An abnormal drought has engulfed Iran, and the water level in reservoirs supplying major cities is less than five percent. In particular, the reservoirs that provide water to Mashhad, the second largest city in the country, are filled to only three percent or even less. President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that if precipitation does not occur before the start of winter, the capital will have to be evacuated.
Questions about the causes of the situation and responsibility for it are discussed in the article by "Meduza." 24.kg presents a brief summary of this material.
Hope for Rain
According to scientists, Iran is experiencing the driest autumn in the last 70 years. Despite rains in the Zagros Mountains in the west of the country and snow on Mount Tochal near Tehran, the total amount of precipitation is only about one-tenth of the climatic norm.
According to Iranian authorities, operations have begun for cloud seeding aimed at artificially increasing precipitation over the Urmia salt lake basin in the northwest of the country.
This lake, the largest in Iran, has significantly shrunk, and much of it has turned into a salt flat, making the soil unsuitable for most plants.
However, as the publication points out, the problem is that seeding will only be effective with a sufficient level of humidity in the air: the substances sprayed help with condensation and the formation of raindrops. Currently, the air in Iran is extremely dry, including in mountainous areas where clouds usually accumulate.
In Tehran and other major cities, water supply shutdown schedules have been introduced to conserve resources. People are lining up in long queues at water tanks, and prayers for rain are being heard in mosques.
The water crisis has also led to a decrease in electricity generation at hydroelectric power plants and a shortage of water for industrial needs. This, in turn, has negatively affected agricultural production, which could lead to rising food prices.
In the context of the economic crisis in Iran, food prices continue to rise. For example, a kilogram of chicken fillet costs almost $3.5 with an average monthly income of $200. Products are sold on credit.
Iranian authorities may have to consider options for importing water, including desalination technologies from the UAE.
However, due to sanctions and strained relations with neighbors, the country can expect only limited international assistance.
Experts link the water crisis to both climate change and inefficiency in management by the authorities.
One Problem After Another
As "Meduza" notes, the Iranian plateau lacks major rivers as it is surrounded by mountains, making precipitation a rare occurrence. Recent years have also been characterized by high temperatures and aridity.
At the same time, strategic mistakes in the agricultural sector exacerbate the situation. Agriculture in Iran heavily relies on artificial irrigation, which consumes up to 90 percent of fresh water. Fields where export crops such as rice and pistachios are grown are often over-irrigated, leading to significant losses.
Uncontrolled drilling of wells across the country has also contributed to the worsening water situation. Authorities once legalized such wells, hoping to stimulate agricultural development, but did not consider that this would lead to the depletion of aquifers and soil subsidence.
The construction of dams, including hydroelectric power plants, has also negatively affected water resources, as they disrupted the balance of low-water rivers and contributed to the rapid evaporation of water from extensive reservoirs.
The final chord was the lack of clear accounting for water consumption and heavily subsidized tariffs for its use.
As a result, we have drought and the need to relocate the capital. President Pezeshkian stated that the new capital will most likely be built in the Mekran region in the southeast, which has a dry and hot climate but is located near the sea, allowing for water supply through desalination.
P. S. Kyrgyzstan may also face similar problems with water resources, as we have accumulated a "water debt": the country uses more water than is naturally replenished. Additionally, excessive exploitation of groundwater and ineffective state projects exacerbate the situation.
