The water from nearby rivers routed through canals, channels, dykes, aqueducts and reservoirs supply the water needed for irrigation. Frequent and violent floods from the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers as well as their many tributaries the canals, channels and dykes required constant repairs. After the flood season, farmers flood their fields and then drain the water.
As a result of the constant irrigation, floods and the high evaporation rate of water salinity builds up in the soil making