Which risk increased within ancient Mesopotamian irrigation systems due to repeated cycles of arid weather and increased diversion?

💡 Explanation

When unsustainable irrigation practices occurred alongside recurring drought, evaporation wicks groundwater containing dissolved salts to the surface through capillary action because it is unmoderated by proper flushing, leading to salt buildup in arable land over time. Therefore accelerating soil salinization results which degrades future agriculture, rather than silt deposition, water infiltration, or canal problems each requiring entirely separate environmental conditions.

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