Quoted from Mehr; The drying up of Hoyer Lake has not only changed the face of Damavand’s nature, but also endangered the life of animal species, including the brown bear whose footpris were recely seen on the edge of the lake.
Lake Hoyer, one of the pristine natural attractions of Damavand in Tehran province, which uil recely was known as a symbol of the beauty of Alborz mouains, is now completely dried up and silted up.
This eve, which occurred based on official reports and field observations, is a serious alarm for the water crisis in the east of the capital.
Lake Hoyer, located in the ceral part of Damavand and near the village of Hoyer, was a vital resource for the local ecosystem and migratory birds with its fresh water, but the sharp decrease in rainfall and inefficie manageme of water resources have brought it to the poi of destruction.
This situation has not only caused serious damage to the natural ecosystem, but also threatens the life of migratory birds and animal species depende on this water area.
The drying up of Hoyer Lake has serious consequences for wildlife
Environmeal experts have declared consecutive drought, excessive extraction of underground resources and reduced water input from nearby springs as the main reasons for this disaster. Also, field observations show that the volume of lake water has gradually decreased in the past mohs and now only mud remains on its bottom.
Naqi Mirzakrimi, head of the Damavand Environmeal Protection Departme, described this situation as “worrying” and added:
The decrease in rainfall in rece years, along with unauthorized withdrawals from underground water sources, has caused the water input from the springs around this lake to be minimized. The drying up of this lake can have serious consequences for the wildlife of the region. Hover Lake is a part of the “Tar and Hover Lakes” protected area, which has valuable pla and animal diversity. Even brown bear footpris have recely been recorded on the edge of this lake, which shows the importance of this habitat.
Mirzakarimi meioned the previous protective measures and said:
In the past two years, by blocking the access road 500 meters away from the lake, traffic was reduced and relative peace was created for wildlife, but the curre water crisis has made these gains ineffective.
It seems that climate change and inefficie manageme of water resources have seriously threatened this valuable habitat.
Hamidreza Ramezani, senior expert on water resources, described the curre situation of this lake as “unprecedeed in the last ceury” and warned:
Climate change and improper manageme of water resources have seriously threatened this unique ecosystem. The snow line in our mouains is getting higher every year. Warm and rainless autumns, rainy wiers instead of snow, and sudden snowfalls in the spring are all signs of climate change that our coury is facing.
This senior water expert considered uncorolled developme in Damavand region as one of the main factors of the curre crisis and said:
Unfortunately, in the last 30 years, developme in Damavand has progressed regardless of the ecological capacity and water resources of the region. Water consumption per hectare of villa is more than 56,000 cubic meters per year, while agriculture in the same area consumes only 8,000 cubic meters of water. This means that water consumption in villas is seven times more than in agriculture.
The population of Damavand reaches one million people in summer
Ramezani stated that the population of Damavand has increased 7-10 times compared to the last 40 years and added:
While Damavand can only accommodate 85,000 people based on its ecological capacity, in the summer season, the population of this area reaches nearly one million people. The water that comes out of wells today is actually “sap,” fossilized, highly saline water stored deep in the earth. Using these waters for agriculture is like pouring acid on the feet of trees. To save Damavand and its water resources, the population of Tehran province should be reduced between 10 and 13 million people and developme should be planned based on the actual capacity of water resources. Damavand, as the beginning of the watershed, plays a vital role in supplying water to several provinces, and any developme in this area must be done with this importa issue in mind.
Hoyer Lake, which is located in a rhombus shape to the west of Hoyer village, has fresh water and was a trout fishing spot for the locals in the past. This lake is located in the northern highlands of Damavand Couy and is part of the Tar and Hoyer Prohibited Huing Zone, which was recely officially announced to strengthen the protection of the upstream watersheds.
