Sat 8, April

Zaribar Lake on verge of disappearance 

TEHRAN — Zaribar Lake, a wetland situated in Marivan, western province of Kordestan, stands on the verge of dryness for some time now which is a growing threat to the ecosystem. The lake has a length of 5 kilometers and a maximum width of 1.6 kilometers. The lake's water is fresh and has a maximum depth of 5.5 meters varying depending on the season. The fresh water has made the lake a great habitat for various species of fish such as Caspian white fish, common carp, and barred sicklefish. Little grebe, black-headed gull, grey heron, gull, and pelicans are of the lake’s native bird species. The lake also play host to the birds wintering at the area such as coot, mallard, and common merganser.  Beaver, Indian wolf, rabbit, Wild boar, and red fox also inhabit in the area.  The lake is also a great tourist hub not only in the district of Kordestan but the whole country, however dumping domestic sewage water into the lake, digging wells illegally and climate change have had an adverse effect on the lake and its surroundings.Tehran Times / Abotaleb Nadri

Despite the fact that the lake used to be a source of providing fish for the locals, currently they have to buy fish from fish farms in Amol and Babol, northern province of Mazandaran.  Contrary to how they are causing problems for the lake the locals are very protective of the storks and even during winter they take care of the vacant nests and prepare them for the storks’ comeback. Pouring the domestic sewage in the lake is also presenting a great hazard to the species inhabiting the lake. talking to a group of locals warning them of Kaveh Kordestani, an environmentalist, is the environmental predicaments posed against the lake. Water depletion and using the water for irrigation purposes have resulted in a sharp decrease in the depth of the lake so that the bottom of the lake have emerged from the water. Digging numerous wells and depleting groundwater resources are threatening the lake’s future.   The lake is a habitat for various species whose lives are endangered by the lake’s current looming status. Illegal construction sprawling around the lake has had a direct effect on the lake dryness. Some people earn a living by fishing in the lake which is now unfulfilling due to the lake’s current condition. 

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