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.

Non-revival of Lake Urmia could cause $1,000 billion loss

TEHRAN – Although Lake Urmia’s revival will cost around $1.5 billion, not implementing the revival plan would inflict a loss of $1,000 billion to the country, Issa Kalantari, chief of the Department of Environment, has said.

Drought may reverse Lake Urmia’s revival in coming years: experts

TEHRAN – Two Iranian scientists have warned that Lake Urmia’s revival trend may probably reverse over the coming years due to drought spells, though the lake has been filled mostly by the above-normal rainfall since the past crop year (September 23, 2019).

Reviving Lake Urmia hosting large flocks of flamingos

TEHRAN – Large flocks of flamingos are returning to Lake Urmia as the lake is being revived after years of dryness, ISNA reported on Thursday.

Lake Urmia to be fully revived within 7 years

TEHRAN – With the complete implementation of two water transfer projects, Lake Urmia will be completely restored by the Iranian calendar year 1406 (March 2027-March 2028), the Department of Environment (DOE) chief has announced.

Lake Urmia being revived ‘slowly, but surely’: UNDP

TEHRAN – A combination of man-made efforts and higher rainfall in recent years is “slowly, but surely reviving what was once the second largest saltwater lake in the world,” Claudio Providas, Resident Representative in Iran for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has stated.

Measures to revive Lake Urmia ‘an example to inspire us all’: Gary Lewis

TEHRAN – Gary Lewis, director for disasters and conflicts at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), praised Iran for measures taken to revive the Lake Urmia.

Comprehensive tourism plan to be formulated for Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Iran’s West Azarbaijan province aims to develop a comprehensive tourism plan to boost tourism around Lake Urmia, which was once the largest salt-water lake in West Asia.

First medical tourism center under construction in Urmia

TEHRAN – The first medical tourism center in Urmia, northwestern West Azarbaijan province, is under construction with 30 percent completion so far. 

Over $1b spent so far to revitalize Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program in October 2013, a total of 4.6 trillion rials (more than $1 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been spent, Masoud Tajrishi, director of the planning office of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program, has announced.