Lake Hamrin, is a man-made

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

approximately 50 km (31 mi) north-east of

Baqubah Baqubah ( ar, بَعْقُوبَة; BGN: Ba‘qūbah; also spelled Baquba and Baqouba) is the capital of Iraq's Diyala Governorate. The city is located some to the northeast of Baghdad, on the Diyala River. In 2003 it had an estimated populat ...

, in Iraq's Diyala Governorate. The town of Hamrin sits on the western shore of the lake, both of which are at the southern tip of the Hamrin mountains. The Hemrin Dam, which creates Lake Hamrin, was established in 1981 as an artificial dam to hold over two billion cubic metres of water. It is a source of fish and also provides water for nearby date palm orchards and other farms. In June 2008, it was reported that due to

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

ian damming of the Alwand River, the lake had lost nearly 80% of its capacity.

Archaeological excavations

In the late 1970s, prior to the flooding of the lake, several archaeological sites in the flood plain were excavated. Excavations were led by various international organisations, such as the British Archaeological Expedition, as well as the Iraqi State Organisation for Antiquities and Heritage. Sites excavated include the

Ubaid period The Ubaid period (c. 6500–3700 BC) is a prehistoric period of Mesopotamia. The name derives from Tell al-'Ubaid where the earliest large excavation of Ubaid period material was conducted initially in 1919 by Henry Hall and later by Leonard Wo ...

sites of Tell Abada,

Tell Madhur Tell Madhur (also Madhhur) is a tell, or archaeological settlement mound, in Diyala Governorate (Iraq). The site was excavated due to it being flooded by the reservoir created by the Hamrin Dam. Madhur is best known for its particularly well-pre ...

, Tell Saadiya, Tell Rubeidheh, Tell Rashid and Tell Haizalun. The Hamrin sites probably shared a localised form of the Ubaid culture and possibly operated as one administrative unit based out of Tell Abada.Jasim, S. 1985. "The Ubaid period in Iraq. Recent excavations in the Hamrin region." British Archaeological Reports International Series: 267 File:Polychrome painted jar, geometric designs and animals, the so-called "Scarlet Ware". From Iraq, Tell Abu Qasim (Arabic تل ابو قاسم), Hamrin Basin, Diyala Valley. 2800-2000 BCE. Iraq Museum.jpg, Polychrome painted jar, geometric designs and animals, the so-called "Scarlet Ware". From Tell Abu Qasim at Hamrin Basin. 2800-2600 BCE. Iraq Museum File:Painted pottery jar with geometric motifs and birds. From Tell Hasan, Hamrin Valley, Iraq. 5th millennium BCE. Iraq Museum, Baghdad.jpg, Painted pottery jar with geometric motifs and birds. From Tell Hasan at Hamrin Basin. 5th millennium BCE. Iraq Museum

Droughts and Climate Change

File:Lake Hamrin satellite image taken in 2019.jpg, Lake Hamrin satellite image taken in 2019 File:Lake Hamrin satellite image taken in 2022.jpg, Lake Hamrin satellite image taken in 2022

References

Hamrin Diyala Governorate Hamrin Ubaid period {{Iraq-stub