A research revealed on Wednesday, February 4th, revealed that Iran is without doubt one of the three nations most affected by the speedy decline of underground water ranges over the previous 4 a long time.
Citing the scientific journal “Nature,” the Reuters information company reported that unsustainable irrigation practices and local weather change have led to a widespread and accelerated decline on the planet’s underground water ranges.
The research, which analyzed 170,000 wells in over 40 nations, famous that the decline is especially vital in arid areas with intensive agricultural land, resembling northern China, Iran, and the western United States.
It additionally discovered that greater than one-third of the world’s underground water rock plenty have diminished by not less than one meter yearly for the previous 22 years, with some aquifers in Spain, Iran, China, and the United States declining by over two meters per yr.
Scott Jascheko, one of many authors of the research, acknowledged, “One of the more than likely drivers of speedy groundwater depletion is over-abstraction of groundwater for irrigated agriculture in arid climates.” He additionally highlighted the impression of local weather change-induced droughts, main farmers to extract extra groundwater for irrigation.
The research emphasised that groundwater depletion poses extreme financial and environmental threats, together with decreased crop yields and harmful land subsidence, particularly in coastal areas.
While some nations have applied measures to restrict groundwater pumping and enhance aquifers, environmental consultants in Iran have raised issues concerning the reducing water ranges in wetlands, lakes, and rivers throughout completely different provinces.
Earlier on February 1st, the director basic of environmental safety of Fars province disclosed that not less than six out of 14 wetlands, together with Parshan and Bakhtegan, are utterly dry within the province.
He lamented the dearth of hope for the revival of those wetlands and highlighted the hostile results of air pollution on Maharlo Lake, which has solely 15-20% water remaining.
The drying of Lake Urmia and the controversial “mulching” undertaking on elements of its mattress have additionally sparked debates.
Environment and ecology professional Mansour Sohrabi warned that Lake Urmia is in its worst situation in historical past and will doubtlessly dry up utterly, attributing the present scenario to mismanagement within the catchment space over the previous 4 a long time.