Lake Tharthar is a lake situated 120 kilometres north of Baghdad between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. The lake is deep and nutrient poor; there is very little vegetation except for sparse shrubs, some dense patchs of growth and scattered Ziziphus trees. The area is farmed thanks to the use of tube-wells. A few sheep also graze in the area. Due to the farming the topsoil is damaged by vehicles and the lake is threatened due to overfishing.