TEHRAN – Bakhtegan wetland in southern Iran hit a record high of 894 percent increase in water intake over the Iranian calendar month of Ordibehesht (April 20-May 20) compared to the same period last year, the highest rate among Iranian wetlands, according to satellite monitoring.

Hamid Zahrabi, head of the department of environment of Fars Province, said on Sunday that 15.68 square kilometers of Bakhtegan had been filled with water during Ordibehesht last year, while it increased to 155.9 square kilometers in the current year, IRNA reported.

Bakhtegan Lake is a Salt Lake with a surface area of 3,500 square kilometers it was once Iran's second-largest lake. It was fed by the Kor River. Several dams on the river had significantly reduced water flow into the lake, increasing its salinity and endangering the lake's populations of flamingos and other migratory birds.

With heavy rainfall raising Bakhtegan wetland level by 30 percent, flocks of flamingos migrated to the wetland nesting and laying eggs, however, temperature raise along with high evaporation resulted in drainage of the wetland which put the lives of many flamingo hatchlings at risk in July.

Based on the latest data published by National Drought Warning and Monitoring Center affiliated to Iran’s Meteorological Organization, since the current crop year (September 23, 2018), Fars province recorded 422.2 millimeters of rainfall compared to 366.9 millimeters in the previous water year, demonstrating a 15.1-percent rise. The amount also raised in comparison to the long-term average of 295.8 mm, amounting to 42.7 percent.

FB/MG