Most of the third world countries having rivers passing through them suffer from the water contaminant problem. This problem is considered so difficult to get the water quality within the standard allowable limits for drinking, as well as for industrial and agricultural purposes. This research aims to assess the water quality of the Tigris River using the water quality index method and GIS software. Twelve parameters (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO₄, HCO₃, TH, TDS, BOD₅, NO₃, and EC) were taken from 14 stations along the river. The weighted arithmetic method was applied to compute the water quality index (WQI). The interpolation method (IDW) was applied in ArcGIS 10.5 to produce the prediction maps for 12 parameters at 11 stations along the Tigris River during the wet and dry seasons in 2016. The regression prediction was applied on three stations in the Tigris River between observed values and predicted values, from the prediction maps, in both seasons. The results showed that the regression prediction for all parameters was given the acceptable values of the determination coefficient (R²). Furthermore, the state of water quality for the Tigris River was degraded downstream of the Tigris River, especially at the station (8) in Aziziyah in the wet and dry seasons and increase degradation clearly at Qurnah (Basrah province) in the south of Iraq. This paper considers the whole length of the Tigris River for the study. This is important to give comprehensive knowledge about the contamination reality of the river. Such that it becomes easier to understand the problem of contamination, analyze it, and then find the suitable treatments and solutions.

Underground thermal energy storage (UTES) systems are well known applications around the world, due to their relation to heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) applications. There are six kinds of UTES systems, they are tank, pit, aquifer, cavern, tubes, and borehole. Apart from the tank, all other kinds are site condition dependent (hydro-geologically and geologically). The aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system is a widespread and desirable system, due to its thermal features and feasibility. In spite of all the advantages which it possesses, it has not been adopted in very shallow groundwater (less than 2 m depth) regions, till now, due to the susceptibility of the storage efficiency of these systems to the in-site parameters. This paper aims to find a reliable method that can be used to find the best location to install ATES systems. The concept of the suggested method is based on integrating three methods. They are, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the DRASTIC index method, and ArcMap/GIS software. The results from this method include a criterion that summarizes the best location to install an ATES system. This criterion is depicted by ArcMap/GIS software, producing raster maps that specify the best location for the storage system. The suggested method can be used to find the best location to install the thermal storage, especially in susceptible aquifers.

Seepage velocity is a very important criterion in infrastructure construction. The planning of numerous large infrastructure projects requires the mapping of seepage velocity at a large scale. To date, however, no reliable approach exists to determine seepage velocity at such a scale. This paper presents a tool within ArcMap/Geographic Information System (GIS) software that can be used to map the seepage velocity at a large scale. The resultant maps include both direction and magnitude mapping of the seepage velocity. To verify the GIS tool, this study considered two types of aquifer conditions in two regions in Iraq: silty clayey (Babylon province) and sandy (Dibdibba in Karbala province). The results indicate that, for Babylon province, the groundwater flows from the northwest to southeast with a seepage velocity no more than 0.19 m/d; for the Dibdibba region, the groundwater flows from the west to the east with a seepage velocity not exceeding 0.27 m/d. The effectiveness of the presented tool in depicting the seepage velocity was thus demonstrated. The accuracy of the resultant maps depends on the resolution of the four essential maps (groundwater elevation head, effective porosity, saturated thickness, and transmissivity) and locations of wells that are used to collect the data.

The current study presents an innovative analysis that combines climate and land use data to assess changes in Manning's coefficient within the Al-Adhaim River Basin (ARB) from 2017 to 2023. The primary objective is to calculate the hydraulic roughness coefficient (Manning coefficient, n) and evaluate its variations in relation to climate and land use changes. The ArcGIS and HEC-RAS software were utilized for the spatial and hydraulic analysis, respectively, as well as to calculate the arithmetic average for the entire study area. The results indicate an increase in temperature, humidity, and rainfall of 0.82 oC, 1.07 g/kg, and 0.41 mm/year, respectively, with a decrease in wind speed of 0.02 m/s. These climatic changes contributed to a 3.96% increase in crop area, while human activities led to a 0.72% rise in built areas and a 3.93% reduction in open areas. Manning's coefficient, despite its low value of 0.0695, demonstrated a strong relationship between its value and the aforementioned factors.

One promising solution for mitigating CO₂ emissions in arid regions is to use Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems in cooling and heating systems. However, ATES systems need to be subjected to geohydrological investigations before their installation to ensure high performance. Two geohydrological properties are considered: regional groundwater flow and the influence of neighbouring rivers. This study considers a hypothetical ATES system within the city of Hilla, Iraq. MODFLOW 6.1 software was used to simulate the influence of the two properties. The simulation tested two locations situated at 75 m and 300 m from the river. Each location was explored using three flow rates: 10 m³/d, 50 m³/d, and 100 m³/d. The results indicate that the temperature change in the warm and cold wells increases proportionally with time of operation and rate of flow. For example, the temperature of the middle layer (for 10 m³/d operation) changes from 29 °C (after one year) to 34 °C (after twenty years operation), while it changes from 34 °C (one year) to 35 °C (twenty years) under 100 m³/d operation. Another result is that the available regional groundwater flow has a negligible influence on the storage system, while the neighbouring river has a high influence on the stored energy when the distance between them is 75 m or less. The paper recommends the installation of ATES systems at least 300 m from the bank of a river.

This study examines changes in land use and soil types in the Upper Euphrates River Basin from 2017 to 2023, and their impact on Curve Number (CN) values, a key hydrological tool for estimating surface runoff. The study area is located within the upper Euphrates River Basin, extending from Turkey and Syria to the Iraqi border at Al-Qaim. The study utilized remote sensing and geographic information system techniques, employing the Soil Conservation Service – Curve Number (SCS-CN) method and the HEC-GeoHMS model. The results revealed a significant increase in the area of natural pastures, a marked decline in Barren lands, and a relative expansion of agricultural and Built-up land. Gypsisols and Calcisols were found to be the most widespread soils, exhibiting medium to high permeability. These changes led to a gradual decrease in high CN values (79-84) and an increase in average values (64-69), reflecting improved soil permeability and reduced flood risk, while increasing the region's resistance to drought. The study proposes adopting sustainable water policies in Iraq and enhancing regional cooperation to address the ongoing decline in the flow of the Euphrates River, which has decreased by 50% between 2000 and 2023.