Dr. Hojjat Jabbari

Lake Urmia Crisis: Causes, Consequences, and Restoration Strategies

Tue Apr 22 2025

This document highlights the key causes of Lake Urmia’s desiccation, the severe ecological and socio-economic consequences of the crisis, and the approved national strategies aimed at restoring the lake through water management, agricultural reform, and biodiversity protection.

1. Causes of Lake Urmia’s Water Shortage

Natural Factors (31%):

Reduction of 18% in precipitation, prolonged droughts, a rise of more than 1°C in average temperature over the past two decades compared to long-term averages, and a shift in precipitation type (rain instead of snow).

Human Factors (69%):

Excessive agricultural expansion, construction of dams that increased regulated water capacity, neglect of proper cropping patterns, and low water-use efficiency.

The crisis began in the water year 1997–1998. The lake’s water level dropped from 1277 m above sea level to 1270.70 m (as of June 16, 2022), a decline of about 6.4 meters. Currently, the water surface area has shrunk to 2,328 km² with a remaining volume of only 2.92 billion m³.

2. Consequences of Lake Urmia’s Drying

Extreme salinity, reaching supersaturation levels

Desertification within Lake Urmia National Park

Severe challenges in managing and protecting island wildlife

Threats to ecosystems, farmlands, orchards, and nearby settlements

Sharp decline in Artemia urmiana populations

Decrease in resident and migratory bird numbers

Loss of traditional tourism values (swimming, mud therapy)

Reduced freshwater spring discharge on islands, requiring water supply interventions

Dry land masses merging within the lake, destroying biological habitats

Salt crystallization on birds’ feathers

Frequent salt-dust storms

Collapse of regional biodiversity (flora and fauna)

Intensified climatic fluctuations in the basin

Salt deposition in deeper parts of the lake, creating shallow, high-evaporation zones

3. Approved Strategies for Restoration

The National Committee for Lake Urmia Restoration has ratified measures across six sectors since 2014. Key actions include:

Reducing surface and groundwater allocation for agriculture by 40%

Preparing and implementing water-use efficiency programs

Halting all ongoing and planned dam projects in the basin

Strict monitoring of water use in 12 major dams within the watershed

Preventing delivery of surplus inflows from dams to agriculture

Connecting the Zarrineh-Rud and Simineh-Rud rivers (25 km)

Dredging 253 km of rivers in the watershed

Transferring water from Kanisib Dam to Lake Urmia

Building wastewater treatment plants to return ~300 million m³ annually to the lake

Monitoring traditional canals to block water diversion during non-crop seasons

Biological stabilization of 480 hectares of lakeshore (Jabal-Kandi) with tree planting and rainwater harvesting

Biological mulching in dust emission hotspots (pilot at Jabal-Kandi)

Physical protection of 570 km of the western shoreline

Local community participation projects promoting sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation