Lake Urmia shrinks by over 1,500 km2

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia’s surface area has decreased by 1,546 square kilometers compared to the same date last year, Yaser Rahbardin, CEO of West Azarbaijan Province’s Regional Water Company, has stated.

Lake Urmia restoration prescribed for Bakhtegan Wetland

TEHRAN – A restoration plan and model of sustainable agriculture previously implemented on the catchment area of Lake Urmia will be extended to Bakhtegan Wetland in Fars province.

Artemia: a multi-million dollar source of income in Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Artemia of Lake Urmia is of great commercial value and if exported, it will be a multi-million-dollar source of income for the country, Salman Zaker, a member of the Majlis (Iranian parliament) has said.

Some $3.5b spent on Lake Urmia revitalization

TEHRAN – A total of 150 trillion rials (nearly $3.5 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been earmarked to the restoration of Lake Urmia over the past seven years, chief of the Department of Environment, Issa Kalantari, has said.

Lake Urmia level declines by 30cm in Q1

TEHRAN – The water level of Lake Urmia has decreased by 30 centimeters in the first three months of the current [Iranian calendar] year (March 21-June 21) compared to the same period last year.

High salinity of Lake Urmia reduces flamingo population

TEHRAN – The population of flamingos in Lake Urmia National Park has decreased by 30 to 35 percent due to the lack of proper living conditions, mainly as a result of the lake’s high salinity, Omid Yousefi, head of the wildlife surveillance of West Azarbaijan’s department of environment, stated.

Lake Urmia revival is gratifying: Japanese envoy

TEHRAN – Good measures have been taken to rehabilitate Lake Urmia and it is gratifying to see that the water body is being revived, Japanese Ambassador to Iran Ikawa Kazutoshi said.

Water transfer project to Lake Urmia complete by 97%

TEHRAN – The project to transfer water from the Kanisib Dam to Lake Urmia is completed by 97 percent, aiming to flow about 600 million cubic meters of water into the lake annually, IRNA reported on Monday.

Lake Urmia revival eradicates 450,000 ha of SDS hotspots

TEHRAN – The restoration of Lake Urmia has eradicated 450,000 hectares of sand and dust storm (SDS) hotspots, according to the latest studies.

Ancient crafts: a glance at 'Nazok-Kari' in Urmia

TEHRAN - Nazok Kari, or craft of making very delicate objects, both applicable and artistic, from wood, is one of the Persian crafts which is practiced in Urmia for centuries.

Lake Urmia’s surface increased by over 1500 km²

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia’s surface area has reached up to 2,917 square kilometers, indicating 1,582 square kilometers increase in comparison to 2013 when the Lake Urmia Restoration Program began.

Lake Urmia restoration should be documented as a successful plan: VP

TEHRAN – The implementation process of Lake Urmia restoration program should be documented accurately and presented as a successful example of large-scale projects, First Vice-President Is’haq Jahangiri has said.

Lake Urmia one step closer to revitalization

TEHRAN – A dam for transferring water to Lake Urmia will be inaugurated on Thursday, aiming to flow about 600 million cubic meters of water into the lake annually, another step to implement the lake’s restoration plan which started six years ago.

Lake Urmia’s surface area doubled in 6 years

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia’s surface area, has reached 2,785 square kilometers, indicating more than 100 percent rise compared to the lowest volume recorded in the Iranian calendar year 1393 (March 2014-March 2015).

Urmia University’s campus to be turned into garden museum

TEHRAN – The Urmia University plans to turn its historical campus into a garden museum, president of the northwestern Iranian university has said.

Survey reveals prehistorical links between Iran, Anatolia, Caucasus, and Mesopotamia

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists have found what they say is an early cultural exchange between a northwestern Iranian site, Anatolia, Caucasus, and Mesopotamia during the Copper, New Stone ages.

Lake Urmia revitalization budget rises by $76m

TEHRAN – A total of 3.2 trillion rials (nearly $76 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) was allocated to continue the Lake Urmia Restoration Program in the current Iranian calendar year (ending March 20, 2021).

Prehistoric city offers clues on ancient settlement in northwest Iran

By Faranak Bakhtiari

Ashk Island, a haven for Persian fallow deer

TEHRAN – The Ashk Island of Lake Urmia, which is considered one of the most important habitats of rare Persian fallow deer, has become a safe place to protect the species from extinction due to the difficult access of illegal poachers.

IIDCYA publishes “Bride of the Sea” on Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – A selection of short stories written by 14 Iranian authors about Lake Urmia has been published in a collection named “The Bride of the Sea”.

Historical sites demarcated in West Azarbaijan to curb illegal digging, land grabbing

TEHRAN – Nearly all historical and archaeological sites in northern parts of West Azarbaijan province have recently been demarcated in a bid to restrict illegal digging and land grabbing, CHTN reported on Wednesday.

108 NGOs active in Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN – Some 108 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working in three fields of environment, sustainable livelihood development, and surface water control with the aim of revitalizing Lake Urmia.

Islamic-era tomb-chamber, skeleton discovered in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – A human skeleton has recently been discovered by a team of archaeologists while conducting a demarcation survey across Geoy Tepe in northwest Iran.

$152m more earmarked to Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN – A new budget amounting to 6.4 trillion rials (nearly $152 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) will be allocated for the Lake Urmia revival, which will be spent on completing semi-finished projects, head of the Lake Urmia Conservation Program has announced.

SDSs generated by Lake Urmia hotspots reduced by 90%

TEHRAN – After the beginning of restoration measures, the sand and dust storms (SDSs) generated by Lake Urmia hotspots has been reduced by 90 percent, even has reached zero in some critical areas, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program has said.

Jameh Mosque of Urmia undergoes new round of excavation

TEHRAN – An archaeological project has been commenced on the eastern side of the centuries-old Jameh Mosque of Urmia, which stands tall in the city of Urmia, the capital of northwestern East Azarbaijan province.

Four archaeological hills being demarcated in Miandoab

TEHRAN – Teams of Iranian archaeologists have commenced separate surveys to demarcate four archaeological hills situated in Miandoab county, northwestern West Azarbaijan province.