TEHRAN – Despite above normal rainfalls amounting to 256 millimeters the country has received since the beginning of the current water year (starting on September 23, 2018), it cannot be claimed that the long-term droughts are set right, director for flood control and aquifer at Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization has said.

That’s why water management policies must be still drawn up with regard to water scarcity, ISNA news agency quoted Abolqasem Hosseinpour as saying on Saturday.

According to the latest data published on Iran’s Meteorological Organization website precipitation over the current water year has been increased by 39-percent compared to long-term mean, in addition to 184-percent compared to the last water year (September 2017-September 2018).

“However, with only a year of high rainfall averages we cannot say that drought is no longer hitting the country,” Hosseinpour said.

Climate change has resulted in a drop in water resources, on the other hand, due to excessive use of subsurface water resources, the country is facing serious shortages which are not compensated by a year of normal rainfalls, he lamented.

In order to rectify water deficiencies, years of above normal precipitation is required, additionally we should be refraining from depleting groundwater resources, he highlighted.

Hosseinpour went on to say that water management policies should continue to be in line with the water scarcity.

Referring to sustainable reuse of water, he noted that proper management of water resources is accompanied by wise watershed and aquifer planning, so measures must be taken to recharge groundwater resources with rain water.

Some claim that the country is to meet period of wet spells but there is no scientific and rational reason to prove that, Hosseinpour stated.

He further concluded that in fact due to the country’s climatic characteristics “we might face drought again, so best water management policies must be taken.”

FB/MQ/MG