Lake Urmia Research Paper

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Recommended: Effect of global warming on agriculture

With increasing global surface temperature in addition to anthropogenic interference, the possibility of intense as well as frequent climate disasters are indefinite. Droughts are often caused by human activity, and they result in devastating conditions. Socioeconomic droughts occur when there is water stress caused by food production, diminished supplies, greenhouse gas emissions, land use change, and more. Developed and undeveloped countries are affected internationally. Lake Urmia, located in Northwest Iran, was once the second largest saltwater lake on earth; however, in the past 15 years, 20 man-made dams have been operating in Urmia’s basin. Lake Urmia has decreased in size by about 80%. The lake’s hypersaline desiccation will increase …show more content…

These salt storms are a prime example of human induced changes which lead to substantial environmental degradation (AghaKouchak). Moreover, a large sum of individuals believe that earthquakes are considered to be all natural; nevertheless, this is not always the case. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking’, is the action of applying liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks that forces already existing fissures to expand giving individuals the opportunity to extract oil or gas (Gibbins). The U.S. Geological Survey discovers that, “29 project sites where earthquakes were induced by fracking itself, 36 sites where quakes were induced by post-fracking wastewater disposal, and 12 sites with temblors induced by unspecific oil and gas wastewater disposal.” (Gibbins). Furthermore, one outcome of global warming is the immense levels of water vapor in the earth’s atmosphere (Union of concerned scientists). This sequentially creates conditions such as heavier precipitation in the form of intense rain and snow storms (Union of concerned scientists). With storms increasing in intensity, flooding becomes a very large concern for

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