Water returns to lake Urmia

Lake Urmia, an endorheic lake on the border between West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan provinces, has refilled after last year's record-breaking drought. Iranian environmentalists have noted an 18-fold increase in water volume.

Iranian environmentalists have recorded a significant recovery in Lake Urmia's water volume, which had been experiencing an environmental catastrophe in recent decades due to severe shallowing. Thanks to precipitation this year, the lake's key indicator exceeded 4 cubic kilometers.

The Department of Ecology of West Azerbaijan province, one of the two provinces within which the lake lies, announced positive trends in Urmia's water supply. According to the experts, the lake's water level has increased by approximately 18 times in 6 months.

It is reported that last November, following a record drought that plagued Iran throughout 2025, the volume of Lake Urmia dropped to just 0.24 cubic kilometers, and its area shrank to 456 square kilometers.