South Khorasan Province has been suffering from low levels of precipitation for two consecutive decades and almost 91% of the eastern province is affected by drought, director general of the provincial Meteorological Organization said.
“Average rainfall in the province so far in the current water year (began Sept 2020) has been 38 mm, down 69% compared to last year and less 59% over a 50-year period,” IRNA quoted Alireza Khandanrou as saying.
The decrease in rain in the current year is unprecedented in 30 years, Khandanrou said, adding that the highest rainfall in the region was recorded in Nehbandan County with 61 mm and the lowest in Tabas County at 18 mm.
Despite the disappearing rains, provincial authorities have ensured water supply to the household, agricultural and industrial sectors. “Water was never cut off and groundwater resources helped fill the gaps.”
According to Khandanrou, drought in South Khorasan is also the result of climate change and global warming. “Consecutive periods of drought have undermined agriculture and the rural population in increasing numbers is migrating” in search of jobs and a decent livelihood, he added.
"Water is key to livelihoods and economies. We need to adapt to water scarcity by correcting [high] consumption patterns in the farming sector."
Smart Meters
One of the recent measures in the region is equipping water wells with smart meters that helped save at least 111 million cubic meters of water in the agro sector last year.
There are 2,050 authorized wells in the underprivileged province. Two years ago 611 mcm of water was extracted from authorized wells and with smart meters that volume has dropped to 500 mcm.
Located in eastern Iran, South Khorasan’s dry climate and deserts make farming difficult. However, an estimated 35% of the population depends on agriculture.
Water scarcity and drought pose serious threats to the livelihood of farming communities and the economy in many parts of Iran, especially in the expansive Khorasan region.
Water Transfer
Earlier this year, the representative of Nehbandan and Sarbisheh counties in the Majlis said plans were underway to supply water from the Sea of Oman to South Khorasan – initiatives that have already drawn strong criticism from prominent water experts, conservationists and most activists opposed to inter-basin water transfers.
“Studies have been carried out on how best to transfer water from the Oman Sea to three provinces (Sistan-Baluchestan, South Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi). However, projects are on hold due to funding constraints,” Mostafa Nakhaei was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Dubbing unfinished rural water supply projects as “one of the biggest” problems, the lawmaker said the challenges of providing drinking water to rural and nomadic areas is being followed up by the Energy Ministry.
Annual water consumption in South Khorasan is 1 billion cubic meters of which 900 million cubic meters is used by farmers.
Due to the lack of permanent rivers and no connection to the sea, water in the border and desert province is supplied from groundwater sources, including wells, springs and aqueducts.
Wells account for 63% of the water need with 250 mcm from the qanat water systems (underground aqueducts) and the rest from groundwater resources, which are drying up due to extensive use for farming use.
