TEHRAN – Recent heavy rainfall, along with restoration projects, has increased water flow into many wetlands, including Shimbar, Zarivar, Helleh, and Hour al-Azim, bringing them back to life.

Thanks to a 3.7 percent increase in average rainfall, the water inflow to wetlands across the country has improved compared to last year, IRIB quoted Arezou Ashrafizadeh, an official with DOE, as saying.

In Gilan province, Bojaq wetland is in good standing. Anzali wetland is in fair condition after the removal of invasive water hyacinths. However, Gorgan Bay, and Miankaleh wetland require additional measures to be restored. Sadly, in Golestan province, Alagol wetland is not in a favorable condition due to low rainfall, the official noted.

About 70 percent of Quri Gol wetland, the only fresh wetland, in East Azarbaijan, is filled with water. Compared to the same period last year, the water level of the wetland has increased by 27 cm, reaching 1912.43 meters now.

Presently, some 116 hectares of the wetland are filled with water. It has about 700 million cubic meters (mcm) of water, which is lower than the 3.8 mcm amount designated for the wetland.

Quri Gol wetland hosts over 92 bird species, which are all migratory birds, except redhead coots, 14 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians, and one species of fish, as well as 280 plant species.

In Fars province, 80, 30, and 10-15 percent of Maharloo, Arjan, and Bakhtegan wetlands are filled with water.

With an area of 600 sq. Km, Maharloo Lake in southern Fars Province is a perfect stopover for migratory birds, including flamingos. In mid-summer, the lake loses its water due to high evaporation, leaving behind a white bed and pinkish-colored water.  

The Arjan restoration project is in the beginning phase; it covers 2000 hectares. The water of the wetland depends on the amount of rainfall.  The wetland is one of the main habitats for migratory birds like cranes, flamingos, wild ducks, and geese.
 
Bakhtegan is a Salt Lake with a surface area of 3,500 square kilometers, once Iran’s second-largest lake. Several dams on the river had significantly reduced water flow into the lake, increasing its salinity and endangering the lake’s populations of flamingos and other migratory birds.

In Khuzestan province, Hour al-Azim and Shadegan wetlands are in optimal shape. Until last year, Hour Al-Azim wetland, located on the border of Iran and Iraq, was grappling with water scarcity.

Bamdej wetland is being revived. The project to restore the wetland kicked off about two years ago with the help of the private sector, investing 1.3 trillion rials (around 8 million dollars), with 2 trillion rials (about 12 million dollars) more which is needed to complete the project.

Intense rainfalls have led Shimbar, Zarivar, and Helleh wetlands to be filled to 100 percent, and overflow.

Located at the foot of the Zagros mountains, Zarivar is a freshwater wetland designated as a Ramsar Site.

Marreh wetland in Qom province is in a favorable condition. Known as the “Desert Gem”, the wetland stands as one of the five significant wetlands in Qom province, becoming a sanctuary for various bird species.

Sprawled about 40 kilometers north of the city of Qom and adjacent to the Qom – Tehran highway, Hoz-e-Sultan wetland, a salt lake, is struggling with water scarcity.

Miqan wetland, in Markazi province, has also revived after years of drought.

The wetland’s 12,000-hectare water body has been restored following years of drought, thanks to favorable rainfall.

The last time more than 100 million cubic meters of water entered the wetland was in 2019, when the entire basin became submerged, Press TV reported.

Miqan Wetland hosts around 12,000 migratory birds annually, including species arriving from Siberia. More than 16 percent of Iran’s bird species and 60 percent of the bird species recorded in Markazi province inhabit the wetland.

Spanning over 927 hectares, Kani Barazan wetland, which is one of the most important satellite wetlands south of Lake Urmia, has also recovered.

Officials say approximately five million cubic meters of water have entered the internationally recognized wetland, potentially paving the way for ecosystem recovery in the area.

According to the head of the DOE, Shina Ansari, the increase in precipitation has increased hope to secure water rights for wetlands, but it does not obviate the need for water management.

Without sustainable management of water resources and consumption patterns, the temporary rise in water supply cannot prevent environmental crises, IRNA quoted Ansari as saying.

To handle climate change impacts, mid-term and long-term plans to reduce water consumption in agriculture and industry sectors, as well as manage water consumption, water recycling, and wastewater treatment systems, should be put on the agenda, she added.

MT/MG