We must first of all find out what exactly is happening to the blue Euphrates.
The pictures depicted in this story are from southern Iraq, Karbala onwards down to Nasariyah and BaSrah. This is the heavily irrigated lower Euphrates alluvial plane, kind of like the delta region of this river. This is here that it is drying up. Causes? Massive waste irrigation and stealing of water. Also, a lot of the water is diverted by the Sunnis upriver in heavily irrigated Anbar and Babil.
BUT, the river itself is also narrowing upriver. The biggest tributary in the middle from the al-Hasakah region in Syria is mostly dried up. 3 million people in Syria around al Hasakah and Deir al Zor have been displaced. 1 million are now encamped outside the major cities of western syria. The syrian government does not let the real news and extent of the catostrophe to be let out.
Even the parts that originate near halab have gone down. They say its Turkey's dam building. Turkey says its mostly due to lack of rain in upper Mesopotamia, the same region as the Golbekin Tepe [ancient civilization], Sanliurfa/Mardin region.
Conclusion: the Euphrates is drying up EVERYWHERE. Worst is in southern Iraq, and second worst in Syria/Iraq border region [ near to half of its length]. And its accelerating.