Studies show that bed salt sediments of Lake Urmia have become 20 cm thicker, essentially reducing the depth of the lake, Mehr News quoted an official at the Geological Survey Organization as saying.
Last week, local media reported that the lake’s water level had risen by 54 cm since September 2014, but what intrigued experts was that there was no change in the salinity of the water, said Razieh Lak.
“This prompted us to study the lake bed, and we found that sedimentation at the bottom of the lake is thickening.”
The lake is already oversaturated, and meager rainfall is not enough to dilute the water. “Therefore, the salt in the water along with other chemicals form a new layer on the lake bed,” she elaborated.
“Our studies are not yet concluded,” Lak said, “we need to study other areas of the lake to reach a comprehensive assessment.”
Despite the reduction in the lake’s depth, which has no doubt contributed to the rising water level, it is not entirely responsible for it.
“Rainfall has definitely played a part in increasing Lake Urmia’s water level,” Lak asserted.
Located between the provinces of West Azerbaijan and East Azeribaijan, Lake Urmia is Iran’s largest inland body of water.
Due to mismanagement and climate change, the lake is on the verge of complete desiccation.
