Iran to face serious problems if Urmia Lake not revived
If the dying Urmia Lake is not revived, parts of Iran will face serious problems, Iranian first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri said.
Urmia Lake problem is an example of irregular use of underground water resource, he said, urging people to economize on the consumption of water and management of water resources, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported on May 20.
Jahangiri said Iran's government pursues the policy to reorganize and manage water wells which are used for agricultural purposes, modernize irrigation systems, and dredge rivers, to help revive the lake.
Lake Urmia, located in northwest of Iran, measures about 6,000 square kilometers. The lake has already lost 90 percent of its water. The water level in Lake Urmia started decreasing in 1995.
Issa Kalantari, the secretary of the Urmia Lake Restoration Committee says over 1.6 quadrillion rials ($57.14 billion based on official rate of 28,000 rials per each USD) is needed for reviving the lake.
If the needed funds are allocated, the lake could be restored by
2023, Kalantari said.
However some Iranian experts believe that the measures which maybe
efficient in reviving the lake such as prohibiting unauthorized use
of surface and groundwater, limiting groundwater use by local
farmers and transferring water from other catchments including Araz
River are impractical and will lead to serious social tensions.
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