{"id":452003,"date":"2022-05-24T11:05:21","date_gmt":"2022-05-24T08:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/iconic-iran-river-threatened-by-droughts-diversions\/"},"modified":"2022-05-24T11:05:21","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T08:05:21","slug":"iconic-iran-river-threatened-by-droughts-diversions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/iconic-iran-river-threatened-by-droughts-diversions\/","title":{"rendered":"#Iconic Iran river threatened by droughts, diversions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40c45120a3d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40c45120a3d\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/iconic-iran-river-threatened-by-droughts-diversions\/#%E2%80%9CIconic_Iran_river_threatened_by_droughts_diversions%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Iconic Iran river threatened by droughts, diversions&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CIconic_Iran_river_threatened_by_droughts_diversions%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Iconic Iran river threatened by droughts, diversions&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2022\/iranians-gather-on-the.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/iranians-gather-on-the.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Iranians gather on the iconic Khaju Bridge over the Zayandeh Rud river in Isfahan, on May 16, 2022.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2022\/iranians-gather-on-the.jpg\" alt=\"Iranians gather on the iconic Khaju Bridge over the Zayandeh Rud river in Isfahan, on May 16, 2022\" title=\"Iranians gather on the iconic Khaju Bridge over the Zayandeh Rud river in Isfahan, on May 16, 2022.\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Iranians gather on the iconic Khaju Bridge over the Zayandeh Rud river in Isfahan, on May 16, 2022.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The famed river bridges of the Iranian city of Isfahan are a beloved tourist draw\u2014but much of the time their stone arches span just sand and rocks, not water.<\/p>\n<section class=\"article-banner first-banner ads-336x280\">\n         <!-- \/4988204\/Phys_Story_InText_Box --><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p>Drought and upstream water diversions have seen the Zayandeh Rood, &#8220;fertile river&#8221; in Persian, run dry since 2000, with only rare exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>Sitting on a quay with two friends, 60-year-old Jalal Mirahmadi gazed with melancholy at the riverbed, which became the site of a farmers&#8217; protest late last year.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When I was a child, the water flowed under the arches of the bridge and sometimes overflowed to spill into the surrounding streets,&#8221; he sighed.<\/p>\n<p>The river runs nearly 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Zagros Mountains in the west to Lake Gavkhouni in the east, making it the longest waterway in central Iran.<\/p>\n<p>On its way through Isfahan, it meanders under several beautifully crafted bridges from the 17th century, the city&#8217;s golden age when it was the Persian capital.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When the water of Zayandeh Rood flows, the bridges have a special <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>earance and beauty,&#8221; said Ali Mohammad Fassihi of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;These historic bridges are meaningless without water.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><b>Heat and drought<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Largely arid Iran, like other nearby countries, has suffered chronic dry spells and heat waves for years, which are expected to worsen with climate change.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2022\/iranians-voice-their-a.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/iranians-voice-their-a.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Iranians voice their anger after their province's lifeblood river dried up due to drought and water diversions, in the central city of Isfahan, on November 19, 2021.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2022\/iranians-voice-their-a.jpg\" alt=\"Iranians voice their anger after their province's lifeblood river dried up due to drought and water diversions, in the central c\" title=\"Iranians voice their anger after their province's lifeblood river dried up due to drought and water diversions, in the central city of Isfahan, on November 19, 2021.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                Iranians voice their anger after their province&#8217;s lifeblood river dried up due to drought and water diversions, in the central city of Isfahan, on November 19, 2021.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Iran is sometimes hit by summertime blackouts when the blistering heat drives up air conditioner use while low rainfall reduces the water reservoirs of hydro-electric dams.<\/p>\n<p>The reduced flow of the Zayandeh Rood, however, is also man-made because much of its water has been diverted to supply neighbouring Yazd province.<\/p>\n<p>Last November, tens of thousands of people, including farmers, gathered in the dry riverbed to complain about the drought and blame officials for diverting water. <\/p>\n<p>Security forces fired tear gas when the protest turned violent and said they arrested 67 people.<\/p>\n<p>The municipality later launched an awareness campaign on the fate of the river, with several signs erected in Isfahan, the country&#8217;s third-largest city with two million people.<\/p>\n<p>Young people in the city say they are used to only seeing the river&#8217;s dry bed. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2022\/boys-wade-in-the-water.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/boys-wade-in-the-water.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Boys wade in the water of the Zayandeh Rood beneath the arches of the Si-o-Se Pol bridge.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2022\/boys-wade-in-the-water.jpg\" alt=\"Boys wade in the water of the Zayandeh Rood beneath the arches of the Si-o-Se Pol bridge\" title=\"Boys wade in the water of the Zayandeh Rood beneath the arches of the Si-o-Se Pol bridge.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                Boys wade in the water of the Zayandeh Rood beneath the arches of the Si-o-Se Pol bridge.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>High school student Amir, 18, said he rarely goes there because it &#8220;is no longer pleasant without water&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Most of my memories and those of my generation are associated with the dryness of the river,&#8221; he lamented.<\/p>\n<p><b>Riverside selfies<\/b><\/p>\n<p>From time to time, authorities briefly open the upstream dam&#8217;s floodgates to irrigate wheat fields east of Isfahan\u2014to the delight of thousands who quickly flock to the river.<\/p>\n<p>This happened in mid-May when locals and tourists rushed to the waterway to capture the ephemeral views with their eyes and with selfies.<\/p>\n<p>Under the shade of trees on the banks, families drank tea and smoked shisha. Some strolled and others pedalled swan-shaped boats, which were back in use after baking in the dust.<\/p>\n<p>At the majestic Si-o-Se Pol Bridge, portrait painter Mohammad-Reza Abdollahi, 50, drew the yellow-brick bridge while awaiting clients.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2022\/women-pose-for-a-selfi.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/women-pose-for-a-selfi.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Women pose for a selfie along the bank of the Zayandeh Rood in Iran's central city of Isfahan on May 15, 2022.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2022\/women-pose-for-a-selfi.jpg\" alt=\"Women pose for a selfie along the bank of the Zayandeh Rood in Iran's central city of Isfahan on May 15, 2022\" title=\"Women pose for a selfie along the bank of the Zayandeh Rood in Iran's central city of Isfahan on May 15, 2022.\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-truncate text-low-up mt-3\">\n                Women pose for a selfie along the bank of the Zayandeh Rood in Iran&#8217;s central city of Isfahan on May 15, 2022.<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;I hadn&#8217;t been to Isfahan for 10 years because there were few tourists due to the drought in Zayandeh Rood,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<p>He had only planned to stay for a week or two, but said that when the dams were opened, &#8220;I extended my stay&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Mahnaz, a 27-year-old art student holding her camera, said she was delighted to capture the river&#8217;s beauty.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I didn&#8217;t have good photos of the bridge&#8217;s reflection in the river because it&#8217;s been dry since I learnt photography,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p><b>&#8216;Like a mother&#8217;<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Mirahmadi, the 60-year-old man, looked on at visitors to the river with mixed feelings.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Do you see this crowd today?&#8221; he said. &#8220;In a few days, when there is no more water in the river, you will only see old men like us. And we will come just to remember.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The floodgates had been closed again and already the change was obvious: water flowed only under two arches of the Khajou Bridge, which is known for its decoration and its steps descending into the current.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"article-gallery js-article-gallery\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2022\/iranians-gather-during.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/iranians-gather-during.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Iranians gather during a protest after their province's lifeblood river dried up due to drought and diversion, in the central city of Isfahan, on November 19, 2021.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800\/2022\/iranians-gather-during.jpg\" alt=\"Iranians gather during a protest after their province's lifeblood river dried up due to drought and diversion, in the central ci\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-low-up text-truncate mt-3\">\n                    Iranians gather during a protest after their province&#8217;s lifeblood river dried up due to drought and diversion, in the central city of Isfahan, on November 19, 2021.<br \/>\n                <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2022\/a-boy-jumps-across-one.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/a-boy-jumps-across-one.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"A boy jumps across one of the arches of the 295-metre-long Si-o-Se Pol (33 arches) bridge.\">\n<figure class=\"article-img text-center\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800\/2022\/a-boy-jumps-across-one.jpg\" alt=\"A boy jumps across one of the arches of the 295-metre-long Si-o-Se Pol (33 arches) bridge\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-left text-darken text-low-up text-truncate mt-3\">\n                    A boy jumps across one of the arches of the 295-metre-long Si-o-Se Pol (33 arches) bridge.<br \/>\n                <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&#8220;Zayandeh Rood is the meeting place for all the people of Isfahan,&#8221; said Borna Moussavi, who campaigns for the preservation of the river and the heritage of Isfahan.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When they are happy, they come to this river and its bridges to celebrate. And if they are sad, they come here to calm down.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For him, the complete disappearance of the river would be akin to the loss of a loved one. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Zayandeh Rood is like a mother to us,&#8221; Moussavi said.<\/p>\n<p>Mirahmadi felt similarly: &#8220;This river has kept Isfahan alive.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If there is no river, Isfahan will become a desert, and in four or five years everyone will abandon the city.&#8221;<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<div class=\"article-main__explore my-4 d-print-none\">\n<p>                                            Key Iraq irrigation reservoir close to drying out\n                                        <\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"mb-4\"\/>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                \u00a9 2022 AFP<\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>                                                 <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                 Iconic Iran river threatened by droughts, diversions (2022, May 24)<br \/>\n                                                 retrieved 24 May 2022<br \/>\n                                                 from https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2022-05-iconic-iran-river-threatened-droughts.html<\/p>\n<p>                                            This document is subject to copyright. 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The famed river bridges of the Iranian city of Isfahan are a beloved tourist draw\u2014but much of the time their stone arches span just sand and rocks, not water. Drought&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":452004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/2022\/iranians-gather-on-the.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-452003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=452003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/452004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=452003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=452003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=452003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}