TEHRAN Studies undertaken by Iran's Meteorological Organization indicate that precipitation in most parts of the country in the next agricultural year will exceed the acceptable level of 70 percent of the average in the past 30 years, announced the organization's Director General Davoud Parhizkar here on Monday.
The next agricultural year in Iran will begin on September 22.
The official further told IRNA that it is expected that precipitation in some areas in the west of the country during the first quarter of the next agriculture year (autumn) will even exceed the normal level.
Parhizkar added that based on meteorological studies if annual precipitation in a particular region is below 70 percent of the long-term range (30-yearly average), the area will be experiencing drought.
Forecasting that various parts of the country will witness various levels of precipitation in the next agricultural year, the official emphasized that definitions of the phenomenon of drought in meteorological studies differ from those in other branches of sciences such as hydrology and agriculture.
Meanwhile, Parhizkar stressed that due to the low level of precipitation in past several years, scarcity of water resources and effects of drought experienced in the past several years as well as the population growth, the optimal use of water is essential.
The Province of Gilan in the north of the country and western part of the northern Province of Mazandaran had the highest level of precipitation which was 1,000mm of rain in the current agricultural year (ending on September 21), Parhizkar said.
According to the official, in the same year, the Central Province of Yazd and southern Sistan-Baluchestan Province in southeast of the country had 20 mm of rain, the least level of precipitation in the country.
Meanwhile, in the same period some areas in the west of the country had between 200 and 400mm of rain, Parhizkar pointed out.
(IRNA)