Karun dams has witnessed a sharp decline. He warned that this situation, if it continues, could lead to dire consequences across vital sectors, especially in the absence of serious preparedness by the occupation authorities to confront the crisis.

Regarding the Karun River the largest river in the region and home to several critical dams, including the Dez Dam and the Karun dam series data revealed a concerning 50% decrease in water flow. This has raised alarm among residents, farmers, and experts alike about the future of water resources in Ahwaz.

Water sector experts have also warned about the ongoing excessive and unregulated consumption, along with declining groundwater levels, which are being compounded by the lack of effective water management plans.

They stressed that the crisis is not solely due to climate change but is being severely exacerbated by clear negligence and the absence of a strategic vision by Iranian occupation authorities.

Experts are calling for urgent measures to halt this deterioration, including adopting sound water management policies, investing in resource conservation technologies, improving irrigation networks, and reassessing river diversion projects that redirect river courses from their natural paths in Ahwaz to the Iranian interior one of the main causes of drought in the region.

Observers affirm that the current water situation in Ahwaz will not only impact the daily lives of its residents, but will also significantly affect agriculture, which is the backbone of the local economy, as well as the electricity generation sector, which relies heavily on hydropower.

If the crisis continues without immediate intervention, a sharp drop in hydroelectric power production could occur, potentially leading to widespread blackouts particularly with the intensifying summer heat.

This worsening crisis highlights a long-standing pattern of environmental neglect and systematic degradation practiced by the Iranian occupation authorities in Ahwaz for decades, further compounding the suffering of the population amid a blatant disregard for their right to manage their own natural resources.