Bakhtegan Lake

Lake Bakhtegan
Coordinates	29°21′55″N 53°50′19″E / 29.3654°N 53.8385°ECoordinates: 29°21′55″N 53°50′19″E / 29.3654°N 53.8385°E
Type	Salt lake
Primary inflows	Kor River
Basin countries	Iran
Surface area	3500 km²
Islands	Menak Island

Lake Bakhtegan (Persian: دریاچۀ بختگان‎‎) is a salt lake in Fars Province, southern Iran, about 160 km (99 mi) east of Shiraz and 15 km (9.3 mi) west of the town of Neyriz.

Bakhtegan, with a surface area of 3,500 square kilometres (1,400 sq mi), is Iran's second-largest lake. It is fed by the Kor River.^[1] Several dams on the Kor River have significantly reduced waterflow into the lake, increasing its salinity and endangering the lake's populations of flamingos and other migratory birds.^[1] Lake Bakhtegan is now completely dry due to the dams built on the Kor River by the government.

Gallery

Lake Bakhtegan, Iran’s second largest lake, is fed mostly by the Kur River, while Lake Tashk is fed by overflow from the marshes at its west end and by a large permanent spring in the northwest.

Although normally separated by narrow strips of land, during years of heavy rainfall they may join to form a single lake. Likewise, after years of low rainfall, such as in 1934 and 1971, the lakes may dry out completely except in the area near the springs.

Supporting more than 20 000 waterfowl during the migration seasons and in winter, the lakes are extremely important for breeding of a wide variety of species and helping to maintain the genetic and ecological diversity of the region.

The two lakes, their delta and spring-fed marshes are designated as Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an inter-governmental treaty established in 1971, establishing a framework for the stewardship and preservation of wetlands.

from space, September 1992^[2]

Lake Bakhtegan ( Lake Tashk immediately to the north, Lake Maharlou to the west), taken by crew of Discovery, mission STS-92, 22 October 2000

Lakes Bakhtegan and Tashk in the Fars Province in southern Iran are featured in this image acquired by ALOS – Japan's four-tonne Earth observation satellite. 23 February 2010

ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy who is photographing Earth from the International Space Station, taken May 22, 2015

References

1. "Bakhtegan Ecology Alarming", Iran Daily, Aug. 9, 2007
2. "Salt Dome in the Zagros Mountains,Iran". NASA Earth Observatory. Retrieved 2006-04-27.

External links

• Columbia Encyclopedia entry