ECOLOGICAL DISASTER OF URMIA LAKE AND EVALUATING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN COMPARISON WITH...

Archives Des Sciences Vol 65, No. 7;Jul 2012

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ECOLOGICAL DISASTER OF URMIA LAKE AND EVALUATING ITS

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN COMPARISON WITH SIMILAR

CASES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

Mohammad Soleimani (Corresponding author)

Ph.D. Student in Environment, Urmia University of medical Sciences, Jahad Ave.,

Urmia , Iran. Postcode: 57147-83737, P.O.Box: 1138

Tel: +98-9144485626, E-mail: [email protected]

Professor Shovghi Goychaili

Director of Environmental protection Department in Baku state University of Azerbaijan.

Sara Khoshmanesh

B.s of Environmental Health, Urmia University of medical Sciences.

Abstract:

Preface:

Urmia Lake is located in northwestern Iran between two west and east Azerbaijan province. Over the

past year ُs, huge parts of the lake dried off and If it keeps on drying in the same way, what Health and

Environmental out comes do you think will threaten local residents, other provinces and our neighbors?

Method:

In this study, an attempt has been done to examine the reduction of Urmia lake water during the recent

years and its health and environmental consequences in comparison with other similar cases in such

different parts of the world as: Aral, Chad, Ebinur, Aydingkol and Boga lakes.

Findings:

the results of the paper indicates that there are obvious signs based on the degradation of ecological

functions in the ecosystem of Urmia lake which may lead to remarkable and irretrievable health and

environmental consequences for instance, east villages of the lake have been evacuated in addition, due

to spreading salt storms and pollution. (soil, water and air)in the environmental, the out comes of

poverty and diseases out break will be emerged in various forms as unwanted migration and social

abnormalities and disorders.

Conclusion:

If no action is taken, investigations show that surface water level will continue to decrease and water

volume will continue to shrink. Since comprehensive studies of health and environmental out comes of

Urmia lake crisis have not been seriously done so for, we ُd better support research projects, finally and

more importantly a systematic manage mental procedure should be replaced with this actually sub

management system of this invaluable ecosystem.

Key words: Urmia lake, Ecological disaster, Out comes, Environmental consequences, Aral lake.

1. Introduction:

Urmia lake with following natural and general characteristics: The second salty lake of the world, the

biggest natural environment of Artemia, the world ُs 20th

big lake, the world ُs saltiest lake in which life

goes on, and the biggest internal lake of Iran. Nowadays, beside all these headings and characteristics

there is on other one that includes on environmental crisis with which this valuable ecosystem is


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challenging. Passing by the Urmia lake shores, It ُs possible to see readily the lake ُs salty bed as for as

kilometers. This regression and the lake ُs measurement becoming undersized is a significant warning:

as the salty parts caused by the lake ُs retreat, will threaten all lands, forms, buildings, residential areas

and also surrounding village. In addition, through the gust of wind, the salt existing in generated salty

lands will be spreading towards those lands and residential areas and accordingly this phenomenon will

directly affect the region ُ s agriculture, people ُ s health and immigrations increase. Since the desert

caused by the above mentioned process is of salty and perilous type, life continuation of local species

will seriously be in jeopardy. ( See Figure ( 1 ) and Figure ( 2 ) )

2. Discussion:

LANDSAT images from 1976 to 2011 display sudden and distinct dropping pattern in lake area

especially in eastern and southern parts of the Lake [1]. Relevantly, The lake salinity increased from

140 gr/lit to about 310 over the last decade. ( see Graph -1 )

As shown in graph No:1, water level balance of the lake has already experienced a severe regressive

period in 1955 to below 1273min proportion to free waters level and just then has been located in a

rising balanced situation. After heavy floods and rainy years during the early 1990 ُs, the lake ُs water

level has seen an intense rising which has been about 180cm for one month and 1278.5 meters upper

than free waters level. In addition, all equipments of western part of the lake ُ s shore has been

surrounded low water and in subsequent years descending coarse of Urmia lake ُ s water level has

started so that the amount of which has been much higher compared with the 1950 ُs. Actual balance of

national park of Urmia lake is 1271.20(m) which is respectively 3 and 7(m) lower as compared with its

ecologic balance and also its highest amount. ( see Figure ( 3 ) )

2-1. Causes of drying of Urmia Lake:

Climate changes, Long periods of drought led to decrease in the amount of direct rainfall and water

input by the rivers as in 1998-1999 water year, 1.36 million m3 was entered in to lake that was less

than half of the average entry (3.42million m3). This dramatic decline accompanied by a gradual

increase in evaporation from milliard m3 in 1995 to 22 milliard m3 currently. ( see Figure ( 4 ) )

Human population growth in the lake basin has seriously increased the need for a industrial and

agricultural and domestic in recent years, all of which are supplied from surface and groundwater

sources in the area. By holding back water, these dams result in an imminent decrease in freshwater

inflow, a concomitant increase in salinity, and a decline in water level. In addition, driving deep water

wells operated by electrical pumps, exporting water, and increasing population which require more

water resources negatively affects the water level in the lake.

A project to construct a highway across Lake Urmia was initiated in 1979 to facilitate communication

between Tabriz in East Azerbaijan and Urmia in West Azerbaijan. This highway divides the lake into

south and north arms and significantly alters circulation of water. A research has concluded that over

long-term periods, the causeway has not had a significant impact on the overall salinity patterns in the

lake. However, full impact of this construction on ecosystem as well as decreasing water level has not

been adequately investigated.

2-2. An overview over similar cases in other parts of the world:

2.2.1 - Aral lake:

the watershed basin of Aral lake consists of Kazakhstan, kerkizestan , Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and

Turkmenistan countries; but the lake is bordered on the north by Kazakhstan and on the south by

Uzbekistan it self. Aral lake was the 4th

big lake world wide in 1960. So for, environmental crisis of

Aral lake has caused some consequences as follows: Effect on climate: 1. Air pollution due to the

augmentation of suspended particles, chemical substances and salt. 2. The annihilation of air

adjustability by the lake i.e. winters got much colder and summers much hotter. 3. Farming period

decrease. 4. The increase of rainless days [4].


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-Effect on health: 1. The increase of different types of cancers (blood, larynx) 2. The increase of

respiratory system diseases (asthma, bronchitis) 3.The increase of mortality rate in babies and abortions

and also various sorts of defect in babies. 4. The out break of different types of ocular diseases.

- Ecological and economical effect: 1. The destruction of delta ecosystem. 2. The destruction of ship

building and fishing industries and related industries. 3. The destruction of various types of herbal and

animal species. 4. Many villages evacuation. 5. The increase of unemployment and poverty rate. 6. The

appearance of serious problems in quality and quantity of drinkable water. Aral lake is fed up by

Amudarya and sirdarya rivers. Since 1960, the Soviet republics union deviated the water of those two

rivers (Amudarya and sirdarya) in order to increase the under cultivation land of cotton from 3.5

million to 7.5 million hectares. The lake faced drought. The flowing water into the lake decreased up to

one tenth and also the size of the lake diminished up to (70 %) percents and the water regressed about

look from each side. The depth of the water was reduced to half and declined approximately 19 meters.

Nowadays only %25 of its 68000 square kilometers size has remained and the lake has been practically

divided into 2 parts (northern and southern Aral) during the drought occurred in 1980s no water flew

into the lake and finally the lake ُs water average decrease which during the 1960s was about 21cm per

year, amounted to 60 cm in 1970s and 80cm in 1980s per year. Now, %80 of the lake ُs water size has

disappeared and 3.6 million hectares of the lake bed has been dried up. The lake being dried a salty bed

of 36000 square kilometers size afflicted by pesticides has been left out [10]. ( see Figure ( 5 ) )

Huge sand storms which occurs ten times a years, erode the lakesُ dried bed and disperse million tons of

dust over surrounding areas every year which causes the out break of different types of respiratory

diseases and skin and lung cancers region wide. According to the UNICCO ُ s report in this region.

Pregnant women ُs health is still getting worse due to the awfully disgusting quality of drinkable water

and ultimately lots of babies are given birth dead or deform shaped so that the region now has one of

the baby's highest mortality rate world wide. The increase of salt and mineral contents in this lake ُ s

water, has exerted the most negative effect on environment. In closer shore areas of the lake, such

diseases as Anemia, cancer , kidney and liver inconveniences and also infants diseases have been

reported more than other areas. According to the implemented studying, infants mortality rate in the

Aral region, has increased from about 25 in 1000 live births in 1950 to 70 and 100 in 1000 live births in

1996. Women ُs mortality rate has reached 12 in every 1000 women. In addition, in some closer areas

of the lake, infant's mortality rate has been even reported more than 100 in 1000. Whereas medical

progress, has remarkably decreased babies mortality rate during these 50 years. Babies little weight at

birth time, intelligence quotient decline delay in puberty, and nervous diseases all have been over

normally reported severe respiratory diseases are the cause of more than half of children ُs death. Mean

which, diarrhea illnesses are placed in the second grade. Contagious diseases which are transferred

through water, like typhoid, Hepatitis (A) and infectious illnesses have been severely spread.

Malnutrition and anemia are significant factors. Organ chlorine pesticides, poly chlorine bi finials and

the Dioxins have been highly reported in mothers blood and milk [14,15,11,13 ]. Organ chlorines were

arising from the used Russian pesticides in cotton farms of past decades. Drinking water shortage is

also a serious problem in Aral lake area; due to the high density of salt which was effective on

agricultural used water amount [18]. Generally recent studies show a meaningful relation ship between

suspended particles around Aral lake and respiratory diseases [16]. On the other hand, the increase of

water ُs saltiness and pollution, destroyed most of Aral lake ُs fishes including local species [9] so that it

led to the fishing reduction from 43430 tons in 1960 to 17460 in 1970 to nearly 0 in 1980. Saltiness

damaged more than 6 million hectares of lands [7]. The effects were including vegetative coverage

decrease and fodder which resulted in the decrease of animal's number of the region [17]. The decrease

of the lake ُs water level caused the destruction of related activities to fishing and the evacuation of the

two ports: Muiniagh in Uzbekistan and Aralesck in Kazakhstan and the fishery industry and 60

thousand occupations were finally destroyed in these 2 ports and also apart from economically

irretrievable expenses, the increase of lake ُs water saltiness and five million individuals deprivation of

drinking water and mortality rate increase and diseases out break in this region led to the migration of

numerous residents into other regions [18,4]. Additionally, the lake ُ s dried bed was including sands

covered with salt polluted by pesticides. Intense sand storms which take place every ten years, erode

the lake ُs dried bed and accordingly carry million tons of dust to the surrounding regions every year

[19, 20].


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2.2.2 - Chad lake:

This lake is located in the neighbor hood of desert among four African countries having more than 20

million population, the lake is the fourth biggest in Africa and the 6th

world wide. According to the

united nation ُs report, during the years 1963-1998 nearly 95% of the lake got dried and only 5% of that

remained un dried [3,34]. In 1963, lake ُs surface was including 25000 square kilometers and its depth

was about 5-8 meters, the lake was an appropriate habitat for different animals and a good economical

source for fishermen, farmers and ranchers. Two rivers: Chari and long one feed the lake. The lake ُs

watershed area is 967000 square kilometers and 20 million people live in its neighbor hood. Annual

evaporation of the lake equals 2000mm. The actual surface or area of the lake is about 1350 square

kilometers which according to the reports will very soon dry if it keeps on the mentioned trend [21].

Human activities around the lake ُ s realm containing the increase of dams water use, the increase of

forms irrigative activities and continuous droughts are considered as the main reasons for drying of

Chad lake. Between the years 1967-1973 20% of the lake was ruined due to drought. During the years

1980-1990 the lake sُ feeding rivers water was deviated and two thirds of these rivers water didntُ flow

into the lake. From 1953 to 1979, the use of water for farming purposes had a trivial effect of the lake sُ

drying process but during the years 1983-1994 agricultural lands were raised and lakesُ surface was also

reduced 50%. ( see Figure ( 6 ) )

The problems as soil sُ saltiness unwanted vegetative species, the increase of demands for irrigation,

fishing decrease, climatic change and its destructive effects on the region sُ farming and accordingly the

increase of poverty and various types of diseases out break, have been involved in the people sُ

migration into other areas or regions [22]. Nowadays, the authorities are desirous of having

international support for the rehabilitation of the lake so that the Oubangui river sُ water could be

canalized into the lake in a project called which is really difficult due to heavy financial costs [23].

2.2.3 - Abinur lake:

The lake is located in north western china the length of the lake is 50 kilometers and its width is 10-20

kilometers and also the average depth is 1.4 [35,24]. This lake sُ water saltiness is 80 to 120 gram per

liter and its salt ingredients consists of chloride and sulphate sodium [35, 25]. Since 1950 sُ along with

agricultural and economical activities development, the agricultural usable lands of regions around the

lake was raised from 23000 hectors to 253000 hectors and usable or consumable water for irrigative

and domestic purposes was increased from 409 milliard meters to 2137 milliard meters per cube as

well. The researchers have reported the decrease of lake sُ feeding rivers water as the main reason for

Abinur lake sُ drying process, so that nearly 800 square kilometers of the lake sُ surface got dried and its

surface was reduced to 746 square kilometers in 2004 and 500 square kilometers in 2006 as well [35].

However, the lake sُ surface amounted to 3000 square kilometers before the rivers deviation. Now, the

lake sُ dried bed has been covered with a layer of salt as thick as 2-5 cm (26). North-west winds carry

salt ingredients to tens and hundreds of kilometers for away from the lake. Through an extensive study,

the amounts of PH, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, Hco3−, Cl−and So4

2−, in the lake sُ water and surrounding dust were

estimated as for as 300 kilometers. It was also determined that 4.8 milliard tons of dust including salt is

carried around the lake every year which 0.5-3.4 milliard tons is thought to be salt out of that amount.

The average carried dust through wind amounts to 6 kilograms per square meter in this study [24,19

,20]. ( see Figure ( 7 ) )

Through an extensive study as for as 300 kilometers around the lake, the dust existing in the air has

been sampled and the accumulated salt amount has been calculated in surface unit [17]. In this study,

the amounts of PH, Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,Cl-,Hco3

-,So4

2-in the lake sُ water and surrounding dust were

estimated as for as 300 kilometers around the lake. It was also determined that 4.8 milliard tons of dust

including salt is carried up around the lake, the salt amount of which is approximately 0.5-3.4 milliard

tons. The carried or transferred dust through wind amounted to 6 kilograms per square meter in this

study [18,27]. According to studies carried out in areas around the Abinur lake in China, it became

clear that dust storm frequency in southeastern areas of the lake has reached 30 to 40 days a year and in

far east and west 10 days a year. However, in regions for there than the lake and at a distance of more

than 60 kilometers storms frequency is only few times a year. According to the above-mentioned study

the dust accumulation including salt has also been remarkably increased over regions around the

Abinur lake . Salt amount in the materials or substances carried by wind is really high which includes

chloride sodium and calcium ingredients.


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2.2.4 - Aydingkol lake:

This lake is located in China and at a distance of 35 kilometers from the south of Turpan (a city in

China). It is known as moon light lake due to the existence of a white salt layer along the lake and a

bright surface. The lake is 40 kilometers long east-west wise and it is 8 kilometers wide north-south

wise. The lakes size is about 200 square kilometers and has been made up at the time of Himalaya

formation. First of everything, the lake sُ water source is prepared from the snow melting process.

Aydingkol lake is considered as the earth sُ second lowest place after the dead sea as high as 155 meters

in proportion to free waters level. Due to the use of lakesُ water in farming and evaporation, its surface

is lower in summers and higher in winters. Through agricultural development and the use of lakesُ of

water for drinking purpose and also under the influence of climatic conditions, the size of the lake

equals 22 square kilometers in 1958. In 2000, only some parts of the lake remains and the rest turns

into a salt desert. Nowadays, the lake sُ site, has turned into the white vitriol mine and also primitive

source for chemical products. The salt rate existing in the lake amounts to 300 million tons [28,29]. (

see Figure ( 8 ) )

2.2.5 - Boga Lake:

This Lake is located next to a city called the same name in the Victoria of Australia. Boga Lake is also

located at a distance of 325 kilometers from northwestern Melbourne. Because of drought and water

shortage in this area during the years 2007 to 2009, the lakes water volume decreased to zero. The lake

while being watery was economically and environmentally invaluable for local communities, but after

it had been dried, negative effects of this environmental crisis, was fully felt on the society sُ

economical, environmental and healthy situations: such effects as the increase of parasitic infectious

diseases, the increase of dust storms, polluted air caused by aquatics decomposition (like fishes), the

decrease of life quality can be impressive in this field. As a matter of fact, the increase of

unemployment the increase of migration, the decrease of properties value because of economical

isolation of society, and more additionally the decrease of tourists visitation and the break down of

recreational facilities like swimming, water skiing , boating, have remarkably had negative effects.

Although we can not attribute the main reason of lake sُ water drying to climatic changes, but the hope

for returning water into the lake is a significant factor for the maintenance of these people who have not

migrated yet [30]. ( see Figure ( 9 ) )

3. Conclusion:

In this paper we analyzed different statistic data about the lake in the 90 years time period which

illustrate that if this process continues, the lake is going to be dried up in the near future. Investigations

demonstrated that climate changes and dam constructing are the most important reasons for this

disaster. Continuously we studied the wide variety of problems which this drying may cause and used

the information of worldwide lake which are extinguished or are going to die soon. Investigations show

that if this environmental disaster takes place we will encounter a wide area of problems like extinct of

most of animal types and creation of a huge salt desert. This desert will be the source of contemplated

winds which carries dust, salt and chemical fertilizers from dried surface of the lake to the region as far

as 300km. This huge amount of contaminants will cover farms, fruit gardens and urban areas and will

make different social, economic and health problems. If no action is taken, investigations show that

surface water level will continue to decrease and water volume will continue to shrink. Since

comprehensive studies of health and environmental out comes of Urmia lake crisis have not been

seriously done so for, we ُd better support research projects, finally and more importantly a systematic

manage mental procedure should be replaced with this actually sub management system of this

invaluable ecosystem. ( see Figure ( 10 ) )

4. Acknowledgement:

Special thanks to professor shovghi Goychayli, Director of environmental department of Baku national

university (Azerbaijan) due to all his unsparing trouble and sincere cooperation to help me with the

thesis and his travelling to Iran in order to assess the Urmia lake sُ environmental crisis situation despite

all his occupational obstacles or responsibilities.


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5. References :

1- SOLEIMANI, MOHAMMAD, ASSESSMENT THE WESTERN ECOSYSTEM OF URMIA

LAKE , ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, PH.D. THESIS, BAKU STATE

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24- Eimanifar A., and Mohebbi F., (2007). Review: Urmia Lake (Northwest Iran): a brief

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Figure ( 1 ) – Aerial photographs of the Urmia Lake in Iran - West Azerbaijan.

Figure ( 2 ) Photos of salt layers formation in Urmia lake beaches and gathering salt from the lake ُs dry

surface.

Graph -1: Balance fluctuations of water level of Urmia lake.


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Figure ( 3 ) – Urmia Lake water level in different years


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Figure ( 4 ) - Water resources development and dam constructions in west Azerbaijan province [1].


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Figure ( 5 ) - Satellite pictures of the lake ُs drying trend from 1989 to 2010.

Figure ( 6 ) - Picture of the Chad lake sُ drying trend and situation during the years 1982-2000 .

Figure ( 7 ) - Pictures of Abinur lake sُ environmental situation in northwestern China.


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Figure ( 8 ) - pictures of the Aydingkol lake sُ environmental situation in China .

Figure ( 9 ) - pictures of Boga lake sُ environment at situation in Australia.

Figure ( 10 ) – Images of the environmental impacts occurring in urmia lake ecosystems .

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