TEHRAN — A total budget of $200 million from National Development Fund (NDF) is earmarked for implementation of aquifers and watershed management projects throughout the country, deputy director for watershed management at Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization has said.

“Provinces of Khorasan Razavi, Kerman, Fars, Isfahan and Sistan-Baluchestan are of high priority to be provided with the budget due to severity of the issues they are facing,” ISNA quoted Naser Heidaripouri as saying on Sunday.

This year, some $200 million have been earmarked to the watershed management projects, aiming at preventing water wastage, land subsidence and flooding, increasing vegetation coverage and supplying water for groundwater aquifers, he said.

The budget is divided between different provinces of the country, based on some special priorities and criteria including severity of droughts, soil erosion and sedimentation rates, he added.

He went on to say that so far, some 17 percent of the whole budget has been provided to the provinces, and some of it will be granted by the end of the Iranian calendar month of Shahrivar (August 23-September 22).

During this year, watershed management projects were carried out in 627 areas of the country's watersheds and 320 of the 430 counties nationwide, he concluded.

FB/MQ