Hoor al-Azim Near Recovery

Over 70% of the once depleted Hoor al-Azim lagoon in Khuzestan Province have filled up with water, raising hope of the lagoon’s full recovery.

According to Hamid Zohrabi, a deputy at the Department of Environment, a big share of the lagoon has been fed by Karkheh River and agricultural runoff also helped fill up the water body, ISNA reported.

Fishers have returned, lush greenery has returned to the reed beds and birds are flying around, which show that the ecosystem is moving toward revival,” Zohrabi said.

Reportedly, some 60,000 hectares of Hoor al-Azim had dried up due to industrial activities, but now a considerable share of the drought-stricken waterbed has been restored.

“The highlands of the waterbed are the only parts visible, which will gradually submerge.”

The lagoon’s reservoirs had been closed by the previous administration for oil exploration, leading to the total desiccation of a significant portion of Hoor al-Azim.

The reduction of the wetland’s water level led to the death of fish and other marine life, making the area an inbound source of dust storm in the southwestern province.

As of the autumn of 2013, DOE stepped in to take remedial measures for reviving the water body and efforts seem to have paid off.

However, despite all the efficient measures taken so far, Zohrabi criticized poor water treatment in the province as one of the serious environmental problems facing the area.

“Less than 5% of industrial urban wastewater is treated and unfortunately, a huge part flows back to Karoun River that supplies household water for residents,” he said.

Zohrabi called on municipal officials and Khuzestan Water and Sewage Company to help prevent any contamination from flowing into the river.