Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 4 / Trend T. Jafarov /
The water level in Lake Urmia has risen by 20 centimeters due to recent rainfall, head of the Lake Urmia National Park, Umid Yusifi said today according to the Iranian news agency İSNA.
Observations made on the islands of Lake Urmia, show that mammal life is normal near the lake. No cases of disease or extinction were found, he said.
Yusifi said that the Lake Urmia National Park is being managed in crisis mode.
The area of Lake Urmia is about 6000 square kilometers. The lake drying up has an impact on the flora and fauna of the region.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has allocated $135 million to Iran to resolve its environmental problems with shoaling at Lake Urmia. The Iranian government allocated $900 million for this purpose in September 2011.
A project to direct 600 million cubic meters of water from the River Araz into Lake Urmia was launched during a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and members of the government to Tabriz in 2010. $1.2 billion was planned to be allocated to the implementation of this project.