Evaluating Water Scarcity Indices for Cultivation Region in Sadat Al-Hindya, Babylon, Iraq: A Case Study

The study evaluated the Water Scarcity Indices for Cultivation Region in Sadat Al-Hindya, Babylon, Iraq. It calculated the reference evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, and amount of precipitation with effective rainfall to estimate the droughts indicators which are the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), the Standard Precipitation and Evaporation Rain Index (SPEI) and Reconnaissance Drought Index RDI. The study indicated that the greatest decrease in river flow occurred from 2019-2021 to 2020-2021 due to increasing temperature in summer and decreasing precipitation in winter. This research evaluated a wet and drought indicating for planning and management of water resources to face changes in climate of future. The research showed the last years were years of drought according to the three indicators. SPI ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 in the rainy years, but it was -0.5 to -1 as moderately dry because in the middle of Iraq while in the south of Iraq was severely dry or extremely dry. SPEI of the study area ranged from -1.5 to -2.5 which means severely dry. The SPEI measures are negative values meaning the months and years were drier. RDi ranged from 0 to -1 was dry and moderately dry while some months and years are positive and will be wet through rainfall for ten years (2014-2023). From indices showed that the region was a drying study area due to the impact of climate change because of the reduction of precipitation and increase in temperature which caused a rise of evapotranspiration during the last few years.