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November 6, 2024

The Turkmen desert and its flower-filled wetlands / Daniyal Babayani

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Daniel Babayani

Iran is one of the countries that in recent years has been struggling with the alarming phenomenon of drought due to decreased rainfall, negligence and mismanagement of water resources, and ecosystem changes in the region.

The Alagol and Gomish Tepe (Gomishan) wetlands are located in the Turkmen Sahra region and around the village of “Dashli Barun” in Golestan province. These wetlands, which are located on the northern border of Iran and neighboring Turkmenistan, are registered as a Ramsar Convention site – an international treaty for the conservation of wetlands and their associated flora and fauna, especially waterbirds. The convention was adopted in 1971 in the city of Ramsar and has since been ratified by 169 countries.

Wetlands are one of the main factors for growth and agriculture, but uncontrolled and excessive agriculture has caused significant damage to the environment. This is particularly concerning in water-scarce countries like Iran, where 85% of water resources are used for agricultural purposes. It is considered a serious threat.

Alagol Lake is the largest lake in Golestan province, located in the Turkmen Sahra desert on the verge of complete drying up. This lake covers an area of 25 square kilometers and has a maximum depth of 2.50 meters in ideal conditions. The lake is home to a thriving population of brackish water fish, particularly white fish and carp, which are bred there.

The international Gomish Tappeh (Gomishan) wetland, with an approximate area of 17,700 hectares and an average depth of 5.1 meters, is located in the west of the deprived Gomishan county and extends from the village of Charqoli to the border of Turkmenistan, with a length of approximately 30 kilometers and a width of 2-3 kilometers. Unfortunately, in recent years, this wetland has completely dried up and been destroyed. This international wetland was home to various colorful migratory and native birds, as well as marine fish, which attracted tourists and nature lovers from all over the country and even neighboring countries. Many of these visitors would camp and stay there, especially during holidays, and enjoy the pristine and beautiful nature of the region and the clean and pleasant sea air. In this wetland, not only the residents of this deprived county would fish and hunt during the allowed seasons to make a living, but

The residents of Gomish Tappeh are facing a difficult living situation due to the lack of industrial and employment opportunities, as well as the salinity of agricultural lands and the absence of surface and underground fresh water, especially due to unprecedented droughts in recent years. This has resulted in the highest level of unemployment in the province. This has also led to a rapid increase in various social problems.

Given that the majority of the people in the region are fishermen and the reason for the existence of the city of Gomish Tepeh is also fishing and hunting, addressing this environmental issue is crucial, especially for controlling the resulting economic and social crisis. According to the majority of experts, since the distance between this wetland and the Caspian Sea is only a few hundred meters, it is possible to revive this wetland with minimal costs. However, it is evident that there has been no practical will among the responsible officials to solve this multifaceted crisis, and continuing this neglect will undoubtedly result in even higher costs for compensation in addition to increasing damages.

Sources.

1- Persian Wikipedia.

Created By: Danial Babayani
June 22, 2016

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Alagli Daniel Babayani Drought Gomish Hill Lake peace line Turkmen Desert Water shortage