| Sawa Lake | |
|---|---|
 Satellite images showing how the lake dried up in 5 years. | |
  Sawa Lake | |
| Location | Muthanna Governorate,Iraq |
| Coordinates | 31°18′46.3″N44°57′36.6″E / 31.312861°N 44.960167°E /31.312861; 44.960167 |
| Lake type | Endorheic basin |
| Max. length | 4.74 km (2.95 mi) |
| Max. width | 1.77 km (1.10 mi) |
| Surface area | 4.6 km2 (1.8 sq mi) |
 | |
| Official name | Sawa Lake |
| Designated | 3 March 2014 |
| Reference no. | 2240[1] |
Sawa Lake (Arabic:بحيرة ساوة) was anendorheic basin located in the Iraqi governorate ofMuthanna near to theEuphrates River, some 23 km (14 mi) to the west ofAl-Samawa city. This lake has no surface inlet or outlet, but was fed by karst groundwater (Dammam) through a big karst spring. Due to over-pumping of the Dammam aquifer the Artesian groundwater pressure was lowered and the lake dried up within 5 years and disappeared since 2023.
Lake Sawa was a unique body of water in Iraq characterized by elevated electric conductivity values between 30 and 40 mS/cm (up to 35 g/L as TDS).[2] Chemical and isotope analyses revealed its meteoric origin and a confirm a main feeding from the ascending groundwater from the lake bottom via joints, cracks, and fissure systems.[2] The lake has longitudinal shape with 4.47 km, long and 1.77 km wide. The water level of the lake is higher than the water level of the Euphrates River by 5–7 meters which flow near the lake to the east side and the Shat Al-Arab andPersian Gulf at 17–20 m asl.[3] A formations of gypsum are surrounding the lake, in some cases these a gypsum formations reach 6 m tall. They are formed due to evaporation of salty water and sedimentation of salt in shallow banks of lake.[4] A formations of gypsum works as a dam prevent water flow from the lake on surrounding areas.
Sawa Lake is characterized by arid climate. Highest and lowest temperatures are ranges between (27.6– 44.6) °C. Mean annual rainfall is 110 mm per year, highest values of evaporation occur during July (506 mm) while lowest values occurring in January (89 mm). Overall wind direction is a North-West with speed of 4.1 m/s.[5]
Because of its saline water, no plants grow in the lake or on its shores.Fish andalgae are the most important aquatic organisms. One kind of fish lives in Sawa Lake, theArabian toothcarp of the genusAphanius,Cyprinodontidatae family, characterized by its soft appearance, small size (they do not exceed 10 cm), and eyes that quickly disappear after death. Also there arePomatiopsis tryon which isGastropoda genus and lives in brackish water fromOligocene age to recent times, particularly on the lake bottom.
Unlike its scarcity of aquatic organisms, Sawa Lake is rich with birds; 25 species of resident and immigrant birds were observed in Sawa Lake and the surrounding areas. the lake held large numbers ofwaterfowl, mainlyducks andcoot (Fulica atra). The endemic race oflittle grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis iraquensis) and theMesopotamian crow (Corvus cornix capellanus) occur, as well as the near-endemicgrey hypocolius. Locals and hunters reported the frequent occurrence of “different kinds of raptors” especially in spring and autumn, so the site may be important as a staging area.
The desert area on the western side of the lake, the fresh wetland strip (represented by the western branch of Euphrates River including the orchards), and the flat arid/semi-desert areas over the southern parts of the lake might harbor considerable wildlife diversity, mammals present includeRüppell's fox,striped hyena (near-threatened),honey badger, andIndian gray mongoose (Urva edwardsii). Reptiles found included: Water snake (maybeNatrix tessellata).[6]
As Sawa Lake represents a unique, closed water body in Iraq it is an important site to protect for its scientific, educational and biodiversity value. Only human intrusion was considered a high threat because Sawa Lake is the only water body available for the city of Samawa and its surroundings. It is a popular picnic area but this has caused a great deal of garbage accumulation everywhere around the lake. There appears to be no effort by visitors or government to manage or remove garbage from the site. Because there is no plant cover on the lake (reed beds, etc.), water birds have few places to shelter from visitors or hunters. Three threats were classified as ‘high’: urban expansion (the team was informed that the lake area was submitted for an investment project which might involve new construction around the lake); hunting, primarily represented by fishing (mainly netting) and hunting of birds, and pollution caused by the frequent visitors. Other threats (agriculture, resource extraction, transportation and service corridors, and natural systems modification) were considered ‘low’.[6] The lake has been designated as a protectedRamsar site since 2014.[1]
Since 2014, the five-square-kilometer (two-square-mile) lake has been drying up.[7][8] The lake also used to be a stopover formigratory birds.[7] In April 2022, the lake has completely dried up for the first time in thousands of years.[9][8]
