SAEDNEWS: The Director of the Planning and Integration Office of the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters reported that with rainfall in the Lake Urmia basin doubling, optimism is growing for the revival of this valuable water body.
According to Saed News, citing Hamshahri, Majid Jabbari reported that autumn and winter rainfall in the Lake Urmia basin, combined with the beginning of water releases from West Azerbaijan’s dams, has significantly increased the lake’s water level and markedly improved its condition.
The Director of the Planning and Integration Office at the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters stated that the lake’s current level has reached 1,270.27 meters. Considering the rainfall trends since the beginning of the water year, which have continued with suitable intensity despite some delays, the lake’s water level has risen by 77 centimeters since the start of autumn.
In an interview with Hamshahri Online, Saeed Eisa-Pour noted that meteorological forecasts predict continued rainfall in April and May, adding that this could lead to upstream flooding and higher water inflow into the lake, presenting a more hopeful outlook.
Eisa-Pour highlighted that approximately 288 millimeters of precipitation have been recorded in the basin so far, more than double last year’s 141 millimeters. Compared to long-term averages, this represents a 27% increase, resulting in a visible improvement in Lake Urmia’s condition.
The Planning and Integration Office announced the start of water releases from West Azerbaijan’s dams. On April 1, following the governor’s directive, the first release from Shahid Kazemi Dam (Bukan) into the Zarrineh River began at a flow rate of 50 cubic meters per second, which is expected to increase to 100 cubic meters per second. This process will continue until the harvest season, thanks to adequate inflows into the dams.
Eisa-Pour added that on April 2, water releases from Mahabad Dam also began at 50 cubic meters per second. Drinking water needs are currently met, and any surplus is prioritized for environmental purposes. If inflows continue, this pattern will remain sustainable.
He also mentioned that forecasts predict further rainfall toward the end of the week, which could prompt East Azerbaijan dams to release more water into the lake, further improving the region’s environmental conditions.
According to Hamshahri Online, Majid Rastegari, CEO of West Azerbaijan Regional Water Company, stated on April 4 that, due to significant rainfall this water year, the province’s dams are on average 66% full. With the combined capacity of 17 dams at around 2.5 billion cubic meters, 1.6 billion cubic meters are now filled. He added that rainfall this year has increased significantly compared to last year, exceeding long-term averages by 28%. Rastegari also noted that in December of last year, average dam levels were only 27%, but recent rainfall systems have raised this figure to 66%.
