Thanking the constant cooperation of Japan with Iran in this regard, Ali Arvahi told IRNA that the agreement for the seventh phase of the cooperation was signed. The seventh phase is about people’s cooperation in reviving Lake Urmia.
Arvahi said that the lake is currently in the best condition it has had in the past six years, which has taken place due to the nonstop attempts of the officials, and state and non-state beneficiaries of the drainage basin of the lake.
The project of saving and reviving the wetlands of Iran is done by joint attempts of the Department of Environment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with the financial support of Japan.
He said 12,000 locals and farmers have visited and participated in the projects.
Reduction in water usage (25.4%), improvement in irrigation (41.9%), creation of employment (250 experts), creation of 30 companies and 12 NGOs, creation of green employment for 750 woman villagers are among the results of the project, Arvahi said.
On Saturday, a provincial official of the water organization of West Azarbaijan said the water of the lake has come up 32cm compared to last year.
Atabak Jafari said that the lake now has 4.71 billion cubic meters of water, which is one billion cubic meters more than last year’s, adding that the lake has been expanded by 210 square kilometers.
He said that seven years ago, the water in the lake was only 690 million cubic meters, but it is 4.71 billion cubic meters now.
The lake was 1.335 square kilometers in its smallest size; it has grown 1.778 square kilometers to become 3.1 square kilometers.
Jafari said one important factor that helped to save the lake was the transfer of water, hoping that completing the remaining projects will improve the conditions even more.
The graphs of the past 30 years show that the lake still has a long way to go to reach its peak.
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