A member of the investigative committee on the revival of Lake Urmia states that there is no water capacity in the region to revive the lake and that there is no hope for revival with 'imaginary plans.' Ali Alizadeh, in an interview with 'Shahrvand Network,' emphasized that 'the transfer of water from Kani-Sib to Lake Urmia is one of the largest revival projects that was pursued from the previous government, and if it had been launched at full capacity, meaning 600 million cubic meters of water transfer, there would have been hope for the revival of the lake; however, currently, this project is only being carried out with 300 million cubic meters.' The representative of Maragheh and Ajabshir in the parliament stated that the needs of Lake Urmia exceed the announced figures, adding, 'Currently, about 2 billion cubic meters of water evaporates from Lake Urmia annually, and with the conversion of agriculture in West Azerbaijan to water-intensive crops and equivalency, water consumption has increased by over 2 billion cubic meters, which means that even with all these considerations, it is impossible to revive the lake with 300 million cubic meters.' He identified the only way to save Lake Urmia as implementing water transfer projects from the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, and Lake Van in Turkey, asserting that otherwise, we should completely bid farewell to Lake Urmia. 'Kani-Sib' is the name of the tunnel that is supposed to transfer water from the Zab River and the Kani-Sib Dam to Lake Urmia for its revival. According to Fars News Agency, over 10 trillion tomans have been spent on constructing this tunnel, which was inaugurated six months ago. A recent study published by Iran Watchdog indicates that the volume of Lake Urmia has reached its lowest level in the past decade and is even lower than in 2015. Experts warn of the complete drying of Lake Urmia this year, stating that if this happens, the northwestern provinces of the country will face salt storms, and a large population of residents in these provinces will be forced to migrate. In this regard, Roozbeh Eskandari, a water expert, previously told Voice of America: 'Contrary to the claims of the Raisi government about the successful revival and rescue of Lake Urmia, the current level of the lake and its difference from the ecological level indicates that this lake will completely dry up this year.'
Despair Over Reviving Lake Urmia; MP: No Hope with 'Imaginary Plans'
A parliamentary member has expressed deep concerns over the revival of Lake Urmia, stating that current water transfer projects are inadequate and that the lake is at risk of complete drying. The situation is dire, with significant evaporation rates and increased water consumption due to agricultural practices. This issue is critical as it threatens ecological stability and the livelihoods of residents in the region.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A parliamentary member has expressed deep concerns over the revival of Lake Urmia, stating that current water transfer projects are inadequate and that the lake is at risk of complete drying. The situation is dire, with significant evaporation rates and increased water consumption due to agricultural practices.
- Lake Urmia's water level has reached its lowest in a decade, with annual evaporation exceeding 2 billion cubic meters.
- Current water transfer efforts are only half of what is needed for any hope of revival.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Lake Urmia has been shrinking for decades due to climate change, mismanagement, and agricultural practices, making its revival a pressing environmental issue in Iran.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%