56 Dams Consumed Lake Urmia’s Water Rights / Comprehensive Plan Could Revive the Lake Within 15 Years

According to Rokna’s social correspondent, the bitter news of Lake Urmia’s drying — this environmental and historical jewel of northwestern Iran — once again sounded the alarm about serious environmental and managerial crises in the country. But why has a lake that was once the third-largest saltwater lake in the world reached this state? The answer must be sought in a combination of agricultural factors, excessive dam construction, and poor water resource management.

Dams That Swallowed the Lake’s Water

One of the main reasons for Lake Urmia’s drying is the construction of more than 50 dams in its catchment area, which have taken up a massive volume of inflowing water. These dams have not only reduced the volume of water entering the lake but have also disrupted the natural ecosystem of rivers and wetlands.

The complete list of operational dams in the main Lake Urmia catchment:

• Param Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 5 million cubic meters

• Choughan Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Amend Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 4 million

• Ardalan Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 5 million

• Tajiyar Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Til Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 1 million

• Hasanlou Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 112 million

• Deh Gerchi Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 5 million

• Zola Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 85 million

• Sarouq Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 10 million

• Shahrchay Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 220 million

• Alavian Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 60 million

• Boukan Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 762 million

• Ghazi Kandi Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 1.5 million

• Ghaleh Chay (East Azerbaijan) — 55 million

• Qourichay Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 1 million

• Ghaisaraq Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Kordkandi Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 6 million

• Maqsoodlou Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 2 million

• Molla Yaghoub (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Malkian Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Mahabad Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 200 million

• Nahand Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 30 million

• Hachesso Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Haft Cheshmeh Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Yengejoo Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Fazel Goli Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 2.5 million

• Vanaq Olya (East Azerbaijan) — 2 million

• Sanjaq Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 5 million

• Sefidan Atigh Dam — 6 million

• Kansapi Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 5 million

• Ghoshkhaneh Dam — 3 million

• Oghan Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 2 million

• Abdol Abad Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 5 million

• Minagh Earthen Dam — 3 million

• Hasanjankouh Dam

• Vargil Dam

• Ahmad Dam

• Amend 1 Dam

• Amend 2 Dam

• Barough Harris Dam

• Pireh Yusefan Dam

• Khormaloo Dam

• Khoniq Dam

• Gavdoush Abad Dam

• Yengejeh 1 Harris Dam

• Minagh Rocky Dam

• Harris Dam

• Chenagh Bolagh Dam

• Saray Dam

• Gol Tappeh Maragheh Dam

• Chapar Abad Dam (West Azerbaijan)

• Cheragh Veys Kurdistan Dam

• Emam Chay Dam (East Azerbaijan) — 3 million

• Khorasaneh Dam (West Azerbaijan) — 6 million

The volume of water stored in these dams reaches several billion cubic meters and clearly shows what portion of Lake Urmia’s vital waters have been blocked in the path of these dams.

Water-Intensive Agriculture: A Plague on Water Resources

Farhad Sarkhosh, former provincial secretary of the Lake Urmia Restoration Headquarters, told Rokna: “90 percent of the water resources of the Urmia basin are spent on the agricultural sector, which is mostly managed with traditional and water-intensive methods. Crops such as apples and wheat, which have high water needs, are still being planted instead of being replaced with less water-consuming crops like barley and saffron. Also, the insufficient development of modern irrigation systems such as drip irrigation has led to excessive water waste.”

Experts believe that the restoration of Lake Urmia in the 15-year timeframe (2026 to 2041) requires a comprehensive plan, a minimum investment of 10 to 15 billion dollars, and serious political will.

He added: “The most important proposed measures are: reducing water consumption in agriculture by replacing water-intensive crops, halting the construction of new dams and reviewing the management of existing ones, preventing the diversion of the main rivers (Zarrineh Roud, Simineh Roud, Aji Chay), using treated wastewater for irrigation, cracking down on illegal wells, and managing water resources accurately.”

Farhad Sarkhosh described the restoration plan in three phases and said:

• Phase One (2026 to 2031): Emergency actions to stop the drying and a 10 to 20 percent increase in the lake's water volume.

• Phase Two (2031 to 2036): Stabilizing the lake surface at about 30 to 40 percent of its historical level.

• Phase Three (2036 to 2041): Complete ecosystem reconstruction, reduction of salinity, return of wildlife, and sustainable use of water resources.

A Lake on the Verge of Being Forgotten

Sarkhosh emphasized: “If a serious and immediate plan is not developed and implemented, Lake Urmia, which was once the symbol of the identity and nature of this region, will turn into a bitter memory; a memory of poor judgment, excessive dam construction, and water-intensive agriculture.”