Disappearing Lake Urmia in Iran

On February 10, 2016, there was a message that in Bolivia the salt lake Poopo, which once occupied an area of 3000 square kilometers, disappeared. Exactly the same saline and inundated reservoir, threatened with extinction, has Iran. Lake Urmia, in comparison with 1984, decreased in size by 70%, and according to the latest data and by all 90%.

Once upon a time a huge salt lake

Located in northwestern Iran, Urmia was the largest lake in the Near and Middle East. Ostan is the administrative-territorial unit of Iran. Between the Eastern and Western Azerbaijan is Lake Urmia. Initially, the reservoir occupied an area of up to 6,000 square meters. Km. The lake has several names. The famous Arabian geographer Istarikh (circa 850-934) designated him as a lake of heretics (Bukharat al-Shurat), in the collection of the sacred texts of the Avesta it occurs under the name of Chechasht, which translates as "radiantly white" and as "a deep lake with Salty waters ". For centuries it was called Salt Lake, and Kabunat, Shahi, Tala, Rezaie.

Some parameters

Height above sea level, which is Lake Urmia, is 1275 meters. It had an elongated shape and stretched from north to south for a distance of 140 km, while the width varied from 40 to 55 km. But this was before, and now the lake is on the verge of extinction. There is a wide-ranging access to comparative photographs from satellites showing how the reservoir was melting between 1984 and 2014. And in ancient times 16 meters reached its maximum depth. Lake Urmia was not a small natural reservoir: the average in the best years was 5 meters. A piece of land from which all the water flows into a certain body of water is called the catchment area. Previously, Lake Urmia had a catchment area, the territory of which was 50 thousand square kilometers. The reservoir was replenished in the winter and spring months due to precipitation. The largest tributaries are in the south Jagata and Tatawa, in the north-east - Aji-Chai. The basic salts, which are rich in water, sodium and chlorine, as well as sulfates (salts of sulfuric acid).

The Islands

Initially, there were 102 islands on the lake, many of which were grounds for wintering migratory birds. Some of them were covered with pistachio forests. In the lower southern part of the lake there was a cluster of 50 small islets. On the lake there are inhabited islands, for example Islami, on the highest peak of which is the monastery of Khulagu-Khan (the tomb of the Mongolian khans). Kabudan and Espir, Ashk and Arezu, on which Iranian yellow reindeers are bred, also belong to the dwellings. The island of Kayun-Dagi is famous for the rare world of flora. In addition, it, in addition to goats, is inhabited by leopards.

Flora and fauna

If there are inhabited islands on the lake, then there is a message between them. The reservoir is navigable year-round, as it does not freeze. Its banks are covered with saline soils, only in the mouths of the flowing rivers there are marshes with thickets of reeds ordinary and a gorse (a large genus of flowering plants).

Lake Urmia (photo can be seen in the article) refers to the pink lakes of the earth. In this color salt lakes color colonies of shrimps of Artemia, which in the hypersaline Urmia are very numerous. At first, the concentration of salt in the lake water was critical 350 grams per liter of water, whereas the norm for Urmia was always considered to be 180 grams. In such a pond, of course, there is no fish. The animal world is represented by flamingos, pelicans and pecans, which nest on the lake.

Cities related to the lake

Due to the uniqueness of Urmia, in 1967 a national park was created, in which most of the reservoir entered. UNESCO, because of an extraordinary ecosystem, has recognized the reservoir as a reservoir of the biosphere. Directly at the water's edge, there are no solonchaks in populated areas. They are in the immediate vicinity. So, for example, on the west coast there is a homonymous city, which is the administrative center of the Western Azerbaijan. The capital of Eastern Azerbaijan, the third largest city in Iran with a 4,000-year history and one and a half million inhabitants is Tabriz. These are the largest settlements in the vicinity of the lake, they are connected by a highway, built along a dam, dividing the lake into two parts.

Causes of Shoaling

In all the surrounding areas, there are more than 14 million people who need a large amount of water. This is one of the reasons for the shallowing of Urmia. The dam built in 2008, which connected Eastern and Western Azerbaijan, did not contribute to improving the ecology of the lake, as well as the dams that blocked the flowing rivers. The current depth of Lake Urmia is insignificant in some places. Promotes the shallowing and drought, which began in 1998.

The threshold of the disaster

According to experts, in case of the final disappearance of the lake instead of it there will be more than 10 billion tons of salt and not one inhabitant, as all of them will be forced to leave their native lands. Anxiety, raised by scientists around the world, proved that in case of inaction already in 2018 on the place of the lake there will be swamps, was heard. Although in 2011, activists who fought for saving the lake were put in prison. Why? Because the water taken from this reservoir is necessary for watering the fields. Thus, the government chose less from two evils.

Plans for rescue

Work to save the reservoir began in 2012, when Armenia's consent was obtained to transfer part of the waters of this republic to Urmia. In order that the Iranian reservoir does not disappear at all, remembering the sad fate of the Aral, scientists of several countries have developed a strategy for saving the lake. There are several plans, and most of them still provide for a reduction in the intake of water from the lake and the rivers feeding it for agricultural purposes. But recently, great hopes are associated with the waters of the Caspian Sea. If the project, which was worked by 500 academicians and 50 experts from all continents (these specialists already had sufficient experience acquired in the development of the Aral Sea), is calculated correctly and will be implemented, a full recovery of the water volume in the lake can be expected by 2023.

Favorite lake

The local population is very fond of its pond. Firstly, the water in it is dense, warm and healing - it's very pleasant to bathe in it. Secondly, the small salt islands (Osman's Fist), which took an unusual shape, are unique, the coast lighting is very peculiar because of the salt that dissipates the sun's rays. Thanks to all this, the landscapes surrounding Lake Urmia are very beautiful and unique. Description from the photos above, clearly demonstrate this stark and calm beauty. On the shore you can find a variety of crystals of various sizes and shapes - people come to families to wander along the shore of your favorite pond.

A serious approach

Of course, Lake Urmia is extremely alarming: standing in the middle of the white desert and corroded by salt to anyone unnecessary barges, abandoned houses on the once-former coast here, dried trees. That's why the scientists of the world work to prevent another ecological catastrophe and restore the world to disappearing beauty. The government of Iran together with the United Nations Development Program intend to invest $ 1.3 billion in reviving the lake. The money will be directed not only to the transfer of water from other sources (for example, the Araz River), but also to improve the efficiency of the use of liquids taken from the lake for agricultural needs. The package consists of 25 proposals, in which everything is painted down to the smallest detail.

Bright sight of Iran

I must say that even now, when this largest Iranian reservoir is in such a deplorable state, there are many objects worthy of attention. There is Lake Urmia near Ararat, in the south of the Armenian plateau. You can get to it as follows. In Tabriz there is an airport, Urmia with other cities of Iran are connected by excellent motorways. From these two cities directly to the lake can be reached by a regular bus or by taxi.