Lake Urmia shrinks by 61cm

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia level has decreased by about 61 cm compared to last [Iranian calendar] year (March 2020-March 2021), Mehran Nazari, West Azarbaijan province’s department of environment chief, said on Saturday.

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.

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.

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.

Japan willing to continue environmental co-op with Iran

TEHRAN – The seven-year cooperation between Iran and Japan in the successful implementation of Lake Urmia revival has made the Japanese government willing to continue environmental cooperation, Ahmad Reza Lahijanzadeh, deputy chief of the Department of Environment (DOE) for the marine environment, said.

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).

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).

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.

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.

$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.

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.

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.

Lake Urmia level rises by half a meter year on year

TEHRAN – Lake Urmia water level has increased by 50 centimeters compared to the same time last year, Farhad Sarkhosh, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program’s office in West Azarbaijan province, has announced.

Rainfall increases Lake Urmia level

TEHRAN – Recent rainfall has increased the level of Lake Urmia to 1,271 meters, a step closer to its ecological level of 1,274 meters.

FAO, ULRP, IRIMO have conducted a drought vulnerability and impact assessment in the Urmia Lake basin

The initial findings of a drought vulnerability and impact assessment in the Urmia Lake basin conducted to help the implementation of an integrated drought management system in the region have been further re-examined and validated by FAO and Iranian experts at Tehran.

International contribution ‘not sufficient’ for Urmia Lake restoration

TEHRAN – International contribution to revive Urmia Lake is not sufficient, as only Japan has provided an annual financial assistance amounting to $1 million since the past six years, National Wetlands Conservation Project manager, Ali Arvahi, has said.