Ministry of Water Resources Law No. 50 of 2008.

This Law, consisting of 16 articles divided in 4 Chapters, aims at establishing the Ministry of Water Resources and creating the legal and technical framework for institutionalization of water resources management in the country. Main tasks of the Ministry are: to plan for the investment in water resources in Iraq; to regulate utilization of ground and surface water to achieve the perfect use of water resources; to develop water resources; and to determine water sources and uses. Art. 2 states that the Ministry, among other things, aims at “sponsoring Iraq rights in common international water and maintain communication and information exchange with riparian neighboring countries on river basins, in a manner to reach fair agreements to divide the quantity of water entering Iraq”. To achieve these objectives the Ministry shall: organize the water distribution and manage the flood risks; conduct studies aimed at encouraging projects for irrigation, supply reclamation, dams and groundwater; manage, operate and maintain these projects; coordinate with the competent planning and consumer sectors in line with the sustainable development; introduce modern technologies and geographic information systems (GIS) for developing efficient working methods.
The Law establishes composition, duties and responsibilities of the above mentioned Ministry.
The Chapters are entitled as follows: Establishment and Objectives (1); The Minister (2); Organizational Structure of the Ministry (3); and General and Final Provisions (4).