Lake Urmia water levels rise amid increased rainfall in Iran

Water levels in Lake Urmia have increased more than ninefold compared to the same period last year, according to Mahid Rostegari, CEO of the West Azerbaijan Regional Water Company. Officials aim to reach a volume of 5 billion cubic meters, aided by predicted rainfall patterns associated with the El Niño phenomenon.

In East Azerbaijan, meteorological data shows a significant rise in precipitation. Habib Abdoli, the Director General of Meteorology for East Azerbaijan, reported that average rainfall for the current water year (from October 1 to early November) has increased by 22.5 mm compared to the previous year. This represents a 72.6% increase over long-term averages for the same period.

Authorities are focusing on managing runoff to recharge groundwater and feed the lake. Efforts include dredging rivers and opening waterways to ensure that localized, intense rainfall is effectively utilized to support the lake's ecosystem and meet water rights established for the West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, and Kurdistan provinces.