Exploring the causes and consequences of Lake Urmia environmental disaster

Urmia Lake is the second largest hypersaline lake in the world, covering average 5000 km2 when full. The lake moderates extreme temperatures of the region and many tourists visit it for recreation, swimming and mud treatment during summer. During last two decades, increased demands for agricultural water in the lake's basin and recent droughts have shrunk the lake dramatically, exposing 60-80% of the lake bed. Increasing population, rising the water and food demand, irregular development of agriculture and droughts are considered as the main factors in Urmia lake shrinkage. The most important consequences of the lake retreating are: biodiversity reduction, salt storms occurrences, diseases increasing, tourism vanishing, agriculture weakening, unemployment, migration and low income for local people. This review indicates that increased water demand in the lake basin, recent droughts and global warming are the main drivers for the Urmia Lake shrinkage. The Iranian government has made restoration of this remarkable ecosystem a crucial priority. Here we concluded the causes and consequences of Urmia Lake shrinkage and provide a brief discussion of the impacts on its fauna and flora, coloration, wetlands and islands. As Urmia Lake shrinking persists, many environmental, economic and social advantages will be completely lost in the lake's basin.