According to NCC report, Dr. Ali Soltanpour manager of Hydrography and Tidal Affairs Department of this organization, while announcing the news added: “A look at the changes in the level of Urmia Lake over the past thirty years indicates a significant increase in the level of this lake in 1995. The study of altimetric satellite data shows that the level of the lake has reached to 1278.5 meters during that year. After that, the level of this lake has been slowly decreasing due to the decrease in the rainfall and the water entering the lake; so that in the summer 2017, the level of the lake reached its lowest level, i.e. less than 1271 meters, which shows nearly a decrease of 8 meters in 22 years.”

He also continued: "During the winter 2018 and spring 2019, the level of the lake increased rapidly due to the rainfall increase and water entered into the lake; so that in a few months, the level of the lake increased by more than one meter and passed the level of 1272 meters, which created great hope for the revitalization of this lake. Although in the following months and due to the reduction of inlet water and water evaporation, the lake level has decreased but the data obtained from altimetric satellite data shows that the level of Urmia Lake in October and December 2019 has increased by 75 and 60 centimeters compared to the same period in 2018."

Soltanpour then said: "The study of the level of this lake using the data of Jason-3 altimeter satellite in recent months shows that the level of Urmia Lake has been increasing with the increased inlet water since the beginning of April 2020 and with an increase of half a meter, it has reached to 1271.96 meters. Comparing this number with the level of the lake at the same period last year (1272.02 meters) shows that the level of this lake has almost stayed the same as the last year and so, there is still hope for a full recovery in the coming years. Obviously, due to the rapid lake level decline over the last two decades, its recovery during the last two years has been very fragile and the reduction of rainfall and inlet waters can jeopardize its recovery."