TEHRAN – Zayandehrud river, which was once flowing in central province of Isfahan, will be filled with water again in Noruz holidays (the Iranian New Year celebration, starting March 21), Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

President Hassan Rouhani, sending a letter to Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, has ordered the Ministry to release water into the Zayandehrud river during the Noruz taking irrigation of farmlands into account.

Also, Ali Asghar Mounesan, the head of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, has requested Ardakanian to allow water flow into the Zayandehrud river during the New Year holidays to help flourish tourism in the region.

Zayanderud river starts in the Zard-Kuh subrange of the Zagros Mountains and flows 400 kilometers eastward before ending in the Gavkhouni swamp in southeast of Isfahan city.

Once wide and mighty, Zayanderud river has been coping with drought in recent years. The river drought has resulted in wide range of problems for people, particularly farmers, of the related regions.

FB/MG