Anbar: The Anbar Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate is actively monitoring the waterwheel sites in Haditha district, emphasizing their historical and cultural significance. The field teams have been visiting these sites to document their current condition, highlighting the engineering and civilizational ingenuity they represent.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the initiative to inspect these heritage sites is in response to directives from the head of the Antiquities and Heritage Authority, Ali Obeid Shalgham. The sites, despite their importance, are currently threatened by environmental factors. Overgrowth of vegetation, including undergrowth, plants, and reeds, is encroaching upon the waterwheels and their irrigation channels, posing a risk of damage over time.

The Antiquities Inspectorate of Haditha has carried out field visits to several waterwheel sites in the Barwana district. The visits aimed to document the damage sustained and assess the extent of vegetation overgrowth affecting the waterwheels and channels.

In response to these challenges, the Anbar Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate has reached out to the Directorate of Water Resources to establish a joint working group. This collaboration seeks to devise solutions for removing the overgrown vegetation, working closely with relevant departments to protect and preserve these valuable historical and cultural sites.