Lake Urmia rebounds to five-year high as inflows lift water volume
Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran has reached its highest water volume in five years as inflows and transfer projects boosted levels, said Saeed Isapour, head of the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters planning office, in Urmia on May 3.
Water volume has climbed to 3.5 billion cubic meters, more than 3 billion cubic meters above the start of the current water year, he said. Water level has also risen to 1,270.90 meters, up 1.40 meters since start of the water year, ILNA reported.
Surface area expanded to 2,255 square kilometers, about 1,700 square kilometers more than the same period last year. Rivers feeding the basin are delivering 300–350 cubic meters per second, alongside a 30 cubic meters per second transfer from the Kani Sib project.
He forecast level could reach 1,271 meters within two weeks if conditions persist. Farmers along river routes were urged avoid unnecessary abstraction ensuring flows reach lake. Officials said projected autumn and winter rainfall offers cautious optimism to stabilize the internationally monitored hypersaline lake into next water year.