Salt harvesting; a way of survival for Lake Urmia

TEHRAN – The results of recent studies showed that salts encrusted the Lake Urmia’s bed are required to be extracted to prevent from reduction of water level and becoming a salt flat, deputy chief of the Department of Environment (DOE), Masoud Tajrishi, has said.

‘Consistent supply of water to Lake Urmia only way to save it’

TEHRAN — Consistent supply of water to Lake Urmia is the only solution to save the lake, head of the provincial department for the Lake Urmia restoration program in West Azarbaijan province has said.

Is Lake Urmia on fast track to total restoration?

TEHRAN — Kiumars Daneshjoo, CEO of West Azarbaijan regional water company, said on Saturday that two billion cubic meters of water is released from the dams surrounding the Lake Urmia increasing the volume of water at the lake to more than 5.3 billion cubic meters.

Attempts to revive Lake Urmia using technology

TEHRAN – The vice presidency for science and technology will take measures in accordance with Lake Urmia restoration utilizing technology advances, IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

Lake Urmia water increased by 810 million cubic meters 

TEHRAN — The volume of water in Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran, has increased by 810 million cubic meters compared to the same date last year, director general of West Azarbaijan regional water company has said. 

Water level in Lake Urmia rises by 33cm

TEHRAN – The level of water in Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran, has increased by 33 centimeters compared to the same time last year, head of the provincial department for the Lake Urmia restoration program in West Azarbaijan province has said.

Agricultural water use fallen by 40% in Lake Urmia basin

TEHRAN — Implementation of the Lake Urmia restoration programs applying sustainable agricultural techniques and water-saving measures, has led to 35-40 percent drop in agricultural water consumption in the catchment basin of the Lake, head of the Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project (CIWP) has said.

‘Salt particles raising from Lake Urmia contained by 80%’

TEHRAN – Salt particles raising from the catchment basin of Lake Urmia has been contained by nearly 80 percent, Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the provincial department for the Lake Urmia restoration program at West Azarbaijan has said.

Supreme National Security Council to weigh up agriculture around Lake Urmia

TEHRAN — The Lake Urmia restoration program has taken over the issue of agricultural development around the lake into the Supreme National Security Council, deputy environment chief Masoud Tajrishi has said.

Lake Urmia full restoration deferred pending budget allocation

TEHRAN — Limited budget could put back Lake Urmia, a wetland located in northwest Iran, restoration projects, Masoud Tajrishi deputy environment chief and an official with the lake restoration program has said.

‘Solar power plants an alternative for income generation around Lake Urmia basin’

TEHRAN — Setting up solar power plants to produce electricity can be an alternative income generation for farmers in Lake Urmia basin in northwestern Iran, Ja’far Mohseni, head of East Azarbaijan academic center for education, culture and research, known as Jahad Daneshgahi, has said.

Lake Urmia likely to revive in 10 years; building our hopes up?

TEHRAN — Chief of West Azarbaijan province’s Department of Environment, Parviz Arasteh, has said that Lake Urmia will be revived within the next 10 years, but is he building our hopes up?

Water transfer won’t revive Lake Urmia: official

TEHRAN — Water transfer won’t restore Lake Urmia, Hedayat Fahimi, an official with the Ministry of Energy has said, noting that promoting sustainable agriculture is the way to save the lake.

By Mohammad Ali Haqshenas

Salt mining in Lake Urmia: Opportunity vs. threat

The dryness of Lake Urmia in recent decades has revealed great salt reserves in its bed. Estimations for the amount of salt in the lake varies from 6 to 10 billion tons. That’s certainly a great potential for mining and has already tempted some individuals to extract some salt, however, there are different views on salt mining in the region.

Lake Urmia, habitat of some 35,000 flamingos

TEHRAN – Some 35,000 migratory flamingos are now living in Lake Urmia and the seasonally-flooded wetlands in the region, said an official with West Azarbaijan province’s department of environment.

‘Without restoration plan, Lake Urmia would have been fully drained by now’

TEHRAN – If there had not been any plan to restore Lake Urmia, it would have been completely drained by now, Department of Environment chief Isa Kalantari said on Wednesday.

Lake Urmia water level increases

TEHRAN – The level of water in Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran, has increased thanks to releasing of water from dams and also good precipitation in the region.

Cultivating sugar beet and rice hinders wetlands restoration programs

TEHRAN – Cultivating water intensive products including sugar beet and rice has been banned in some regions as they were not in line with plans for reviving wetlands, an official with wetland ecosystems division at Department of Environment has said.

Lake Urmia depletion will cause great discomfort

TEHRAN – The total dryness of Lake Urmia will have a large negative impact on the health and livelihood of local communities and even beyond.

JICA pledges $7m to address Tehran’s air pollution

TEHRAN — The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has pledged $7 million to tackle the everlasting air pollution in the metropolis of Tehran, IRIB reported on Monday.

By Maryam Qarehgozlou

Budget deficit could delay Lake Urmia’s revival: environment chief

TEHRAN — Lake Urmia is already saved from total dryness, however, budget deficit might postpone the lake’s full restoration, the chief of the Department of Environment said on Monday.

Kalantari appointed new environment chief

TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani in a decree on Sunday appointed Isa Kalantari as the vice president and the new chief of the Department of Environment.

Migrating flamingos opt to stay in reviving Lake Urmia

TEHRAN — Some 10,000 flamingos have stayed in Lake Urmia national park this year instead of migrating as better ecological conditions in the biosphere reserve are already satisfying their needs.

Deputy FM follows up on Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN — Deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs Abbas Araqchi traveled on Wednesday to West Azarbaijan province to follow up on Lake Urmia restoration programs, IRIB reported.

Budget deficit could do irreparable damage to Lake Urmia

TEHRAN — Officials in charge of Lake Urmia restoration program have said the government has not allocated budget to the project in the next Iranian calendar year (March 2017-March 2018) and this could do irreparable damage to the lake’s restoration program.

Govt. allots $205m to Lake Urmia restoration

TEHRAN — The cabinet of ministers has allocated some 8.2 trillion rials (nearly $205 million) to Lake Urmia restoration projects, IRIB reported on Wednesday.