The status of exchangeable currents and discharge from the opening section of Shahid Kalantari Bridge, Urmia Lake

Gharibreza, Mohammadreza; Safaie, Amar; Mehdizadeh, Mansour

doi:10.22059/ije.2026.408497.1900

The status of exchangeable currents and discharge from the opening section of Shahid Kalantari Bridge, Urmia Lake

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ Associate Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research, Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Department of Water Engineering and Environment, Sharif University of Technology

³ West-Azarbaijan, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Urmia, Iran

10.22059/ije.2026.408497.1900

Abstract

Research Topic: The exchange flow between the northern and southern basins of Lake Urmia through the opening of the Shahid Kalantari Causeway is a key issue in the lake management; however, the flow discharge has not been measured in the field to date. This study aimed to determine the flow velocity and discharge through the causeway opening between the northern and southern sections of Lake Urmia.
Methods: Hydrographic surveys were conducted at a scale of 1:200, using a scaled rod with an accuracy of one centimeter. Flow velocity and direction were measured at the center of the 17 spans fo the causeway at three depths (0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 meters) using a BFM-001 Valeport current meter during the relatively high-water conditions of spring 2025.
Results: The study determined a cross-sectional area of 2383.44 m², with maximum exchange flow velocities of 26 cm/s and 29 cm/s recorded on 24 and 25 May 2025, respectively. The maximum exchange flow discharge between the northern and southern sides fo the causeway reached 2.691 m³/s, equating to a total daily exchange volume of approximately 7.59 million m³. The dominant current was observed to flow from the southeast (N165˚) and northwest (N298˚) directions, often with rotational shifts following changes in wind direction. Additionally, the average current speeds were 24.8 cm/s on the southern side and 22 cm/s on the northern side of the causeway.
Conclusion: The study concluded that wind was the primary driver of the exchange flow during the study period, outweighing factors such as density and temperature variations.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Surface water resources

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