Urmia Lake
Bonn Research Group Transformation and Development Policy – BFTE
Post Box: 300541, Phone: 0049-228-973 9345, E-Mail: bfte@uni-bonn.de
Initiative Group Lake Urmia (IGLU) / C/O BFTE
Integrated 10-Point-Strategy for the restoration of Lake Urmia
Bonn, July 2013
Water scarcity is one of the key problems in the Near and the Middle East. The growth in food demand due to increased income in the oil exporting countries together with high population growth rates has led to a strong increase in the use of water resources. Climate change is threatening to worsen the pressure on this resource. A decrease in water availability is already visible:
- Various rivers in the region are slowly drying out and/or becoming smaller.
- The size of many lakes is decreasing.
- Desertification continues to be a serious problem in the region.
- The amount of precipitation is decreasing.
- The demand for ground water has increased dramatically in the last few years and has led, in many cases, to an irreversible fall of ground water tables.
All these developments can be seen very well in the biggest country of the region, the I.R. Iran. In the North West of the country, in the highlands of Azerbaijan, the biggest lake of the Near and Middle East and the second biggest hyper saline lake of the Earth, the Lake Urmia, is drying out.
The consequence of the slow drying of Lake Urmia is a dramatic change of the local climate. Sandstorms carry the drying salts of the lake to the agricultural lands surrounding the lake. A study of UNEP shows that should the lake dry up completely a huge salt desert would be the consequence which will negatively affect the life and the economy of the whole region and is likely to also impact the megacity of Teheran. Today already a decline in soil quality and yields can be seen in the agricultural areas in North Western Iran in addition to other economic and health effects for the local population. The drying of the lake and the desertification processes in the surrounding areas go hand in hand and a complete drying up of the lake is possible.
The Initiative Group Lake Urmia was founded in June 2012 by scientists and retired professors of the Universities of Bonn and Marburg, who all have work or personal ties to Iran. In cooperation with local universities and NGOs the Initiative Group is aiming to bring the situation of the lake to the attention of the national and international public and to develop sustainable solutions together with all partners. In December 2012 the Initiative Group was invited to the International Conference on Lake Urmia, in which unfortunately only one member of the Group could participate. In a video message the 10-point-program of the Group for the restoration of the lake was presented in first Version.
At the end of the conference the leadership of the environment agency stated it would take serious steps towards implementation of a set of quick measures to solve the urgent problems of the lake. Until now, however, no results are observed.
We would like to explain that the University of Bonn/ ZEF (Centre for Development Research) has long term research experience on the Aral Sea. Here is developed a master plan for Khorazm and for the Aral Sea area. This project, funded by several governmental institutions, supported the training of young academics in the region. In this project over 80 scientists were involved – many from the region – and 23 PhD students. Now we are looking for such a research project and intend to cooperate with Iranian and also international scientists.
Here in the attachment you will find the 10-point- Strategy of Iglu as an integrated program to rescue the Lake Urmia:
Bonn Research Group Transformation and Development Policy – BFTE
Post Box: 300541, Phone: 0049-228-973 9345, E-Mail: bfte@uni-bonn.de
Initiative Group Lake Urmia (IGLU) / C/O BFTE
Statement No. 3, July 2013, Integrated 10-Point-Strategy for the restoration of Lake Urmia
IGLU – The 10-point-Strategy for the Lake Urmia:
Lake Urmia is drying out. Already now its ecosystem is severely damaged and close to total collapse. Given this present disastrous situation in and around Lake Urmia, we suggest the following items to be considered and implemented in a holistic-coherent/integrative way.
- Opening of the dams in the rivers flowing into lake by about 20-25%.
- Control and reduction of the legal and illegal water wells around the lake (currently about 18.000 exist).
- Change or removal of the highway bridge crossing the lake, since it changes water circulation causing higher transpiration and increases water and surface temperatures, and thus representing one of the main causes of the pending collapse of Lake Urmia ecosystem.
In order to counterbalance these negative and disastrous effects on the Lake Urmia, IGUL suggests the following additional strategies to overcome the present situation:
- Efficient agricultural irrigation using various water saving technologies. Currently more than 85% of the water is used in agriculture.
- Erosion control, reduction of desertification and increased re- and a forestation. Develop a clear, holistic understanding of the ecosystem(s) surrounding the lake with investigating the different factors changing the area, such as erosion, desertification, reduction in precipitation, falling ground water tables and the drying up of the lake, including clear picture of the role of different actors.
- Controlled water use in aquaculture will lead to more efficient water use and water savings. Water use in aquaculture around the city of Urmia needs to be better controlled.
- Development of adequate adaptation and holistic strategies to react to noticeable climate change impacts by creation of sustainable forms of land and water use in the region’s industry, agriculture and private consumption.
- by efficient communal water resources use,
- by awareness raising among consumers,
- by construction of new and more efficient sewage treatment plants for communal and industrial sewage.
- Success of all these measures demands for the participation of all relevant stakeholders, such as farmers, private households, companies, NGOs etc.
The agricultural area of Iran has been multiplied in recent years , without regard to the scarcity of water resources. Family planning should be brought in line with the water resources of the country. Gradually, with the increase in demand and consummation of water, the dramatic lowering of the groundwater has began. The sustainability of Iranian agriculture is dramatically compromised.
- Development of an aid fund for the affected farmers.
The necessary transformation of the irrigation system of the Iranian agriculture is certainly a major cost . In the transitional phase and the decommissioning of many water wells , production is first to go back . This causes a lot of costs for the founding of a relief fund for the affected farmers , for Reconstruction of the new irrigation system and for grain imports.
The current economic sanctions against Iran must take into account the urgency of the environmental protection in Iran and seek differentiated solution models. It could be a special amount of oil exports are enabled , their income goes into a special account . The funds were to be used exclusively with the support of UNDP for these environmental goals.
The explanation of each item follows. It may also be requested.
Bonn, July 2013, bfte@bfte-research-bonn.de
Initiative Group Lake Urmia:
Prof. Dr. Ahad Rahmanzadeh (Speaker), Development Policies, BFTE
Prof. Dr. Eckart Ehlers. Earth sciences, ZEF University of Bonn
Prof. Dr. Christian Opp, Dean of the Faculty of Earth sciences, University of Marburg
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Armin Rieser, Water Management, BFTE
Prof. Dr. Walter Schug, University of Bonn
Prof. Dr. Christian Uhlig, Economic Sciences, BFTE
Prof. Dr. Ernst Zurek. Agricultural and Development Policies, BFTE (University of Bonn)
Prof. Dr. Eckhard Freyer, Bonn/ Merseburg Univ. a.S.
———————————————————————————————————————————This 10-point declaration is a result of intensive discourse of the scientists involved, and is legally protected. Copyright protected