Planning to build an artificial lake with saltwater instead of Lake Urmia

According to the mayor of Urmia, the construction of an artificial lake with saltwater on the outskirts of the Chichest coastal village will be finalized soon.

Given the latest domestic news, Engineer Aydin Rahmani, the mayor of Urmia, emphasized the coincidence with the National Headquarters of Lake Urmia and announced an approach based on interdisciplinary cooperation. These programs have been formulated under the direct order of the Governor of West Azerbaijan and under the scientific supervision of the University of Urmia, and the aim of cooperating is to achieve tangible results to save this vital ecosystem.

One of the suggestions made by the mayor is the plan to convert the entire coast adjacent to the Chichest coastal village into an artificial lake. Chichest Village, as a recreational and welfare complex under the management of Urmia Municipality, has a high potential for attracting tourists and creating recreational spaces. According to the mayor, the project is aimed at restoring a part of the natural perspective of the lake and sustainable tourism development in the region.

Opening of Urmia Salt Water Artificial Lake Project by the end of 1405

Engineer Aydin Rahmani outlined the dimensions of the artificial lake project on the outskirts of the Chichst coastal village and announced municipal plans to restore the experience of a salty blue lake. The most important feature of this artificial lake is the nature of the saline that will allow users to swim and even benefit from sludge therapy, as in the previous experience in Lake Urmia.

Currently, the project is in a critical phase of cost estimation. Rahmani emphasized that the project would immediately enter the executive and operational phase after the estimates were finalized and the necessary funding. However, the challenges of financing and logistics for a project in these dimensions always require careful management and interdisciplinary cooperation to prevent or delay it.

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One of the most important questions about the sustainability of any artificial blue body is how it is supplied. In response to this concern, the mayor of Urmia pointed to two main supply sources. The first source is “Restored Groundwater” and the second source is “directing part of the rivers leading to Lake Urmia”. Rahmani said that given these resources and future plans, the lake is unlikely to dry, which shows initial studies and careful planning to prevent the fate of the original Lake Urmia.

Urmia Municipality has also provided more comprehensive programs to ensure the sustainability and water quality of this artificial lake. These programs include the rotation of groundwater to prevent sediment, prevent groundwater absorption and water storage by new methods.

Finally, the municipality of Urmia has announced a specific timetable for the project. The cost and final design estimate will be completed by the next 3 months. Then, within the next year, they will achieve a final summary of the project’s executive and management dimensions. The mayor of Rahmani announced at the end that by the end of next year, this artificial lake would be ready to be used and usable to the public.