Recent satellite images published by Iran regime’s state-run newspaper Etemad reveal a distressing reality – Lake Urmia, once the world’s sixth-largest saltwater lake and Iran’s largest internal lake, is now on the brink of irreversible demise. Over the past year, the lake has witnessed an alarming 80% reduction in water volume, leaving only four percent of its original expanse. This environmental catastrophe has sparked debates and contradictory statements, raising concerns about the ecological, social, and economic repercussions.
Etemad newspaper has unveiled the latest satellite images depicting the dire state of Lake Urmia. The publication asserts that, within the past year, the water level of this once-grand saltwater lake has plummeted by a staggering 80%. Presently, a mere four percent of the lake’s original water volume remains, marking the definitive death of what was once the world’s sixth-largest saltwater lake, and a vital internal reservoir for Iran.
These striking images, covering the period from November 2022 to November 2023, reveal a drastic reduction in Lake Urmia’s water surface from 878 square kilometers to a mere 170 square kilometers. While the spokesperson for the water industry refuted claims of the lake drying up in September of the previous year, the images tell a different story.
Contrary to official statements, a report from the Remote Sensing Research Center of Sharif University of Technology, titled ‘Analysis of the Level, Surface, and Volume of Lake Urmia Using Satellite Images,’ exposes the stark reality. The study, released in November, scrutinizes changes in Lake Urmia’s water level from 2014 to 2023, revealing a distressing trend.
In November 2014, the lake reached its nadir with a water level of 693 square kilometers, indicating a 97% decrease over the past 25 years. The authors of the report dismiss hope for the lake’s restoration, citing mismanagement and insufficient funds as insurmountable obstacles.
Despite optimistic statements from Ali Selajgeh, head of Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization, the authors warn of far-reaching consequences, including health, social, economic, and environmental repercussions, emphasizing the potential transformation of the dry lake bed into a significant center of disseminating dust.
Videos circulating on social media portray Lake Urmia transformed into a vast salt marsh. Echoing these concerns, the former head of the Environmental Protection Organization, Isa Kalantari, predicts that if the lake dries up, the people of Tabriz may have to evacuate within a decade, with salt dust potentially reaching the surrounding area of up to 400 km.
Efforts to address the crisis extend beyond environmental concerns. The Association of Justice Lawyers of West Azarbaijan Province is pursuing legal action against activities contributing to the lake’s drying, emphasizing issues such as neglect, destruction of water resources, unauthorized harvests, and the failure to implement modern agricultural plans.
Public discontent is evident, with protests erupting in Tabriz against the drying of Lake Urmia. However, amidst these concerns, authorities downplay the severity of the situation, considering it a ‘normal thing’ and expressing hope for rainfall in the fall to remedy the lake’s condition.
The predicament facing Lake Urmia is not isolated; numerous lakes and wetlands across Iran, including Shadegan, Hawizeh Marshes, Bakhtegan, Tashek, Parishan, Hamoon, Jazmurian and Gavkhouni, have grappled with similar challenges in recent decades. As the struggle to save Lake Urmia intensifies, it underscores the urgent need for comprehensive environmental management and concerted efforts to address the broader issues affecting Iran’s natural landscapes.
