Based on the statistics of Iran Meteorological Organization, since the beginning of the current water year (September 2022), 1,500 mm of rain have been recorded in Kouhrang, the main catchment area of Zayandehroud river, however, no water has reached Gavkhouni Wetland where the river ends up.
This is while the Department of Environment has determined the water requirement of this wetland so that in the years with low precipitation, the Energy Ministry should supply 176 million cubic meters of water to the wetland and in normal rainy years, the figure needs to reach 460 mcm, Mehr News Agency reported.
As no water has reached the wetland, the entire 47,000 hectares of Gavkhouni in the center of Iran's plateau is dry and thirsty for water.
According to Ali Arwahi, an expert on the country's wetland ecosystems, one of the major problems caused by the drying up of Gavkhouni is the intensification of land subsidence in the plains of Isfahan Province, which is of high importance, as it can pose a danger to the infrastructure, historical buildings and the urban and rural communities.
“When Gavkhouni is dry, there will be dust storms in the region, which affect four provinces,” he said.
“This issue is very harmful for Isfahan, as it is a tourist city and has high potentials for historical and natural tourism. Hence, dust storms may reduce the number of tourists.”
According to Director General of the Wetlands Protection and Restoration Office of DoE Arezou Ashrafizadeh, very little water has reached the Gavkhouni Wetland in recent years, even during the years with normal and above normal precipitation.
“Law has obliged the Energy Ministry to provide water for the wetland. We have announced the water needs of Gavkhouni Wetland to the Ministry many times through numerous correspondences, but unfortunately nothing has happened yet,” noted.
Stretching over 47,000 hectares, Gavkhouni Wetland is located in central Isfahan Province. Its water rights include at least 176 mcm of water from Zayandehroud river annually.
Gavkhouni, which was home to a variety of species of migratory birds, has been struggling with declining water levels over the past decade. Once a popular destination for migratory birds, typically at the beginning of winter, recent surveys show the numbers coming to the wetland have declined significantly.
Zayandehroud river starts in the Zardkouh sub-range of Zagros Mountains in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Province in the west, flows 400 km eastward before ending in Gavkhouni, a seasonal salt lake with an average depth of one meter in southeast Isfahan.
Zayandehroud Dam
The water inflow into the Zayandehroud Dam in Isfahan Province since the beginning of the current water year (September 2022) has surpassed 527 mcm, which is 30% higher than the amount received in the same period of last year.
The rise in water inflow is due to the higher precipitation of recent months. This year's rainfall in Kouhrang has increased by 20% compared to the same period of last year and by 18% compared to the 50-year average.
Despite the year-on-year rise, the dam’s storage level has decreased by 45% compared to the long-term [50-year] average. Only 34% of the dam capacity are full now.
With a nominal capacity of 1.239 mcm, Zayandehroud Dam is one of the main dams in central Iran, which supplies water to household, agricultural and industrial sectors, as well as the natural environment in the central regions. The arch-shaped dam, which became operational in 1970, is located on the famous Zayandehroud, 110 km west of Isfahan in Chadegan County.
The primary purpose of the dam is to supply water to the ancient and world-famous tourist city.
The dam is designed to provide daily drinking water for more than 5 million people in the central province, for agriculture alongside Zayandehroud and for heavy industries in the central area of the provincial capital.
In the not-too-distant past, Zayandehroud had regular and significant water flow, but is almost dry for more than eight months to the detriment of farmers who are largely dependent on the river for their livelihood.
Located in an arid region of Iran with below minimum precipitation, Isfahan, like many other provinces, has been struggling with drought for several years, resulting in the gradual drying up of the river.
