Iran suspends construction of 10 dams to recover Urmiya Lake

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 23/ Trend D.Khatinoglu/ Iran's deputy energy minister Mohammad-Reza Attarzadeh told the Mehr News Agency that construction of eight dams over rivers along the route of the Urmiya Lake has been suspended. Iran's largest lake, Urmiya, has dried up by almost one third, the director of the Iranian State Department for Lake Protection Ali Nazardust said earlier. Dams, rainfall shortages and other negative factors have caused Lake Urmiya to dry up. At present the lake's salinity level is at 330 per cent. Earlier the figure was 160-170 per cent and the reservoir covered 5000 square meters. Attarzadeh added that the rainfall level rose by 18 per cent last year compared to the previous one in Iran's western regions where the Urmiya Lake lies. He said that Iran is negotiating with Azerbaijan to move a part of the Araz River's water to Urmiya Lake, as well. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az