“Caspian Sea Water Equivalent to 12 Full Lake Urmia Basins Has Decreased”
The head of Iran’s National Cartography Organization stated that the water level of the Caspian Sea has decreased by four centimeters over the past two years and by one meter in the last decade. According to this Iranian official, the cause of the Caspian Sea’s water reduction has been decreased rainfall and reduced water inflow from rivers.
Masoud Shafiei, head of Iran’s National Cartography Organization, announced on Sunday, September 25 (September 16) at a press conference in Tehran that over the past decade, one meter has been lost from the Caspian Sea’s water level, and the Caspian Sea’s water loss equals 380 square kilometers, equivalent to 12 Lake Urmia basins at its full capacity.
Shafiei said that the trend of Caspian Sea water reduction will continue given the data received monthly from this region.
Causes of Caspian Sea Water Loss
The head of Iran’s National Cartography Organization cited insufficient rainfall, decreased water inflow from rivers, and particularly reduced water from the Volga basin in Russia as the most important factors in the lowering of the Caspian Sea’s water level.
Iranian media had previously reported that Russia has made significant withdrawals from the Volga River in recent years as the primary supplier of water to the Caspian Sea. The Volga River supplies 75 percent of the Caspian Sea’s water; excessive withdrawals and dam construction on this river for drinking and agricultural purposes have impacted the Caspian Sea’s water reduction.
Caspian Sea experts warn that as the sea retreats, ports will also lose their effectiveness and ships that dock at these ports will run aground. In this case, either coastal areas would need to be dredged to increase sea depth, or port pier lengths would need to be extended, both of which would be very difficult and costly to implement.
However, some local experts believe that the Caspian Sea water loss is periodic and temporary, and that climate change and warming have caused increased evaporation and lowered the Caspian Sea’s water level.
Source: DW
