A new wave of flash floods hits the valleys of the Upper Euphrates in Anbar

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A new wave of flash floods hits the valleys of the Upper Euphrates in Anbar

2026-03-25

The Upper Euphrates Center for Sustainable Development Research at the University of Anbar announced the arrival of a new wave of flash floods in the Upper Euphrates region within the western part of Anbar Governorate, as a result of the rains that fell on the area on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

The center explained that the flash floods have resumed flowing in a number of main valleys, including Hajlan valley, Houran valley, and Zaghdan valley, where the staff of the Haditha terminal station has begun continuous monitoring and field measurement operations.

Engineer Juma’a Muhammad Ahmad, the station manager, explained that field measurements recorded a discharge of approximately 2 m³/s in Hajlan valley, within the city of Haditha, at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, before it decreased to less than 1 m³/s at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.

In Houran valley, at the center's measurement station located on the Houran Bridge near the Ramadi-Haditha road, a discharge of 26 m³/s was recorded at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, later decreasing to 6 m³/s at 10:00 AM on Wednesday.

As for Zaghdan valley, measurements at the Zaghdan Bridge station near the Ramadi-Haditha road showed a discharge of 20 m³/s at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, before the flow receded to less than 1 m³/s at 10:00 AM on Wednesday. The Director of the Center, Professor Dr. Ammar Hatem Kamel, emphasized that this hydrological data is of great importance in supporting and developing simulation models of hydrological processes in the region. These models are fundamental to building and developing water resource management systems, thus contributing to the smart management of the Euphrates River Basin.

The Director also noticed that continued monitoring and data collection will contribute to a more accurate understanding of the hydrological response of the region's valleys to climate change, particularly regarding the recurrence of drought and wet periods. This will positively impact the efficiency of future water resource management planning.

This initiative aligns with the strategic directions of Anbar University, which prioritizes the development of monitoring systems and climate databases to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals within Vision 2030.