Iranian Daily Declares Lake Urmia Dead

Comparing recent aerial photos of the lake with those of the previous year, the newspaper revealed an alarming 80% reduction in the water surface area in one year. The lake, once spanning 878 square kilometers, has dwindled to a mere 170 square kilometers, marking a mere 4% of its former expanse.

Despite the concerning visuals suggesting the impending demise of Lake Urmia, the spokesperson for Iran’s water industry rejected speculations in September, asserting that the lake had not completely dried up. Firouz Ghasemzadeh, the Director of the National Water Information and Data Office, expressed hope that“good precipitation during the winter would contribute to the rise of water levels in the lake."

Situated between East Azarbaijan and West Azarbaijan provinces in northwestern Iran, Lake Urmia was once the largest lake in the Middle East and the sixth-largest saltwater lake globally, with an original surface area of 5,200 square kilometers in the 1970s. However, mismanagement, climate change, prolonged droughts, and excessive water consumption have led to a significant reduction in its size, posing severe environmental consequences. The lake's shrinkage by nearly 95% in volume over the past two decades is also attributed to illegal groundwater extraction and diverting water from the Zarrineh Rud, a once-bountiful river feeding Lake Urmia.

The desiccation of Lake Urmia has turned its dry bed into a major source of airborne dust pollution, exacerbating health, industrial, social, and economic damages caused by dust storms. The critical situation underscores the urgent need to address similar challenges faced by other lakes and wetlands across the country, including Shadegan, Hoorolazim, Bakhtegan, Hamoun-e Jazmourian, Ghavkhouni, and more.