The warning was issued by Director General of Environmental Protection in West Azarbaijan Province Hojjat Jabbari.
Speaking on Monday, Jabbari confirmed that satellite images and local reports show the northern half of the lake is nearly dry, with only a thin layer of water, just four to five centimeters deep, is covering an area of about 100 square kilometers.
“This thin layer of water will disappear within a week”, Jabbari said.
He added that from an ecological perspective, the area can already be considered dry. The lake’s southern basin, which currently holds about 600 to 700 square kilometers of water at a depth of 15 to 20 centimeters, is also expected to dry completely by the end of summer.
According to the official, autumn rainfall will not significantly improve the situation, as most seasonal precipitation occurs during winter and spring.
“The lake has essentially become seasonal since around 2011…without a substantial change in water management, it will only retain water in wet seasons and dry up in summer”, Jabbari said.
Experts warn that complete drying of Lake Urmia will have severe environmental, health, and socio-economic consequences for West and East Azarbaijan Provinces.
