Where Is the River?

Many people in Isfahan blame badly planned dam construction following Iran’s 1979 revolution as the main factor in the river’s disappearance. The Zayandehrood, too, was dammed in its upper reaches, creating a reservoir that is reported to be currently at a fraction of its capacity. However, many believe the central government diverted the river’s flow to provide water to drier provinces nearby such as Yazd and Kerman, as part of its environmental mismanagement in the country.

Pictured above is the famous Si-o-se pol bridge.

According to scientists, more than half of Iran’s provinces have to be evacuated in the future if nothing changes in respect to water management, water usage of the farmers and population growth because it simply will be to dry to live there. Some even say that the current drought is a bigger enemy than America.

Another dry riverbed between Mashad and Tehran, October 28, 2015

Iran had a refined underground water system (hanaz) for centuries; but because of the constant thirst of the Iranian farmers, who are using 90% of the drinking water for their fields, these dried out.

Recently, the Isfahan Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine’s Kherson and Donetsk provinces for cooperation in “Farming Beyond Borders” program. “Farming Beyond Borders” is a government project aimed at reducing water consumption and increasing food security by renting cultivable land in other countries for growing water-intensive crops. Official sources earlier announced plans by the government to implement similar projects in Kazakhstan and Ghana. Head of Isfahan Chamber of Commerce, Seyyed Abdolvahab Sahlabadi, said: “In view of the shortage of water and fertile land in Isfahan Province, we can utilize the capacities of countries such as Ukraine to generate profits for both Iran and the host country.”

Here’s a super interesting little documentary about the Zayandeh river by New York Times’ Iran correspondent, Thomas Erdbrink.