Abstract

During the last decade, Iraq experienced gradual shortage in the volume of water flowing in Tigris and Euphrates rivers due to natural and environmental effects. Shortage of rainfall in the basin areas, lack of snow cover over the catchment areas and reduction in water released downstream from dams constructed in the riparian state in Turkey are the major causes of the current shortage. The present paper focuses on the possibility of constructing an infiltration basin in Najaf governorate, to benefit from the recharged overflow water in agricultural areas and to sustain ground water. Field and laboratory geotechnical and hydrological tests were performed in selected agriculture area in Bahr Al Najaf, including field infiltration, field permeability and soil classification. The analysis of the tests revealed that the development of design charts and equations that facilitate the design process of infiltration basin. Accordingly the selected site is found to match with the requirements of the infiltration basins, and the recommended area of the infiltration basin is 9% of the irrigated area with depth of 0.35m.