An advisor to the project manager of the Chitgar artificial lake in western Tehran said the lake only drains one fortieth of Kan Creek's water, dismissing claims that it might cause the river's desiccation.
Speaking to ISNA, Hossein Hashemi said Kan Creek, which is a seasonal stream, brings an annual average of 80 million cubic meters of water downstream though it might vary year by year.
"Taking into account the conditions of the river, the Regional Water Authority had decided that 5 million cm could be withdrawn from the creek to feed the lake, so it issued a permit, but practically this amount is not supplied [at present]," he said.
The expert explained that a larger volume was needed at first to fill up the artificial lake, but at the moment, only around two million cm or less is drained.
"The real withdrawal equals the amount of evaporation and is 2.5% or one fortieth of the total 80 million cm of water brought down by the creek," he noted.
The amount might be slightly over or under this figure in different years, but it is very unlikely that the lake causes any problem for Kan Creek since it only needs one fortieth of the river's water which is a small amount, he stressed.
Prudent Planning
Besides, water is directed toward the lake at certain months chiefly in winter and off the farming season. So the right of other beneficiaries is upheld, according to the project advisor.
"The Regional Water Authority oversees the process and does not allow drainage in seasons that rain is scarce or water is used by farmers," Hashemi said.
He emphasized that creating any sort of recreational center requires certain precautions and considerations.
"If instead of a lake, green space was developed in the area, it would need as much water which needed to be supplied from other sources," he said.
