photo: Hossein Sadri

Disturbing dryness of Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia, in the northwest of the country, began shrinking in 1995 due to a combination of prolonged drought, and the extraction of water for farming and dams. At its greatest extent, it was the largest lake in West Asia and the sixth-largest saltwater lake on Earth. Unfortunately, the lake has for the most part transformed into a vast, dry salt flat. Salt storms have reduced the productivity of the surrounding agricultural lands, endangering the health of people in the region, as well as aquatic animals such as brine shrimp "Artemia" and some migratory birds such as pelicans and flamingos.