Two thirds of Lake Urmia dries up

The lake average depth dropped to 2 from 14 meters

Real Jafarli – APA. The average depth of the lake dropped to 2 from 14 meters, said head of Research Group of Desertification Components Mohammad Darvhish, APA reports quoting Oyannews.

According to him, two thirds of Lake Urmia has turned into saline land: “The area of the lake, when it was full of water, was 540,000 ha, but its area decreased by 360-390 000 ha because of the lack of water supply. For this reason, we can they that two thirds of Lake Urmia has dried up.” 

Darvish said that Binab, Maragha and Ajab Shir cities can be subjected to salt winds due to winds blowing from the east to the west: “These salt winds will damage sown areas, at the same time cane pose a threat to the health of local residents.” 

Head of the Iranian Agriculture Ministry's Department on the Eastern Azerbaijan Province, Masoud Mohhamadian said that water of the wells close to Lake Urmia is salty: “If this situation deteriorates, 204-ha planted areas of 7 towns of the Eastern Azerbaijan province near Lake Urmia can turn into saline soil.”

Belgian company ready to try to restore Lake Urmia

A Belgian company has announced that it is ready to try to restore Iran’s Lake Urmia, 70 percent of which has dried up over the past few years.
Trackable Engineering Company has put in a request to Iran’s Foreign Ministry in this regard, IRNA reported on Friday. The plan is also being followed up by a member of the Iranian parliament.
The company has estimated the project would cost €1 million and would be completed within three years.
The Belgian company has a track record of restoring the Dead Sea.
Lake Urmia, in the northwest of Iran, is experiencing its worst condition for the past 50 years. The level of the lake’s water has been declining since 1995.
In October 2012, Iranian Environment Protection Organization Director Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh said during Iranian calendar year 1390 (March 2011- March 2012), about 2 billion cubic meters of water were transferred to the lake.
Lake Urmia is the third largest salt water lake on earth with a surface area of approximately 5,200 square kilometers.
Experts say the construction of dams on rivers feeding the lake and also droughts have significantly decreased the annual amount of water Lake Urmia receives. They also say that the construction of a bridge across the lake has upset its ecological balance.
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Iran's Dam Policy and the Case of the Lake Urmia

by Ercan Ayboğa & Akgün Ilhan

Iran has been one of the states with the highest rate of dam construction worldwide in the recent years. The construction of hundreds of dams on rivers combined with a non-participative and non-democratic approach has lead to numerous ecological, social, cultural and political problems and conflicts in the past years. There is much public criticism over the intense dam building policy and its impacts. In particular, the case of the Lake Urmia has led to hot debates and many protests within the Iranian society regarding the destructive dams in the country.

Introduction

The first dam constructions started in Iran in the 1950s. Before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, only fourteen large dams had been built, usually with the dominant involvement of foreign banks and companies. After the establishment of the new political system, particularly after the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, the dam building activities have intensified significantly. Today, Iran has achieved the capacity to build small, middle and large size dams without any foreign participation. The objectives of dam building in Iran are mainly the hydroelectricity, irrigation and drinking water supply at which the two latter reasons are less dominant than the first one. Untill now the construction of 541 small and large dams1 have been completed2. While in 2007 totally large and small 88 dams were under construction in Iran3, this number increased in 2011 up to 135 dams and 546 dams were in the planning phase4. On average, close to two billion m3 of water are added to the country’s water reserves annually. In end of 2011 the storage of dam reservoirs has reached the capacity of 65 billion m3. These figures show that there are plans to impound almost all rivers in Iran which carry regulary water.

Rivers in Iran

The most and the largest rivers in Iran are situated in the north and west. It is so because the highest precipitation occurs here where long and high mountain chains lie parallel to the country’s borders. Almost all emerging rivers flow out of the borders, either to neighbouring countries or to the sea and not into the centre which is a high plain. The centre, the south and the east of the country is semi-arid or arid with very low precipitation.

The most well-known and largest rivers in Iran are the Aras and the Karun. The Aras comes from Turkey in the very northwest and composes a border river with Azerbaijan for the most stretch. That is why it could not be “used” entirely by the Iranian State. But the Karun River, which is the most effluent (at the end 575 m3/sec, 950 km long) and the only navigable one, flows from the Zagros mountains in the southern province Khuzestan into the Arabian Gulf and has been utilized almost fully. On the Karun River within the Iran are the biggest dams which are built for hydro-energy production, and water is diverted in the lower parts for the irrigation of large areas (280.000 hectares).

On the northern side of the north mountain chain along the Caspian Sea with high precipitation originate many rivers. There are several bigger rivers which spring from the Zagros Mountains on the west of the state, namely in the provinces Kurdistan, Kermanshah and Elam, and flow towards Iraq where they join the Tigris River. Many rivers are born in the southern part of the Zagros Mountains and flow into the Arabian Gulf, such as the Karun River. Some bigger rivers originate from the mountain chains of the north and the west, and flow towards the arid central plain where they dry out. The second inner basin of Iran is the Lake Urmia basin in the northwest of the country. Several small, middle and big size rivers flow into the biggest lake of Iran. Some small and middle size rivers are shared in the east with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The history of water infrastructures in Iran 

As a semi-arid country (except its green coastal areas at the Caspian Sea which does not cover more than 10% of the entire land) Iran, throughout its history, has developed a particular water culture which has been a crucial element in developing human settlements and civilizations. Scarce water resources resulted in specialization in building water infrastructures. With this knowledge, even in semi-desert regions with very limited water resources, towns and cities were built. Among the most representative of these infrastructures were water canals, and, in particular, qanats. Qanats are horizontal water tunnels which bring ground water from mountains to settlements to arid areas at the border. Even though qanats are also found in other countries in the Middle East, the most developed ones are in Iran.

Iran's Dam Policy

The Iranian Ministry for Energy is the responsible body for the management of water resources in the country. Decisions about the construction of water infrastructures, such as dams, are taken within this body. At end of 1980’s the Iranian state started to plan the systematic construction of water infrastructures such as dams, hydro-electric power plants (HEPP) and water diversions. The state planned these water infrastructures entirely based on a technical and profit centred approach without taking into account the issues of cultural and natural heritage, and human settlements. The continuous increase in electricity consumption and the growing need for food and drinking water in the cities were the strong arguments behind “developing” water resources.

The plans for the construction of dams are made by the central government, often in cooperation with the provincial governments which are dependent on the central government. There is no public consultation about the government’s policies regarding dam, electricity, irrigation, water supply and development. As governments in Iran are not elected in a truly democratic way and there is no opposition party, the discrepancy between people and governing institutions is huge. This leads to a disconnection between the real needs of people and the actions of the government.

Destruction of the Lake Urmia (Southern Azerbaijan – Iran)

A growing and diversifying social debate has been going on over the issue of Iran’s dam policy and, in particular, the impacts of dams constructed on the 13 rivers that feed the Lake Urmia. This endorheic lake has a basin that totals a land of 51.876km2 and covers 3 provinces which are the West, the East Azerbaijan and the Kurdistan provinces. It extends to a length of some 140 km and a width of 85 km5. The average surface of the lake area used to be 5100 km2. However, now a large portion of it is lost. The Urmia Lake, in its original size, is considered as the largest hyper saline lake in the Middle East. The basin has a population of around 6.4 million people and an estimated 76 million live within a radius of 500 km6. The Lake Urmia in 1985 August (left) and in 2010 August (right)

There are 39 dams either constructed or planned over the rivers flowing into the Lake Urmia, mainly for the purpose of irrigation. As water became more available, many farmers switched from subsistence to intensive agriculture. This shift in agricultural production created increasing pressure on not only surface water, but also underground water resources, over which the Iranian Government has almost no control. 94% of water demand is allocated to agriculture7. Farmers in Sulduz, a traditional town by the lake, indicate that only a decade ago they could extract water from wells of 30-40 meter deep. Now even at 70 meters deep, they cannot reach any water8. Furthermore, the use of inappropriate irrigation practices drops water use efficiency down to 30%9 which is very low and results in skyrocketing levels of agricultural water consumption. In addition, droughts since 1990s did not help the situation. However, the first signs of the problem started about four decades ago as the surface of the lake started to decrease. Once a surface of 5278 km2 of lake (1976) shrank to 3108 km2 (2009) 10. In beginning of 2012 the lake lost more than 65% of its surface area11. Within the last decade, the maximum depth of the lake fell from 12 to 6 metres12. Another significant negative impact was due to a bridge built over the lake in 2008. This

infrastructure cuts the lake almost in two equal parts and lets no water flow from one to another, which is crucial for the functions of the lake ecosystem. As water circulation in the lake is impeded, there has been a dramatic increase in water salinity13. In terms of other parameters of water quality, the situation is no better. Due to lack of water treatment facilities and municipal control, the lake is used entirely as the common sink of urban, agricultural and industrial entities around.

An old ship once upon a time on lake, now on salt concentration

Naturally, these circumstances pose a great danger towards not only humans, but also biodiversity within the Urmia Basin. The basin is the habitat of some 212 species of birds such as flamingo and pelican, 41 reptiles, 7 amphibians and 27 mammals such as the Iranian yellow dear. The lake is also known for its medical effects, especially for curing Rheumatism and Arthritis. Because of many other reasons, as well as these, the Urmia is listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention14 since 1971 and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve15 since 1976. However, neither of these has yet saved this great natural heritage of humanity from perishing. Recent studies foresee that the shrivelling of the Urmia will continue and that the survival probability within the next ten years is only around 64%16.

Greater concerns are at stake for the Middle East

It is estimated that 8 billion tons of salt is concentrated at the bottom of the Lake Urmia. With wind and storm such amount of salt can be carried away and create serious levels of wind-borne salt toxicity on both directly humans and agricultural production within the radius of 500 km around the lake. Many ecologists, activists and the Iranian officials warn that if the Lake Urmia dries up, an ecological catastrophe is inevitable not only for the settlements around the lake, but also in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Turkey. The unforeseen consequences of such a large scale ecological disaster might trigger a colossal migration and trigger many conflicts among the states of the Middle East.

People protesting: “Let’s go to Urmia and fill it up with our tears” 

Even though the Lake Urmia started to shrivel in the 1970s, it could attract the attention of media only in 1990s. The deterioration of the lake was undeniable. The lake was not only shrinking, but also being heavily contaminated. The existence of many basin communities was at stake. Many had to migrate to large cities such as Tabriz. Some resisted to the increasing impoverishment. It was only in the 2000s when the social problems clustered around the issue of the lake were first pronounced. Guntay, a young Azeri man from Tabriz, indicates that the first time he and his friends brought the issue of Lake Urmia was about ten years ago in an exhibition. “We exposed the photos of dead flamingos in the lake to say that it was dying”.

A poster calling for taking action for Urmia - The Lake Urmia calls us and says if you hear: “I am thirsty”

Within years, numerous symbolic protests went on with growing participation of both the inhabitants of the region and the environmentalists from different parts of Iran. One was in 2009 when people held an interesting protest which consisted of pouring a bottle of water into the lake that represents their tear drops for what has been happening to their lake. Around 150 people were arrested and some of them were put in prison for years. A year later another large protest action took place in Tabriz on the World Environment Day, at the end of which the Iranian Police arrested some 70 protesters. In another protest in 2011 thousands of people from Tabriz and Urmia were on the streets protesting the central government for not taking the necessary measures to save the lake. This peaceful action was confronted with repression by the Iranian security forces whose result was the death of two protestors and the detention of dozens of citizens. Afterwards, the Iranian State prohibited any news regarding the situation of the Lake Urmia.

The Dam on the Sheher River which is one of the rivers that feeds the Lake Urmia 

Another recent action took place in the Cities of Urmia and Tabriz in May 2012. With a poster, the protesters were asking the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad “Is the crisis of Urmia less important than the Nuclear Crisis of Iran?” The answer to that question was the detention of some hundred protesters, some of which are still in prison and some others free at the cost of heavy fines. On the World Environment Day, 5th of June 2012, the Iranian Government’s reluctance to take necessary measures to save the Lake Urmia was protested by many all around the world. Baku, Calgary and Waterloo were among the many cities where such protests took place. After all, the Iranian Government has finally been more open to accepting that there are problems with the Lake Urmia. The Iranian Government’s insistence on explaining the current status of the Lake entirely with global climate change has been coming to an end. Now, a number of solutions are being discussed and formulated within academic and civil society circles. Some these suggest releasing more water from dam reservoirs, limiting irrigation, removing some dams on the rivers that feed the Lake Urmia17 and some projects for taking water from other rivers like the

Zab or Araz Rivers and even the Caspian Sea18 to revive the lake. While the first two proposals make sense, the last proposal is highly discussed among the critics and would result in additional water mismanagement problems.

However, the words of the head of Iranian State General Inspection Organization Mr. Mohammadi’s after the protests of the World Environment Day in Tabriz are significant19: “If the experts in the province believe that a crisis of Lake Urmia is so serious, then we should start from the province itself; province should stop mismanagement of the funds and dedicate some of the budget to solve Lake Urmia's problem”. He also adds: “The province should not be waiting for the national budget and if there is any crisis they should assign some of the province’s budget for this issue”. The people of the Lake Urmia, once more, seem to be left alone to solve a regional scale problem that would affect many others.

End notes:

1 Large dams are defined as being over 15m high. The definition also includes dams between 5 and 15m high with a reservoir exceeding 3 million m3 of volume.

2 See website of Icold – International Commission of Large Dams: http://www.icold-cigb.org/GB/World_register/general_synthesis.asp?IDA=206

3 Iran Daily – Domestic Economy, 23 July 2007.

4 See Ministry of Energy News Agency, 26 October 2011: http://news.moe.org.ir/vdcdzf0s.yt0f56me2y.html

5 UNEP (2012). Thematic Focus: Climate Change, Resource Efficiency, Ecosystem Management, and Environmental Governance. http://na.unep.net/geas/getUNEPPageWithArticleIDScript.php?article_id=79

6 SEDAC (2010). Gridded Population of the World: Future Estimates. Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) in collaboration with CIESIN, UN-FAO, CIAT.

7 WWA/Yekom (2005). The Environmental Impact Assessment and study (quality and quantity) of the Development Projects in the Lake Uromiyeh Basin, The West Azerbaijan Water Authority (WWA), Ministry of Energy (MoE).

8 Unstructured interviews held with the inhabitants of the town of Sulduz (24-25 May, 2012).

9 Hashemi, M. (2008) An Independent Review: The Status of Water Resources in the Lake Uromiyeh Basin. A Synthesis Report for the GEF/UNDP Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project, School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, England, UK.

10 Reveshty, Mohsen Ahadnejad; Maruyama, Yoshihisa (2010): Study of Lake Urmia Level Fluctuations. Study of Lake Urmia Level Fluctuations and Predict Probable Changes using Multi-Temporal Satellite Images and Ground Truth Data Period (1976-2010). http://lake-urmia.blogspot.com/2010/12/study-of-lake-urmia-level-fluctuations.html (Accessed May 26, 2011)

11 See website of the Lake Urmia Conservation Insitute http://www.saveurmia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/poster_2012.png

12 See website of the Lake Urmia Conservation Insitute http://www.saveurmia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/poster_2012.png

13 The water salinity in the Lake Urmia rose from 220 to 380 mg/lt.

14 See website of the Lake Urmia Conservation Insitute http://www.saveurmia.com/take-action/campaign-statement/

15 See profile at website of Unesco Biosphere Reserve Directory: http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=gen&code=IRA+07 (Accessed May 25, 2011)

16 Reveshty, M. A. & Maruyama, Y. (2010): Study of Lake Urmia Level Fluctuations. Study of Lake Urmia Level Fluctuations and Predict Probable Changes using Multi-Temporal Satellite Images and Ground Truth Data Period (1976-2010). http://lake-urmia.blogspot.com/2010/12/study-of-lake-urmia-level-fluctuations.html (Accessed May 26, 2011)

17Khosravifard, S. (2010): Campaigners Fear Lake Urmia Drying Up. Payvand Iran News. April 30, 2010. http://www.payvand.com/news/10/apr/1297.html (Accessed May 19, 2011)

18Djafarov, T. (2011). "Water transfer of Araz River to Lake Urmia is discussed between Iran and Azerbaijan" Trend News Agency 26 December 2011. at: http://pda.trend.az/en/1973742.html (Accessed February 8, 2012)

19 See website of the Lake Urmia Conservation Insitute http://www.saveurmia.com/2012/06/06/successful-events-on-june-5/

Lake Urmia Basin Location

Drought of Lake Urmia creates 4,400 sq.km desert land

The probable drought of Lake Urmia in northwest of Iran will create a desert land, measuring 4,400 square kilometers in area, the Fars News agency quoted West Azerbaijan Province's Agriculture Department Director Masoud Mohammadian as saying.

The desertification will change the region's climate and will devastate farmlands, he added.

The head of the Iranian West Azerbaijan Province's Environment Organization said 70 percent of the Urmia (Orumiyeh) Lake has been drought up.

According to ISNA, Hassan Abbasnejad said the Iranian government started some measures to revive Lake Urmia by cloud seeding, commissioning the new irrigation methods, etc. in last solar year (ended on 18 March 2011) but the process is being carried out slowly.

"The main problem is lack of finance, then now, 300, 000 hectares of lake became salt land," he added.

Abbaszadeh said that Lake Urmia needs 3.1 billion cubic meters of water per year to survive.

Illegal use of water flowing into the lake for watering by rural population, construction of dams and illegal objects on its banks, is also among the problems of the Lake Urmia.

Each litre of water in Lake Urmia contains 330 grams of salt. Previously, the figure stood at 160-170 grams per litre.

The Iranian government approved $900 million finance bill to save the lake from drought, but the process is being carried out slowly.

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Official: 70 percent of Urmia Lake drought op

The head of the Iranian West Azerbaijan Province's Environment Organization said 70 percent of the Urmia (Orumiyeh) Lake has been drought up.
According to ISNA, Hassan Abbasnejad said Iran government started some measures to revive Urmia Lake by cloud seeding, commissioning the new irrigation methods, etc. in last solar year (ended on 18 March 2011) but the process is being carried out slowly.
"The main problem is lack of finance, then now, 300, 000 hectares of lake became salt land," he added.
Abbaszadeh said that Urmia Lake needs 3.1 billion cubic meters of water per year to survive.
Illegal use of water flowing into the lake for watering by rural population, construction of dams and illegal objects on its banks, is also among the problems of the Lake Urmia.
Each litre of water in Lake Urmia contains 330 grams of salt. Previously, the figure stood at 160-170 grams per litre.
Iranian government approved $900 million finance bill to rescue lake from drought, but the process is being carried out slowly.
Source
Urmia is located in the west of the South Azerbaijan(Iran). There is a permanent salt lake, Lake Urmia adjacent to the city. The population of Urmia is predominantly Turks (over 90%), but with Kurdish, Assyrian and Armenian minorities.

10 new Arch dams to be constructed in the watershed of Urmia Lake

Iran, West Azerbaijan: With the starting of operation of the new dams in the province 1.8 billon meters cubed Water sources will add to our water saves said Seyyed Jala Torabi the local officer to Islamic republic news agency (IRNA).
Torabi also told IRNA that new 10 dams that are constructing have the capacity to save 2.39 billion meter cubed per year. He also mentioned that they have started to study to build another four dams with the capacity of 233 million meter cubed per year.
Torabi mentioned the West Azerbaijan province has the capacity of 10 billion meter cubed water per year that 7.5 of it are surface waters and rest are from underground streams. 3.5 billion meter cubed of this water currently is consuming that 1.7 billion meter cubed of it is from underground resources.
Building another 10 barrages in watershed of Lake Urmia in west Azerbaijan province happens while 63% of the lake already dried up and despite what government officials promised to stop building dams and there is no serious action to prevent this environmental disaster. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the Iranian president said that he sends an emergency order to stop building new dams but they are still just on the papers and not in the action.  
Global environment and local expert’s emphasis that main reason of the drying up of the lake is the construction many dams without scientific background and increased water diversion for irrigated agriculture within the lake's watershed. They put the blame on wrong environmental policies and mismanagement.
According to the reports of the United Nations environment program (UNEP) the lake has been facing gradually decrease in the level of the water in last 15 years but the government officers try to deny it and even they claim that the water level has been increased.

Shrinking of Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia shows a range of dark and light red hues of water, framed by white salt flats, in this image of Iran. Also visible in the full image is Lake Van, in Turkey, and the Caspian Sea. Lake Urmia has been shrinking in recent years, in part due to the ecological changes from the construction of a causeway across the lake, and in part due to a recent drought that has significantly decreased the annual amount of water the lake receives.
Although measures are now being taken to reverse the trend, the lake has shrunk by 60 percent and could disappear entirely. On August 2nd 2012, Mohammad Javad Mohammadzadeh, the head of Iran’s Environment Protection Organization, announced that Armenia have agreed on transferring water from Armenia to counter the critical fall in Lake Urmia’s water levels, remarking the body of water had reached its lowest water levels ever recorded.

Lake Urmia (Turkish: اورمو گؤلو ,farsi: دریاچه ارومیه‎, Daryache-ye Orumiye)  is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran's border with Turkey. The lake is between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea. It is the largest lake in the Middle East, and the third largest salt water lake on earth, with a surface area of approximately 5,200 km² (2,000 mile²), 140 km (87 mi) length, 55 km (34 mi) width, and 16 m (52 ft) depth. Lake Urmia is protected as a "National Park" by the Iranian Department of Environment.
Ecology
Lake Urmia is home to some 212 species of birds, 41 reptiles, 7 amphibians, and 27 species of mammals, including the deer. It is an internationally registered protected area as both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Ramsar site. The Iranian Dept. of Environment has designated most of the lake as a "National Park".
Protests for saving Lake Urmia
On 2 April 2010 and 2011, and after several callings from Tractor Sazi F.C.'s fans in stadiums and internet sites, protest demanding that the government take action to save Lake Urmia was held in Tabriz, Urmia, on the lake beach, and on top of the lake bridge. As a result, dozens of people were arrested by security forces.
in August 2011, after the Iranian parliament dropped two emergency cases for reviving the lake, a number of soccer fans at Tabriz derby (soccer match between Tractor Sazi F.C. and Shahrdari Tabriz F.C.) were arrested for shouting slogans in favor of protecting the lake. Later that same week, Iranian Turkish scheduled a protest against the parliament move. Despite the capture of more than 20 activists by security forces the day before the protest, numerous people attended the event in Urmia and a number of clashes with police were reported.
On 3 September 2011, Iranian Tuekish demonstrated for second week in a row to protect Lake Urmia. The protests in Tabriz and Urmia reportedly followed parliament's rejection of rescue plan, and security forces used violence to break up environmental rallies as protesters demanded action to save Lake Urmia, and according to West Azerbaijan's governor at least 60 supporters of the lake were arrested just in Urmia and dozens in Tabriz because - according to an Iranian official - they had not applied for a permit to organize a demonstration. As the protests in Tabriz and other Iranian Azerbaijan cities, Azerbaijanian Turkish resident in Turkey called for the preservation of saltwater Lake Urmia through a peaceful protest that included pouring salt and lying on the street in front of the Iranian Embassy in Ankara.
Source of Picture

Scientists Warn of Dangers of Shrinking Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran’s border with Turkey. The lake is between the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea. It is the largest lake in the Middle East, and the third largest salt water lake on earth. Lake Urmia is home to some 212 species of birds, 41 reptiles, 7 amphibians, and 27 species of mammals,including the yellow deer. It is an internationally registered protected area as both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Ramsar site. The Iranian Dept. of Environment has designated most of the lake as a "National Park". Lake Urmia has 102 islands. For a Turkish transcription of a list of their names, see this link.
The lake is a major barrier between two of the most important cities in West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces, Urmia and Tabriz. A bridge across the lake was completed in 2008 (visible as a white line across the middle of the lake). However, experts have warned that the construction of the causeway and bridge, together with a series of ecological factors, will eventually lead to the drying up of the lake, turning it into a salt marsh which will directly affect the climate of the region.
Lake Urmia has been shrinking for a long time, with an annual evaporation rate of 0.6m to 1m (24 to 39 inches). Although measures are now being taken to reverse the trend the lake has shrunk by 60 percent and could disappear entirely.
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Saving Lake Urmia

The northwest part of Iranian highland, includes the great part of the land which is known as Azerbaijan in the history. There has been the second saltiest lake in this region. This lake has been known as "Lake Urmia". The name of the lake comes from the city Urmiye which is settled in the west and which is the second biggest city of Azerbaijan. In Azerbeyjan Turkish which is used as The mother tongue of Azerbaijan and in in Urmiye, the lake and the city are both called "Urmu city and Lake Urmu".  Lake Urmia has a great importance in its own ecosystem. It’s a home for many kinds of birds and living creatures.  At the same time The Lake Urmia is recorded as biosfer reserver by UNESCO. But recent years as a result of Iran’s faulty policies and because of the new sets which have been constructed on the rivers running towards the lake, six thousand kilometres square big lake becomes %70 smaller than its natural size, and it becomes salt rocks. According to the researchers the reasons of drying are; 90 % people’s mistakes, wrong water management policies and the new constructed sets. Some scientists think that a second Lake Aral disaster has been living and in case that lake becomes dry, it will cause a big destruction for regional ecosystems, birds and the other living creatures’ habitats. Salt storms will effect a very large land and over 15 million people in that region will be effected badly. The result will certainly be a disaster. To prevent this environmental disaster “the rescue suggestion” whic was suggested in 16th August, 2011, was refused by the İslamic Conseil Assambly also known as Iran Parlaiment. This action was protested mainly in Tebriz and Urmia, and the other Azerbaijanian Turkish cities by people and groups. We want the help of all environmentalits and green screens and green people to recreate the Lake Urmia and to stop killing the nature. For that reason to give out our voice to the World we start a campaigne in internet. In the first pace of our campaigne, we will paste this text under the every Picture of facebook pages of National Geographic. Join our campaigne and support us in our struggle . Fort he Lake Urmia.
For a green planet.
and the city are both called "Urmu city and Lake Urmia".
Ahmet Uyar

State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2012 - Case study: Between a lake and a river: government neglect in Iran

Azerbaijanian Turkish, Lake Urmia
Azerbaijanian Turkish in Iran have joined together to protest against dam construction on Lake Urmia's tributaries that is destroying the region's ecological and economic resources.
Lake Urmia, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is situated between the East and West Azerbaijan provinces and is one of the largest salt lakes in the world. But over the past 15 years it has shrunk by 60 per cent due to the construction of 36 dams on the lake's tributaries, prolonged drought, and the construction of a major highway bisecting the lake to connect the cities of Urmia and Tabriz. The region now faces a growing ecological disaster, with serious negative consequences on Azerbaijanian Turkish communities whose livelihoods depend upon the lake.
In April 2011, Azerbaijanian Turkish gathered to protest in Urmia and Tabriz, calling on the government to save the lake. According to Amnesty International, 70 people were arrested in Tabriz and 20 in Urmia for protesting illegally. During the summer, Azerbaijanian Turkish activists escalated their protests after the Iranian government dropped plans aimed at reviving the lake. On 24 August, 30 Azerbaijanian Turkish were arrested at a private gathering, and on 27 August, thousands of protesters in Urmia clashed with riot police, resulting in 300 arrests, according to HRW. Police shot tear gas at protesters and beat them with batons. At another environmental rally in early September, security forces resorted yet again to violence and arrested 60 people.
As the lake recedes, its salt content is gradually dispersed into the local environment, causing increased soil salinity in surrounding farmland. Experts estimate that if the lake dries up completely, the surrounding cities will be covered by layers of salt, eventually displacing up to 1.3 million people. The lake also plays an important role regulating regional weather systems, and its disappearance will lead to damaging shifts to seasonal weather patterns.
Thousands of Azerbaijanian Turkish in the cities of Tabriz and Urmia depend on the lake for their livelihoods, especially for ecotourism, irrigation and salt production. The shrinking of the lake has already affected tourism and regional investment has dropped significantly. Proposals made by the Iranian government to save the lake have been dismissed by activists and experts as short-term measures. For example, rather than launching a cloud-seeding programme to increase rainfall and supply the lake with remote sources of water as the government proposes, activists argue that releasing the water held behind dams would be far more effective in the long run. But for years, the Iranian government has chosen to ignore the problem and shirk responsibility, instead blaming global warming.
source

Causeway Separating Lake Urmia into Two Halves, Iran

The northern half of Lake Urmia, in Iran, appears greenish, while the southern half is rusty red in color. The lake is divided into northern and southern parts separated by a causeway, in which a 1500m gap provides little exchange of water between the two parts. The causeway is visible in this image, near the center of the lake. Due to drought and increased demands for agricultural water in the lake’s basin, the salinity of the lake has risen to more than 300 g/L during recent years, and large areas of the lake bed have been desiccated. These dessicated areas appear as white salt flats.
Source of picture 
Lake Urmia (farsi: دریاچه ارومیه‎, Daryache-ye Orumiye, Turkish:is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran's border with Turkey. The lake is between the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea. It is the largest lake in the Middle East, and the third largest salt water lake on earth, with a surface area of approximately 5,200 km² (2,000 mile²), 140 km (87 mi) length, 55 km (34 mi) width, and 16 m (52 ft) depth. Lake Urmia is protected as a "National Park" by the Iranian Department of Environment.

Urmiye Gölü Faciası …

URMU GÖLÜ FACİASI IŞIĞINDA SÖMÜRGECİLİĞİNİN BÖLGEMİZDE YANSIMALARINA KISA BİR BAKIŞ…
Kendisini gelişmiş toplumlar olarak adlandıran, medeniyetlerini evrensel hukuk çerçevesinde ortaya koydukları ilan eden Devletler, Roma İmparatorluğundan bu yana üzerinde yaşadığımız coğrafya ile ilgili tasarruflarda bulunmayı hep kendilerine birinci görev kabul etmişler ve bu uğurda yüzyıllarca mücadele ederek milyonlarca insanın kanının dökülmesine sebep olmuşlardır.
Sanayi devrimi sömürü düzeni içerisinde bir milat olmuş, ortaya çıkan enerji talebini karşılamak için Batı daha da hırçınlaşarak insanlığı ayaklar altına alacak uygulamalara imza atmıştır.
Roma İmparatorluğunda sömürünün en büyük aracı “ insan ticareti “ iken bugüne geldiğimizde , Batılı güçlerin sömürmek için yola çıktıkları en önemli meta, “ petrol “ olmuştur.
Petrolün hikayesi Sümerlere kadar uzanmaktadır. Petrol bugün yeryüzünde gelişmiş ülkelerin enerji gereksinimlerinin başlıca çözüm kaynağıdır.
Son 200 yıldır Dünya Sistemi içerisindeki hemen hemen tüm kavgaların sebebi olan “ Petrol “  ün yeryüzündeki bilinen en büyük yataklarının yer aldığı Ortadoğu Bölgesinde yer alan Dünyanın 3. büyük kanıtlanmış petrol yataklarına sahip olan İran , kendi sistemi içerisinde bu varlığını korumak için devamlı bir şekilde komşu ülkelere rejimini aşılamaya çalışmaktadır.
İran hakkında böyle kısa bir girişle, İran İslam Devriminin, İran topraklarında yaşayan Azerbaycan Türk’lerinin yaşadığı alanların coğrafi koşullarını kullanarak İran İslam devriminin sürekliliğini sağlamak ve rejimin kendisine tehdit olarak algıladığı Türk unsurunu parantez içerisinde “adam etme “ “ yola getirme “ politikasının en belirgin örneklerinden biri olan Urmu Gölü Havzasında uyguladığı su politikasının ne olduğu , sonuçları ve komşu ülkelerdeki yansımalarını ele alacağız.
Öncelikle Urmu gölü hakkında genel bir bilgilendirme yapalım.
Urmiye Gölü (Farsça: دریاچه ارومیه), İran‘ın kuzeybatısında, Batı Azerbaycan Eyaleti ile Doğu Azerbaycan Eyaleti arasında bulunan tuz gölü.
37°00′ to 38°12′N; kuzey paralelleri ve 44°40′ to 45°50′E doğu boylamları arasında yer almaktadır.
İran’ın en büyük gölüdür ki aynı zamanda Dünya’nın en büyük ikinci tuz gölüdür. Göl 5,200 km² yüzölçümüne sahip olup en derin yeri yaklaşık 16 metredir. Tebriz şehri gölün kıyısındaki en büyük yerleşim yeri iken Urmiye şehri İran’ ın 10. Büyük şehridir.
51.876 Km2 lik alanda topladığı su ile İran’ ın toplam yüzey suyunun % 7 ‘ sine sahiptir.
Deniz seviyesinden 1274 metre ortalama yüksekliğe sahip Urmu gölü kapalı havza özelliği teşkil eden bir göldür.
İran Yönetiminin yanlış su politikaları sonucu Urmu Gölü kuruma ile karşı karşıya kalmış , bölgede yaşayan halk bu politikaları ne zaman protesto etse güvenlik kuvvetleri halka karşı çok sert tepkiler göstermiş bunun sonucunda bölgede 1940’lardan bu yana kültürel hakları için mücadele eden  Güney Azerbaycan Davası savunucuları çalışmalarını uluslar arası boyuta taşıyarak gerçeklerin Dünya gündeminde yer alması için mücadelelerini hızlandırmışlardır.
Güney Azerbaycan Davasının önündeki en büyük engel aslında zihinlerimizde oluşturulan “ Güney Azerbaycan Davası Abd ve onunla bölgede işbirliği yapan yerel unsurların bu davayı desteklediği ve İran’ ın bölünmesi için İran’ ın içişlerine müdahale ederek , İran Yönetimine muhalif grupların kışkırtılması “ düşüncesidir.
Birçok zaman Güney Azerbaycan Davasının savunucuları bu fikrin yanlış olduğunu, Davalarının, İran’ da yaşayan Türk’lerin haklarının teslim edilmesi olduğunu defalarca birinci ağızdan ve toplumsal olaylarda Türk Topluluklarının sloganlaştırarak dile getirmesi ile yalanmış ve “ bu davanın İran Türk’ ünün namusu “ olduğunun altı çizilmiştir.
Bizlerde İran Türk’leri gibi düşünmekteyiz.
Geçmişten günümüze küresel güçler hiçbir zaman hiçbir yerde Türk’lere destek vermemişlerdir. Küresel Güçlerin Güney Azerbaycan Davasına destek verdiği söylemi derinlemesine düşünüldüğünde ne kadar saçma bir söylem olduğu ortaya çıkmaktadır. Küresel Güçler “ Türk’ün kendi millet bilincine ulaşmasını sağlayacak hiçbir olaya ve davaya geçmişte destek vermediler ve gelecekte de destek vermeyeceklerdir. “  Küresel Güçlerin sömürü düzeninin en büyük düşmanı sosyolojik olarak Ben’lik algısı üst düzey olan, Ruhlarında Bağımsızlık düşüncesi en üst seviyede belirgin olan Türk’lere destek vermesi Dünya siyasi hayatının geçmişi ile düşünce olarak zıtlık göstermektedir. Geçmiş zamanlarda Türk’ler sömürünün önündeki en büyük “engel Irk “ olarak bölgede sömürenlerin karşısında ağırlığını hissettirmiştir. Bunun en belirgin örneği Türkiye Türk’lerinin Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk önderliğinde 20. Yy. başında emperyalistlere karşı başarılı bir  Bağımsızlık Mücadelesi vermesi gösterebilir.
Güney Azerbaycan ‘da yaşanan Urmu Gölü Faciasının incelenmesi, bu facianın Sosyal , ekonomik, siyasal ve kültürel yansımalarının ortaya koyduğu gerçekler ışığında İran Türk’lerin içinde bulunduğu duruma ışık tutmaya çalışacağız.
Türkiye Türkçe’sindeki adı Urmiye olan Urmu gölü İran Yönetimi için neden bu kadar önem arz etmektedir ?
Bu sorunun en belirgin cevabı , Gölün çevresindeki nüfus yapısında yatmaktadır.
Gölün çevresinde yaşayan insanlar Azerbaycan Türk’üdür.
Urmiye Gölü’nün kıyısında kurulmuş olan Urmiye şehri, İran’da Tebriz’den sonra Azerbaycan Türklerinin en yoğun olarak yaşadığı şehir olmanın yanında İran’ın 10. büyük şehridir. Urmiye şehrinde ve çevresinde yaşayan nüfusun yüzde 90’ı Türk’tür.
Gölün kuruması ile etkilenecek insan sayısı yaklaşık 14 Milyondur. İran parlamentosu Urmu Gölünün kurumasının önüne geçmek için ortaya koyulan çalışmalara geçit vermemektedir. Göle su aktarılması için yapılan çalışmalara izin vermeyerek aslında gölün kurumasını istediğini ironik olarak ifade etmektedirler.
İran yönetimi gölün kurumaması için projeler geliştirmiş bunları onaylamış fakat bir türlü hayata geçirmemiştir. Bu projeleri hayata geçirmediği gibi Urmu gölünü besleyen ana damar görevi gören akarsuların üzerine 36 adet baraj, su bentleri inşa etmiş ve planlaması yapılan benzer yapıların projeleri devam etmektedir.
İran Yönetimi, Uluslar arası onaylanmış anlaşmaları hiçe sayarak kendi ideolojik çıkarları için coğrafi koşulları değiştirerek insanlar üzerinde etkili asimilasyon politikası uygulamayı kendisine model olarak seçmiştir.
Urmu gölü kuruduğu zaman havzasında oluşacak ekolojik faciadan sadece gölün çevresindeki insanlar etkilenmeyecek yakın komşu ülkelerde, ki Türkiye bunların içerisinde, tarım havzaları da etkilenecektir.

Geçmiş Yıllardan bugüne Urmu Gölü Su Seviyesi ( Şekil 1 ) 
Urmu gölü bugün itibari eldeki verilere göre 1976 yılından bu güne kadar yüzde 60 oranında küçülmüştür yani büyük bir kuruma söz konusudur. Bu ekolojik bir facianın yanı sıra sosyo ekonomik açından bölge ve yakın komşuları için bu felaket demektir. Nedeni ise kurumanın sonucunda oluşan tuz çölündeki tuz kristalleri rüzgar vasıtası ile tarım arazilerine meralara taşınacak ve bitki türleri değişecektir. Tarım ve Tarıma bağlı sektörlerde çalışan İnsanlar göç etmek zorunda kalacaklardır. Aslında İran rejiminin de istediği budur. İnsanlar doğal yollardan göç etsinler , çünkü Farisilere göre bu insanlar ( Türkler ) Soydaşlarına yakın oturduğu müddetçe Rejimin sürekliliği devamlı bir şekilde tehdit altındadır.
İran’ın Zanjan Üniversitesi’nden Muhsin Ahadnejad Reveshty ve Japonya’nın Chiba Üniversitesi’nden Yoshihisa Maruyama’nın ortaklaşa yaptıkları araştırmada 1976-2008 yılları arasında Urmiye Gölü’nde meydana gelen seviye değişikliklerini incelediklerinde yakın bir gelecekte ürkütücü bir durumla karşı karşıya kalınacağını bilimsel verilerle ortaya koymuşlardır. Uzaktan algılama metodlarıyla uydu verilerinin incelenmesi sonucunda 1999-2009 yılları arasında Urmiye Gölü’nün alanı 5277 km2 azalmış, su seviyesinde 5 metreye varan seviye düşmesi yaşanmıştır. Bu eğilim devam ederse 2019 yılında göl alanı yaklaşık 2000 km2 azaltılmış olacaktır.
2011 yılında elde edilen görüntülerde de, Urmiye Gölü’nün 1/3 oranında daraldığı görülmektedir.
Güney Azerbaycan Millî Hareketi’ni, Güney Azerbaycan’da yaşanan sosyal, kültürel, ekonomik, siyasal ve çevresel süreç doğurmuştur.
Urmiye Gölü ve çevresinde yaşananlar, Güney Azerbaycan Millî Hareketi’nin doğal yaşam konusunda da hassaslaşmasına yol açmıştır.
İran dışında, şimdiye kadar, Almanya’nın Yeşiller Partisi, İran hükümeti tarafından yanlış politikalar ve kötü yönetim sonucu gölün kuruması ile ilgili olarak barışçıl çevre gösterisi yapan insanlara kötü davranışı kınayan bir bildiri yayınladı.
Urmiye Gölünün kurutulması çalışmaların karşısında olmak her Dünya Vatandaşı için bir görev iken Türk Milliyetçileri için ise bu bir zorunluluktur.
Dünyanın hangi coğrafyasında yaşarsa yaşasın bir tek Türk’ ün sorunu Dünya üzerinde yaşayan Bütün Türk’lerin Sorunu olmadıkça Turan’ a erişmek ve yolunda yürümek sadece hayaldir.
Saygılarımla
Gültekin PARLAK.
Kaynakça        :
http://petrol.nedir.com/
http://www.energyworld.com.tr/root.vol?title=dunya-petadrol-readzeradvi-toplam-13-triladyon-vaadril&exec=page&nid=336260
http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/data_graphs/330.htm
http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/163.htm
http://irananaliz.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/irandan-sii-partilere-talimat-maliki-yerinde-kalacak/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/08/battle-save-iran-lake-orumieh
http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=IRA+07&mode=all
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Urmia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urmia
http://www.mehrnews.com/fa/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=1234990
http://lake-urmia.blogspot.com/2012/03/urmiye-golu-kurursa-turklugun-ak.html
http://urmiana.com/Urmianae1.pdf
İlk yayın : http://xn--trkiyegndemi-dlbg.com/yazar/urmu-golu-faciasi-ozelinde-somurgeciliginin-bolgemizde-yansimalarina-kisa-bir-bakis-117.html

Lakes Urmia and Sevan, Iran and Armenia – March 10th, 2012

The bright green lake in the lower part of this image is Lake Urmia, in Iran. The edges of the lake appear white as they are framed by salt flats. The southern part of the lake is shallower and thus appears lighter in color and shows more salt flats.
In the upper part of the image, on the contrary, is Lake Sevan, the largest lake in Armenia and the Caucasus region. It is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world. The lake appears dark blue in color, as it is significantly deeper than its southern neighbor. Lake Sevan is situated in the central part of the Republic of Armenia, inside the Gegharkunik Province, at the altitude of 1,900m above sea level. The total surface area of its basin is about 5,000 km2, the lake itself is 940 km2, and the volume is 34.0 bln cubic meters.

Lake Urmia (farsi: دریاچه ارومیه‎, Daryâcheh-ye Orumiyeh (or Oroumieh), Azerbaijani turkish: اورمو گؤلو, Urmu Gölü, Urmiye Gölü is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran's border with Turkey. The lake is between the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea. It is the largest lake in the Middle East, and the third largest salt water lake on earth, with a surface area of approximately 5,200 km² (2,000 mile²), 140 km (87 mi) length, 55 km (34 mi) width, and 16 m (52 ft) depth. Lake Urmia is protected as a "National Park" by the Iranian Department of Environment.
Islands
Lake Urmia has 102 islands. The second largest island, Shahi Island, is the burial place of Hulagu Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan and the sacker of Baghdad.
Source of picture

Salt Flats Surrounding Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran’s border with Turkey. The lake is between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea. It is the largest lake in the Middle East, and the third largest salt water lake on earth, with a surface area of approximately 5,200 km² (2,000 mile²), 140 km (87 mi) length, 55 km (34 mi) width, and 16 m (52 ft) depth.
The lake Urmia is divided into north and south parts separated by a causeway in which a 1500m gap provides little exchange of water between the two parts. Due to drought and increased demands for agricultural water in the lake’s basin, the salinity of the lake has risen to more than 300 g/L during recent years, and large areas of the lake bed have been desiccated. Here, salt flats ring the lake’s shores, particularly on the southern end.
Source

The Drying of Lake Urmia and its Environmental Consequences

The drying of Iran's Lake Urmia and its environmental consequences
Why is this important?
Lake Urmia in the northwestern corner of Iran(West Azerbaijan) is one of the largest permanent hypersaline lakes in the world and the largest lake in the Middle East (1,2,3). It extends as much as 140 km from north to south and is as wide as 85 km east to west during high water periods (4). The lake was declared a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention in 1971 and designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1976 (5,6). The lake itself is home to a unique brine shrimp species, Artemia Urmiana, and along with the surrounding wetlands and upland habitat, it supports many species of reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Lake Urmia provides very important seasonal habitat for many species of migrating birds. Around 200 species of birds have been documented on and surrounding the lake including pelicans, egrets, ducks, and flamingos (7). The watershed of the lake is an important agricultural region with a population of around 6.4 million people; an estimated 76 million people live within a radius of 500 km (8)
The lake’s surface area has been estimated to have been as large as 6 100 km2 but since 1995 it has generally been declining (9) and was estimated from satellite data to be only 2 366 km2 in August of 2011 (Landsat data). The decline is generally blamed on a combination of drought, increased water diversion for irrigated agriculture within the lake’s watershed and mismanagement (2,9,10,1). In addition, a causeway has been built across the lake with only a 1 500 m gap for water to move between the northern and southern halves of the lake (9). It has been suggested that this has decreased circulation within the lake and altered the pattern of water chemistry; however evidence suggests that the impact of the causeway on the uniformity of water chemistry in the lake has been minimal (11,9,10,12). The unfolding ecological disaster threatens to leave much of the lake bed a salt-covered wasteland. Scientists have warned that continued decline would lead to increased salinity, collapse of the lake’s food chain and ecosystem, loss of wetland habitat, wind blown “saltstorms,” alteration of local climate and serious negative impacts on local agriculture and livelihoods as well as regional health (10,9,1,13).
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in the cities of Tabriz and Urmia in late August and early September 2011 saying that authorities have done too little to save the lake (14,15,16). Those around the lake fear a fate similar to that of the population surrounding the nearby Aral Sea, which has dried up over the past several decades. Disappearance of the Aral Sea has been an environmental disaster affecting people throughout the region with windblown salt-storms. The population surrounding Lake Urmia is much denser putting more people at risk of impact.
A Unique Lake
Lake Urmia is an endorheic or terminal lake meaning that water leaves the lake only by evaporation. As is generally the case, this leads to a saltwater body and in the case of Lake Urmia, salinity is quite high. The lake has dramatically decreased in volume over the past decade-and-a-half, further concentrating salts in the lake, raising salinity to more than 300 g/L (9) or 8 times as salty as typical seawater. Aquatic biodiversity is limited by the lake's salinity and Lake Urmia does not support any fish or mollusk species and no plants other than phytoplankton within the lake (17,18,19,12). Wetlands surrounding the lake support a variety of salt tolerant plant species (19). There is significant phytoplankton growth, with reports of some dense algae blooms occurring during years with low salinity (9). The most significant aquatic biota in the lake is a brine shrimp species, Artemia Urmiana. This macro-zooplankton species is the key link in the lake's food chain, consuming algae and in turn being consumed by several bird species including the Lake's migratory flamingo population (19). The diverse bird population of Lake Urmia and its associated wetlands was documented in a series of surveys in the 1970s which recorded an impressive list of species (7).
A Rapid Decline

Satellite altimeter data measured the lake's level in 1995 to be at its highest level of any time in the past 40 years (Figure 1) (21,4). This is in agreement with Hassanzadeh and others (2011) who state a measured water level of roughly 1 278 m above sea level for the same time. Both measures show a steady decline from that year forward with the most recent satellite altimeter data indicating a drop of approximately 7 metres between 1995 and 2011 (21). 
Because the lake is relatively shallow, this decline in water level translates to an equally dramatic decline in surface area (Figures 2 & 3). Satellite imagery extending back to the early 1960s shows the lake's area to have been somewhat smaller in 1963, growing to almost 6 000 km² in 1969, and then remaining generally stable from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s. Since peaking in the mid-1990s, surface area has generally declined quite rapidly despite regular seasonal variation and a brief expansion during a wet period in the early 2000s.
Variability of the lake prior to the early 1960s does not appear to have been widely studied, however, a generalized plot of lake levels dating back to the early 1900s shows only one brief period in 1937 where the lake declined to below 1 273 m above sea level, and then for less than one year (Figure 1) (10). The recent decline reached 1 273 m above sea level in 2008 and, based on satellite images of surface area, the trend has continued through seasonal ups and downs to where current water levels appear to be approaching 1.5 metres lower than at any time in over 100 years (21,22). 

Causes of the Decline
Because Lake Urmia is a terminal lake with no significant water outflow the only way water leaves the lake is by evaporation. Therefore, if the lake Declines it is either by increased evaporation or a decrease in water coming into the system. The Zarrineh Rood River is the largest of the thirteen main rivers discharging into Lake Urmia which are the source of the majority of the Lake’s water budget (18,9). Additional input comes from rainfall directly over the lake, floodwater from the immediate watershed and a very small fraction from groundwater flow (9,18).

A study modeling the relative influence of various factors on the decline of Lake Urmia found that 65 per cent of the decline was from changes in inflow caused by climate change and diversion of surface water for upstream use, with the remaining balance due to construction of dams (25%) and decreased precipitation over the lake itself (10%) (2). Several other studies also suggest that this diversion of water has been the one of the most, if not the most, significant cause of Lake Urmia’s decline with other contributing causes being reduced precipitation, warmer temperatures and groundwater abstraction (9,23,13,24). 
The average annual rainfall within the basin from 1967 to 2006 was 235 mm, with variation between about 440 mm in 1968 to less than 150 mm in 2000 (2). Annual rainfall was 40 mm less on average in the basin for the last decade of that period (1997-2006) than it had been for the first 30 years (1967-1996) (2). The arid to semi-arid climate of the basin means that agriculture is largely dependent on irrigation. The decrease in precipitation along with declining groundwater levels in this area (25,1) and a growing population of 6.5 million people within the watershed (8) will likely exert increasing pressure to continue diverting streamflow within the basin before it reaches Lake Urmia.
Serious Impacts

Reduced water volume in the lake has already concentrated the existing salts to 300 g/L or higher in many locations. Sodium chloride concentrations much over 320 g/L are believed to be fatal to the lake's brine shrimp. Optimal conditions for Artemia Urmiana appear to be at salt concentrations well under 200 g/L and as salinity rises much above this level, there is a measured negative impact on growth rate, reproduction and mortality (27,19,26). Based on in situ observations of the brine shrimp populations under varying salinities in Lake Urmia, it has been suggested that a concentration of 240 g/L or less would be required to sustain a viable population (19). 
The lake’s brine shrimp are the sole link between the primary production of the lake’s algae and the diverse migratory bird population which feeds on these shrimp (19,1,27). Because the brine shrimp occupy this crucial link in the ecosystem their demise would translate into the likely loss of many of Lake Urmia’s migratory bird populations and affect the entire ecosystem’s sustainability (19,10). Any current or future tourist trade focused on these bird populations would likely also decline dramatically.
As lake levels decline, the exposed lakebed is left with a covering of salts, primarily sodium chloride, making a great salty desert on much of the 400 km2 of lost surface area (Figure 5) (10). These salt flats will not support agriculture and inhibit growth of most natural vegetation. The salts are also susceptible to blowing and will likely create “salt-storms” like the ones that have resulted from the drying of the Aral Sea, located 1 200 km to the northeast of Lake Urmia (10). Blowing salts from the Aral Sea have been linked to vegetation-mortality in some cases or, more frequently, reduced vegetation growth, reduced crop yields, ill effects on wild and domestic animals, respiratory illness, eye problems, and throat and esophageal cancer (28). Based on the experience of the Aral Sea salt storms, it is likely that many of the tens of millions of people who live within a few hundred kilometres of the lake will be close enough to experience the impact of these salt storms (28).
Increasing water demand and decreasing water supply
Agriculture surrounding the lake relies on irrigation with groundwater and surface water supplies, which are also being pressured by increasing demand for domestic supply (2). There is considerable evidence that groundwater resources are already being exploited at rates faster than aquifer recharge in the area of the Lake Urmia watershed (25,1). Surface water flows are being diverted for use at rates which do not allow adequate inflow to Lake Urmia to maintain the lake’s current level (2,9,23,13). Water use within the Lake Urmia basin at current rates is unsustainable without loss of the lake, and the consequent environmental damage as well as damage to the surrounding population and agriculture. In very simple terms, Lake Urmia needs more water coming in – either from inside or from outside the basin - to avoid an environmental tragedy.
Possible Actions

  
















The two principal approaches to the problem are to adjust water allocation within the basin to allow an adequate environmental flow for sustaining Lake Urmia and/or to import water from outside the basin which would increase water levels and dilute salinity within the lake. 
Reducing the amount of water diverted for agriculture, domestic and industrial use, or at least curtailing the growth in these water uses, may help stop or slow the decline of Lake Urmia (2). Abbaspour and Nazaridoust (2007) have produced an estimate of inflow required to maintain the lake. They estimate that an annual volume of 3085 million cubic metres would be the ecological water requirement of Lake Urmia which would “keep the ecological functions of the lake sustainable” and allow the survival of a viable Artemia Urmiana population. Another study estimates the needed maintenance volume to be in the same range, at between 2,600 and 4,200 million cubic metres per year, but also points out that larger inflow would be required to accelerate the recovery during an initial period of several years (10). The problem with this solution is the heavy reliance of the region’s agriculture on surface flow for irrigation water. Some water could be saved through increased efficiencies and improved management (2). However, with a growing population, continuing dam and irrigation development and especially if recent trends in rainfall and temperature continue, this will likely prove to be unpopular, impractical and - on its own – an inadequate solution (10,2).
The other widely suggested solution is to divert water from elsewhere to make up for the lost water volume no longer reaching the lake. A few possible sources have been put forward including the Zab River (9), the Aras River and the Caspian Sea. Inter-basin transfer of water may be the solution which holds the most promise of rescuing Lake Urmia, due to the large volume of water that would be needed. In the case of the Caspian Sea however, the distance of the proposed transfer route is around 300 km and the cost has been estimated at around US$ 4 to 5.5 billion (10). In addition, the timeframe for completing such a project has been estimated to be around 5 years and even the most aggressive rates of transfer would take an additional year to restore lake level to what it was in 2003 (10). Finally, transfer from the Caspian Sea would require negotiated agreements with the other countries which border the sea. So far talks have been unsuccessful in reaching an accord (29). While transfers from other river basins in the region could be less time consuming and expensive the total volume of water available would be limited, and by some accounts would be inadequate (10). The relatively smaller potential volume would also mean a greater possibility that transfers could impact the source basins negatively. The Zab River Basin is located in Turkey and Iraq and would require cooperation of those two countries. The Aras River Basin is split roughly in half between Iran and Azerbaijan. News reports suggest that talks have been initiated between the two countries regarding the use of Aras water for transfer to Lake Urmia (30).
Another strategy for bringing additional water into the basin is cloud seeding – attempting to increase precipitation by dispersing substances into clouds (Golabian 2011). Some projects are “under study and operation” (2), however cloud seeding in general is controversial and its impact limited (31,32) making this a partial and uncertain solution at best.
Main findings and implications
Lake Urmia’s water level has rapidly declined since the mid-1990s after having remained relatively stable over the 30 prior years. Construction of dams and diversion of surface water for agriculture, along with reduced precipitation and warmer temperatures over the basin, and to a lesser extent reduced inflow of groundwater are generally accepted as the causes (9,2,13). Reduced water volume concentrates the salts in the lake making it too saline for the brine shrimp which – being near the bottom of the simple food chain - support the very diverse bird population for which the lake provides important habitat. The surrounding brackish wetlands with a productive and diverse plant population will also dry up under current trends and conditions. As the lake retreats from its original shoreline it leaves a layer of salt – primarily sodium chloride – which leaves the land unusable for agriculture and threatens to unleash damaging storms of wind-blown salt on the surrounding area. The lake’s increasing salinity has reached near saturation at over 300 g/L and threatens to decimate the lake’s brine shrimp population which is a key link in the ecology of the lake and surrounding wetlands. While effective integrated water management is called for by many, there are no easy answers. Water conservation within the basin might provide some relief. However, finding the volume of water needed to restore the lake, without going outside the watershed, would probably require allocating water away from important areas of irrigated agriculture. Water transfer from the Caspian Sea would be very expensive and time consuming and may come too late to avert damage to the ecosystem by the historically low water levels and high salinity that are already occurring. Diverting water from neighboring watersheds would be less costly and time consuming but also has some serious challenges. A comprehensive integrated water management plan would take all elements of the basin’s water budget into account, balancing demands for irrigation, ecosystem preservation, social and human impact and water quality as well as operating within the national and regional political realities.
Prepared at UNEP-GRID Sioux Falls by Bruce Pengra with the invaluable input of Vahid Garousi PhD, PEng.- University of Calgary, Aref Seyyed Najafi, PhD-University of Calgary and Azar Samadi-Energy Consultant, Calgary Canada
References:
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at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/05/iran-greens-lake-orumieh-shrinks
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31. Morrison, A., Siems, S., Manton, M., Nazarov, A. (2009). On the Analysis of a Cloud Seeding Dataset over Tasmania. Journal of Applied
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32. Levin, Z., Halfon, N., Alpert, P. (2010). Reassessment of rain enhancement experiments and operations in Israel including synoptic considerations. Atmospheric Research, 97(4), 513-525. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2010.06.011.
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