98% of Lake Urmia's water is gone

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Dr. Mehdi Zare, professor at the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, states:

Based on satellite imagery and scientific data, by mid-2025, Lake Urmia's drying process will have reached a complete collapse. The lake's water volume has decreased by over 98% compared to 1995, and its bed has turned into a barren salt flat.

Main Reasons for Collapse:

Construction of over 40 dams on feeding rivers.

Expansion of water-intensive crops like apples and sugar beets.

Shahid Kalantari causeway, which disrupted the natural exchange of water and salt.

Excessive groundwater extraction and persistent severe droughts.

Environmental and Human Consequences:

Increased water salinity in the northern part to over 300 grams per liter.

Destruction of UNESCO and Ramsar-listed habitats.

Serious threat to the health and livelihood of millions in the northwest of the country.

Annihilation of the lake's historical role in regulating local and regional climate.

According to Zare, the main reason for the failure of the lake's revival programs was the lack of governance will and institutional inability to implement solutions, not the weakness of technical solutions.

Proposed Solutions:

Establishment of a comprehensive and integrated water resource management system.

Reforming agricultural policies and moving towards less water-intensive crops.

Extensive use of modern irrigation technologies.

Creating a transparent and participatory governance framework with the presence of all stakeholders.

The bitter experience of Lake Urmia is a clear example of the collapse of a vital ecosystem due to human interventions and weak management; a serious warning for other river basins in the country.

An excerpt from Asr Iran's report.