Hammar Marshes

The Hammar Marshes are a large wetland complex in southeastern Iraq spanning Dhi Qar and Basra governorates, part of the Mesopotamian Marshes of the Tigris-Euphrates system^[1]. Until the 1970s the marshes covered about 2,800 km² permanently and up to about 4,500 km² in seasonal floods, making them the largest wetland in West Asia^[1].

Surveys in 2003-2005 found little egret, black-headed gull, slender-billed gull, common gull and little tern most common, with western marsh harrier, purple heron and Iraq babbler also recorded^[1]. Mammal surveys in 2009-2012 recorded jungle cat, European otter, gray wolf, striped hyena and wild boar^[1].

Main plants include hornwort, common reed, bulrush, sago pondweed, southern cattail and shining pondweed^[1].

Lake Hammar, the largest water body, is shallow, eutrophic and slightly brackish^[1].

The marshes are fed mainly by the Euphrates and its tributaries, plus some Tigris overflow from the Central Marshes; reflooded waters are saltier than typical freshwater wetlands^[1].

The main ethnic group is the Marsh Arabs^[1]. Massive drainage projects began in the 1990s and by 2000 less than 15% of the marshes remained^[1].

The Hammar Marshes were designated a Ramsar wetland on 7 April 2014, and the East and West Hammar sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016^[1].

Drainage works split the wetland into an East part of about 20,342 ha and a West part of about 79,991 ha, separated by the Rumaila oil field^[1].

The marshes lie south of the Euphrates; Basra is the nearest city^[1].

After the 2003 invasion returning Marsh Arabs breached embankments and drainage works and the wetland began to reflood; recovery of the habitat has been greater than expected^[1]. Long-term risks include pollution, water extraction from the Euphrates and the higher salinity of reflooded areas^[1].