TEHRAN –Satellite images show that the level of Lake Urmia basin, measured on January 24, has increased from 1,270.05 meters to 1,270.13 meters, and the volume of the lake has risen by 0.19 billion cubic meters, reaching 1.24 billion cubic meters, compared to the same day last year.

Lake Urmia in the north-western West Azarbaijan province started to dry up in the 2000s. The lake is the largest in West Asia and the sixth-largest salt lake in the world with a water surface area of 5,000 to 6,000 square kilometers.

Satellite images released by the Iranian Energy Ministry demonstrates the area of the lake has increased from 770 km2 in Iranian year 1402 (March 2023- March 2024) to 930 km2 in current Iranian year (started on March 19, 2024),  expanding by 160 km2. 

These changes indicate the lake is in a better condition compared to last year thanks to the successful efforts to restore the lake.

Experts believe the amount of water in Lake Urmia should reach over 5 billion cubic meters so that it can become ecologically stable, Press TV reported.

Japan-funded FAO project 

Through a joint project led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Government of Japan, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are going to join to promote sustainable agricultural practices and solutions for the conservation of Lake Urmia.

On December 1, 2024, the Government of Japan and UNDP signed an exchange of notes to launch “The Project for Developing Conservation Systems of Wetlands in Lake Urmia and Other Wetlands, Including

Their Surrounding Communities.” The project, which runs from 2024 to 2028, will be implemented in partnership with the Department of Environment and FAO.

Focusing on sustainable agriculture and climate-adapted livelihoods, the initiative seeks to deliver long-term benefits for local communities while preserving the biodiversity of wetlands as critical ecosystems.

Lake Urmia faces significant challenges due to the overconsumption of water resources magnified by climate change impacts, which has severely impacted its ecosystem. 

Agricultural activities in the region are increasingly vulnerable to water shortages, a situation exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Studies indicate that these climatic changes could further disrupt agrifood systems and the lake’s fragile environment in the future.

FAO with the support of the government of Japan, identified technical agricultural solutions to increase water efficiency in the agriculture sector at the Lake Urmia basin, which may be efficient in saving the internationally known biosphere reserves.

Since 1995, Lake Urmia has been shrinking due to rapid upstream agricultural expansion and climate change. These forces have pushed the precious lake to the verge of depletion and have put the region’s health, economy, environment, industry, and agriculture at risk.

Despite the efforts of the Lake Urmia Restoration Program National Committee and its focus on the Lake’s restoration since 2013, the continuation of the critical situation demonstrates that sustainability, macro and micro, management solutions should be considered as the main essence of action plans.

In a concerted effort to address the challenges facing the Lake Urmia Basin in 2016, FAO launched the “Integrated Program for Sustainable Water Resources Management in the Lake Urmia Basin,” which was funded by the Government of Japan.

Key technical outcomes of this initiative included the implementation of a water accounting plus project in the Lake Urmia Basin and the identification of water-consuming hotspots within the basin. Notably, water accounting revealed the significant contribution of irrigated and rainfed agriculture to the Lake’s total evapotranspiration, emphasizing the importance of water-saving measures for the Lake’s restoration.

MT/MG