Gilan Governor: The Depth of Anzali Wetland Has Reached Less Than Half a Meter in Many Areas

The Governor of Gilan warned in an interview that the depth of Anzali Wetland, which was once over ten meters, has now reached "less than half a meter and 20 centimeters in many areas, and in many places, it has completely dried up." Hadi Haqshenas, in an interview with ILNA news agency published on Sunday, January 6, attributed this situation to "increased sedimentation" in Anzali Wetland. He stated, "Water enters Anzali Wetland, but due to sediment in the wetland, the water flows towards the sea. The retention of water in Anzali Wetland is negligible." Previously, Mohammad Kohansal, an environmental activist, had mentioned in an interview with Etemad Online last year that "overflowing urban sewage" and "sediments resulting from soil erosion due to extensive deforestation in previous years" were significant reasons for the gradual destruction of Anzali Wetland, stating, "If this situation continues, in five years, Anzali Wetland will turn into a separate and shallow pond." Warning about the potential destruction of Anzali Wetland in the next five years, the Governor of Gilan also elaborated on his controversial recent statement predicting that the cities of Rasht and Bandar Anzali would be "abandoned" in three years. Haqshenas described the number three as "symbolic." Last week, a video from a speech by this government official was released, indicating that if the necessary budget is not secured, the two cities of Rasht and Bandar Anzali will lose their residents in three years. In this speech, which sparked significant reactions on social media, he stated that "definitely in the next two or three years" we will see in the news that people are leaving Rasht and Anzali. In his recent interview, he acknowledged that his statement was not scientific and explained, "In Gilan, water and sewage plans and industrial and household treatment plants have not been implemented or, more accurately, have been left unfinished." According to him, this issue, along with increased sedimentation in Anzali Wetland, "raises concerns, and the three years I mentioned is based on experiences from previous years." Anzali Wetland, covering an area of about 20,000 hectares in Gilan province, is considered one of the most important and largest natural habitats for animals in Iran. In addition to fires in previous years, factors such as sediments and industrial, household, and hospital sewage, slaughterhouse waste, agricultural toxins, waste and debris, the spread of invasive plants, and reduced water volume have seriously endangered the health and life of Anzali Wetland.