Shafaq News– KirkukRecent flash floods in Iraq’s Kirkuk province clearedwaterways uncovering ancient underground water channels that had been buriedfor years, and reviving public and official interest in preserving this naturalheritage.The systems consist of a series of wells spaced about 30meters apart, connected by underground channels running 18 to 24 meters feetbelow the surface. The channels are about one meter wide and between two andfour meters deep, carrying fresh water that largely originates from the KhasaRiver, a tributary feeding the Tigris.Kirkuk Water Resources Director Zaki Karim told Shafaq Newsthat the Bikhan channel systems are expected to be nominated for inclusion onthe World Heritage list this year, following a field visit by a delegation fromUNESCO, which outlined technical and regulatory requirements for registration.Water Resources Directorate has met those requirements,including mapping the sites online and on Google Maps, alongside rehabilitationand landscaping work to highlight their environmental and historical value. Thearea’s geography, marked by hills and caves, also helps sustain long-distancewater flow used for irrigation and farming.According to Karim, the province is among Iraq’s mostprominent areas for water systems and springs, which form a core part of itsgroundwater reserves. He added that these waters emerge from undergroundaquifers and natural caves and are known for their year-round flow in manylocations.Official data indicate that Kirkuk province is home toaround 400 water channel systems and natural springs, spread across severalareas. The Qara Hanjir subdistrict alone contains 81 such sites, with otherslocated in Taza and Daquq, making Kirkuk one of Iraq’s richest regions in thistype of water resource. Among the most notable sites are the Upper and LowerBikhan systems in the Shwan subdistrict, about 35 kilometers north of Kirkuk,which flow year-round and attract thousands of visitors.Resident Abdulrahman Al-Jammas said the channels sites nearthe southern entrance of Kirkuk, had previously turned into polluted dumpingareas emitting foul odors, but recent floods transformed them into clean watersources with visibly flowing water. He called on authorities to protect thesites from encroachment and prevent their return to polluted use.