The Disappearance of Lake Urmia
Lake Urmia in Iran, is the largest salt lake in the Middle East. Now, due to environmental change, poor irrigation and damming projects which block the water flow to the lake, only an estimated 10% of the original quantity of water remains. The complete drying of the lake will have massive consequences on the local population, especially on farmers who are already suffering from the poor air, earth and water quality. The drying of the lake means that in the future the many towns and cities positioned close to Lake Urmia will be covered with life threatening dust blown in from the dry lake bed.
In 2013 it was suggested by environmental experts that in order to save Lake Urmia from drying completely water should be pumped all the way from the Caspian Sea to the Lake. It seems to many that this may be the only chance of saving Lake Urmia from drying totally and becoming a massive ecological disaster.
Photo: Aletheia Casey
A view of Lake Urmia from the shores of a local resort. The water has receded so far that it takes almost 30 minutes to reach the water's edge by foot. The lake is receding at rapid rates due to most of the channels which once reached the lake being cut off for damming purposes.
Photo: Aletheia Casey