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46-772: Hawizeh Marshes have been populated for more than 5,000 years. They are fed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq and the Karkhen River in present-day Iran. The Marsh Arabs live in Iraq and Hawizeh people live in Iran. From the time of the Sumerians and Babylonians people lived in the marshes. In the southwest of Iran and the southeast of Iraq, the Hawizeh and Hammar Marshes host many small cities. These cities in

92-551: A confluence (also: conflux ) occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel . A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river ( main stem ); or where two streams meet to become the source of a river of a new name (such as the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, forming the Ohio River ); or where two separated channels of

138-630: A confluence is an industrial site, as in Philadelphia or Mannheim . Often a confluence lies in the shared floodplain of the two rivers and nothing is built on it, for example at Manaus , described below. One other way that confluences may be exploited by humans is as sacred places in religions . Rogers suggests that for the ancient peoples of the Iron Age in northwest Europe, watery locations were often sacred, especially sources and confluences. Pre-Christian Slavic peoples chose confluences as

184-433: A gradients, cascades and an adequate junction angle which is sympathetic to the direction of the watercourse’s flow to minimise turbulent flow, maximise evacuation velocity and to ultimately maximise hydraulic efficiency. Since rivers often serve as political boundaries, confluences sometimes demarcate three abutting political entities, such as nations, states, or provinces, forming a tripoint . Various examples are found in

230-539: A negative trend in water storage capabilities in the river basin. The combination of diminishing water levels in the Tigris-Euphrates river system and rising sea levels indicates the potential for rapid seawater intrusion in the river basin. This is especially concerning as the demand for clean water increases while the water supply decreases. Currently, the Middle East and North Africa are acknowledged as

276-479: A river (forming a river island ) rejoin at the downstream end. The point of confluence where the channel flows into a larger body of water may be called the river mouth . Confluences are studied in a variety of sciences. Hydrology studies the characteristic flow patterns of confluences and how they give rise to patterns of erosion, bars, and scour pools. The water flows and their consequences are often studied with mathematical models . Confluences are relevant to

322-441: A stream contaminated with acid mine drainage combines with a stream with near-neutral pH water; these reactions happen very rapidly and influence the subsequent transport of metals downstream of the mixing zone." A natural phenomenon at confluences that is obvious even to casual observers is a difference in color between the two streams; see images in this article for several examples. According to Lynch, "the color of each river

368-401: A vast assortment of subjects which concern confluences. In hydraulic civil engineering , where two or more underground culverted / artificially buried watercourses intersect, great attention should be paid to the hydrodynamic aspects of the system to ensure the longevity and efficiency of the structure. Engineers have to design these systems whilst considering a list of factors that ensure

414-601: Is a large river system in Western Asia that flows into the Persian Gulf . Its primary rivers are the Tigris and Euphrates , along with smaller tributaries . From their sources and upper courses in the Armenian Highlands of eastern Turkey , the rivers descend through valleys and gorges to the uplands of Syria and northern Iraq and then to the alluvial plain of central Iraq. Other tributaries join

460-494: Is determined by many things: type and amount of vegetation in the watershed, geological properties, dissolved chemicals, sediments and biologic content – usually algae ." Lynch also notes that color differences can persist for miles downstream before they finally blend completely. Hydrodynamic behaviour of flow in a confluence can be divided into six distinct features which are commonly called confluence flow zones (CFZ). These include The broader field of engineering encompasses

506-774: Is used to describe the meeting of tidal or other non-riverine bodies of water, such as two canals or a canal and a lake. A one-mile (1.6 km) portion of the Industrial Canal in New Orleans accommodates the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal ; therefore those three waterways are confluent there. The term confluence can also apply to the process of merging or flowing together of other substance. For example, it may refer to

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552-693: The Fertile Crescent region , where Mesopotamian civilization first emerged. The Tigris–Euphrates Basin is shared between Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Many tributaries of the Tigris river originate in Iran, and the Shatt al-Arab, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, makes up a portion of the Iran–Iraq border , with Kuwait's Bubiyan Island being part of its delta. Since

598-596: The Iran cave barb ( Iranocypris typhlops ) and the Zagros blind loach ( Eidinemacheilus smithi ), are endemic to cave systems in Iran's upper Karun River watershed. The Batman River loach ( Paraschistura chrysicristinae ) is a Critically Endangered fish species endemic to the Batman and Ambar rivers, Turkish tributaries of the Tigris. The species is endangered by drought, habitat destruction , and habitat fragmentation from

644-823: The Joint Trilateral Committee on water for the three nations for better water resources management. Turkey, Iraq and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding on September 3, 2009, in order to strengthen communication within the Tigris–Euphrates Basin and to develop joint water-flow-monitoring stations. On September 19, 2009, Turkey formally agreed to increase the flow of the Euphrates River to 450 to 500 m /s , but only until October 20, 2009. In exchange, Iraq agreed to trade petroleum with Turkey and help curb Kurdish militant activity in their border region. One of Turkey's last large GAP dams on

690-502: The Mangar fish has been harvested for food in the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Many species move seasonally between the river and the marshes for spawning, feeding, and overwintering. The Hilsa shad ( Tenualosa ilisha ) is an important food fish that lives in the coastal waters and spawns in the lower reaches of the basin. Other ocean species occasionally visit the lower reaches of the rivers; bull sharks ( Carcharhinus leucas ) used to swim up

736-659: The Marsh Arabs , were almost completely drained . Although they had started to recover after the fall of Ba'athist Iraq in 2003, drought, intensive dam construction and irrigation schemes upstream have caused them to dry up once more. According to the United Nations Environmental Program and the AMAR Charitable Foundation , between 84% and 90% of the marshes have been destroyed since the 1970s. In 1994, 60 percent of

782-541: The Uruk period . For this reason, it is often described as a " Cradle of Civilization ". There is a large floodplain in the lower basin where the Euphrates, Tigris, and Karun rivers converge to create the Mesopotamian Marshes , which include permanent lakes, marshes, and riparian forests . The hydrology of these vast marshes is extremely important to the ecology of the entire upper Persian Gulf . Some of

828-472: The 1960s and in the 1970s, when Turkey began the GAP project in earnest, water disputes have regularly occurred in addition to the associated dam's effects on the environment. In addition, Syrian and Iranian dam construction has also contributed to political tension within the basin, particularly during drought. The ecoregion is characterized by two large rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates . The high mountains in

874-539: The 1960s when Turkey implemented a public-works project (the GAP project ) aimed at harvesting the water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers through the construction of 22 dams, for irrigation and hydroelectric energy purposes. Although the water dispute between Turkey and Syria was more problematic, the GAP project was also perceived as a threat by Iraq. In 1983, the Joint Technical Committee (JTC)

920-503: The Euphrates are very fertile. Marshy land is home to water birds, some stopping here while migrating, and some spending the winter in these marshes living off the lizards, snakes, frogs, and fish. Other animals found in these marshes are water buffalo , two endemic rodent species, antelopes and gazelles and small animals such as the jerboa and several other mammals. The wetland birds Basra reed warbler ( Acrocephalus griseldis ) and Iraq babbler ( Argya altirostris ) are endemic to

966-647: The Mesopotamian Marshes. The Basra reed warbler is endangered. Another wetland endemic species, Bunn's short-tailed bandicoot rat ( Nesokia bunnii ), is possibly extinct. Their drainage began in the 1950s, to reclaim land for agriculture and oil exploration. Saddam Hussein extended this work in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as part of ecological warfare against the Marsh Arabs, a rebellious group of people in Baathist Iraq. However, with

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1012-547: The Tigris as far as Baghdad. Endemic fish species in the lower basin include Glyptothorax steindachneri and Hemigrammocapoeta elegans , and as well as two cave fishes, Caecocypris basimi and the Iraq blind barb ( Typhlogarra widdowsoni ), from a cave habitat near Haditha on the Euphrates. One-third of the fish species in the upper watersheds are endemic, including species of Aphanius , Glyptothorax , Cobitis , Orthrias , and Schistura . Two blind fish species,

1058-661: The Tigris from sources in the Zagros Mountains to the east. The rivers flow in a south-easterly direction through the central plain and combine at Al-Qurnah to form the Shatt al-Arab and discharge into the Persian Gulf. The rivers and their tributaries drain an area of 879,790 square kilometres (339,690 sq mi), including almost the entire area of Iraq as well as portions of Turkey , Syria , and Iran . The region has historical importance as part of

1104-646: The Tigris – the Ilisu Dam – is strongly opposed by Iraq and is the source of political strife. The Southeastern Anatolia Project (Turkish acronym: GAP) continues to be a source of tension in the region. GAP is a massive hydroelectric project, consisting of 21 dams and 19 hydroelectric facilities. In 2020, Iraqi authorities complained that the Ilısu Dam had decreased the Tigris river inflows and caused water shortages in Iraqi plains. Confluence In geography ,

1150-527: The Tigris–Euphrates basin and once covered 15–20,000 square kilometers. In the 1980s, this ecoregion was put in grave danger during the Iran–Iraq War . After the 1991 Gulf War , Iraq's President Saddam Hussein initiated a drainage project on these marshes, leading to degradation of ecosystem services that caused economic and social issues for civilians. The Mesopotamian Marshes , which were inhabited by

1196-745: The breaching of the dikes by local communities after the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the ending of a four-year drought that same year, the process has been reversed and the marshes have experienced a substantial rate of recovery. The permanent wetlands now cover more than 50% of pre-1970s levels, with a remarkable regrowth of the Hammar and Hawizeh Marshes and some recovery of the Central Marshes . Iraq suffers from desertification and soil salination due in large part to thousands of years of agricultural activity. Water and plant life are sparse. Saddam Hussein 's government water-control projects drained

1242-526: The construction of the Batman Dam . It had not been observed since 1974 and was feared extinct until a 2021 expedition netted 14 fish living above the Batman Dam. The Mesopotamian Marshes in southern Iraq were historically the largest wetland ecosystem of Western Eurasia . The aquatic vegetation includes reeds , rushes , and papyrus , which support numerous species. Areas around the Tigris and

1288-440: The discharge point is structurally stable as the entrance of the lateral culvert into the main structure may compromise the stability of the structure due to the lack of support at the discharge, this often constitutes additional supports in the form of structural bracing. The velocities and hydraulic efficiencies should be meticulously calculated and can be altered by integrating different combinations of geometries, components such

1334-499: The distribution of living organisms (i.e., ecology ) as well; "the general pattern [downstream of confluences] of increasing stream flow and decreasing slopes drives a corresponding shift in habitat characteristics." Another science relevant to the study of confluences is chemistry , because sometimes the mixing of the waters of two streams triggers a chemical reaction, particularly in a polluted stream. The United States Geological Survey gives an example: "chemical changes occur when

1380-564: The drought affected Turkey, Syria and Iran as well, Iraq complained regularly about reduced water flows. Iraq particularly complained about the Euphrates River because of the large number of dams on the river. Turkey agreed to increase the flow several times, beyond its means in order to supply Iraq with extra water. Iraq has seen significant declines in water storage and crop yields because of the drought. To make matters worse, Iraq's water infrastructure has suffered from years of conflict and neglect. In 2008, Turkey, Iraq and Syria agreed to restart

1426-527: The first civilizations emerged from the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. From ancient times empires arose and fell in the river basin, including Sumer , Akkad , Babylonia , Assyria , and the Abbasid Caliphate . Being part of the Fertile Crescent , the river system is recognized as the site of one of the world's first agricultural centers, with areological sites containing preserved grain dating up to 12,500 years ago. The river system

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1472-462: The inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting streams and rivers. Shi'a Muslims were displaced under the Ba'athist regime. The destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations. There are also inadequate supplies of potable water. The marshlands were an extensive natural wetland ecosystem , which developed over thousands of years in

1518-558: The list below. A number of major cities, such as Chongqing , St. Louis , and Khartoum , arose at confluences; further examples appear in the list. Within a city, a confluence often forms a visually prominent point, so that confluences are sometimes chosen as the site of prominent public buildings or monuments, as in Koblenz , Lyon , and Winnipeg . Cities also often build parks at confluences, sometimes as projects of municipal improvement, as at Portland and Pittsburgh . In other cases,

1564-413: The marshes are part of both countries and no border separates them. The people small canoe-like boats called Mashoof to move between Iraq and Iran. The marsh cities were built on water. The people who live there lead simple lives. They make houses out of reeds without electricity or cars, and generally have no education. The people fish, hunt, and cultivate buffalo. The area where the fresh waters reaches

1610-455: The marshes because they thought an armed group lived there, the population left. Some moved to the cities, while others moved to Iran. After the war in 2003 , the Iraqi government reopened the flow, and the people returned to the marshes. Marshers number some 5,000. According to media inside of Iran, the officials of the Ministry of Oil and other economic sectors of the government, along with

1656-532: The marshes by fishing, hunting and planting. People came to live in the marshes. Time changed some of the people’s ideas and beliefs. With the break between the Shia and Mandaean forms of religion, Shia came to dominate in the marshes. Ideas from Islam mixed with ideas from Sumer. These ideas include fantastic stories about ghosts, curses and extraterrestrials. In 1990-1992 when the Hussein government decided to dry

1702-487: The marshes is far from the cities. The marshes offer a safe home for thousands of migrating animals such as wild squirrels, white eagle, hawks, brown dukes and squirrels who raise their young there. Around 3,000 BC, the marshes started at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These rivers flooded the land, created the marshes and started a new ecosystem with new animals, birds, fish and plants. This affected Sumerians and Babylonians who lived there. They lived off

1748-412: The marshes led to the disappearance of the salt-tolerant vegetation ; the plankton rich waters that fertilized surrounding soils; 52 native fish species; the wild boar , red fox , buffalo and water birds of the marsh habitat. Climate change also affects the environmental and social well-being. Climate change and human interaction have directly impacted the Tigris-Euphrates river system, leading to

1794-432: The most water scarce region in the world, with 61% of the population living in areas with high or very high water stress. As climate change worsens and population grows, water scarcity in the region is expected to worsen with 100% of people living in the Middle East and North Africa living in areas with high water stress by 2050. The issue of water rights became a point of contention for Iraq, Turkey and Syria beginning in

1840-700: The private sector, have decided to dry up this wetland by drilling 32 new oil wells. A water and environmental expert living in America says: "Currently, by drying a large part of this wetland due to exploration operations and the development of the oil field, serious damage has been done to the environment." He added that manipulating wetlands and drying them causes a large part of dust and fine-grained sediments to be moved with every strong wind. 31°32′32″N 47°42′24″E  /  31.54222°N 47.70667°E  / 31.54222; 47.70667 Tigris and Euphrates rivers The Tigris–Euphrates river system

1886-453: The sites for fortified triangular temples, where they practiced human sacrifice and other sacred rites. In Hinduism , the confluence of two sacred rivers often is a pilgrimage site for ritual bathing. In Pittsburgh, a number of adherents to Mayanism consider their city's confluence to be sacred. Mississippi basin Atlantic watersheds Pacific watersheds Occasionally, "confluence"

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1932-407: The upper watershed receive more rain and snow than the lower watershed, which has a hot and arid subtropical climate. Annual snow melt from the mountains brings spring floods, and sustains permanent and seasonal marshes in the lowlands. The plain between the two rivers is known as Mesopotamia . As part of the larger Fertile Crescent , it saw the earliest emergence of literate urban civilization in

1978-400: The wetlands were destroyed by Hussein's regime – drained to permit military access and greater political control of the native Marsh Arabs . Canals, dykes and dams were built routing the water of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers around the marshes, instead of allowing water to move slowly through the marshland. After part of the Euphrates was dried up due to re-routing its water to the sea, a dam

2024-505: Was built so water could not back up from the Tigris and sustain the former marshland. Some marshlands were burned and pipes buried underground helped to carry away water for quicker drying. Riparian entities have constructed dams along the Tigris-Euphrates river system as a method of water management in response to droughts. Turkey, for example, is in control of an estimated 45% of the system's water sources due to its dam constructions for water quantity and hydroelectric power. The drying of

2070-664: Was established to solve ongoing data controversies between Turkey, Syria, and Iraq but stopped meeting in the early 1990s after only passing two bilateral agreements. The tension between Turkey and Iraq about the issue was increased by the effect of Syria and Turkey's participation in the UN embargo against Iraq following the Gulf War . However, the issue had never become as significant as the water dispute between Turkey and Syria. The 2008 drought in Iraq sparked new negotiations between Iraq and Turkey over trans-boundary river flows. Although

2116-520: Was used by major cities including Ur and Babylon to promote trade and the sharing of cultures. As a result of its invention of the qanat system thousands of years ago which uses gravity to transport water through subterranean tunnels, Iran has a history as an agricultural nation, despite its aridity. The most abundant fishes are species of barbs ( Barbus ), some of which can reach up to two meters in length. Some species have been important food sources for residents for thousands of years. Specifically,

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