BAGHDAD - The Directorate General of Water Resources for Baghdad, Thair Dahri, visited Pump Station One in Saab al-Bour, May 16, to encourage students learning new skills and see firsthand the recent increase in irrigation.
"This increase means [more than 6,000 acres] of land will be irrigated," said Thair. "We are committed to increasing the ability to maintain this pump station as well."
Thair talked with 18 students training as operators at the station and said the ministry is working on getting them employed.
"We have helped increase the output of Pump Station One from two cubic meters per second to four cubic meters per second," said Capt. Philip Benner, assistant engineer, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, MND-B. "This has doubled the capacity of the station providing irrigation water to Saab al-Bour and Abu Ghuraib."
Benner said that they are also looking to provide excavating equipment so the Iraqi's can better maintain the canal system. This additional equipment along with 18 new operators, who will graduate the training course July 10, will increase their ability to sustain the progress.
"This project also helped fill the Ghrai Bawi canal with irrigation water," said Benner. "This is the first time in years that that canal has had significant water."
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