INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - By executing a subsidence rate monitoring strategy, researchers at the National Cartographic Center identified 252 regions that are
struggling with land subsidence.Reports show that 98 percent of the subsidence is caused by extreme extraction of underground water and
mismanagement of water resources.Geologists call subsidence a silent earthquake since an earthquake is instantaneous and its effects are
visible at the same time, but subsidence is the reason for ecological deficiency and its effect appears gradually; which is getting a big
hazard in the country.Land subsidence, a progressive settling or sudden sinking of the Earths surface due to subsurface movement of earth
materials is primarily caused by aquifer-system compaction, drainage, and decomposition of natural soils, underground mining, oil and gas
extraction, hydro compaction, natural compaction, sinkholes, and defrosting permafrost.Subsidence results in significant economic losses in
the type of structural damage and high maintenance costs
This affects roads and transport networks, hydraulic infrastructure, sewer system, structures, and structures
The overall damage around the world is estimated at billions of dollars annually.With the spread of dry spells and lack of appropriate water
management, the gradual land subsidence has actually become a routine danger to the country.When the quantity of harvest is higher than the
quantity of nourishment of the underground aquifers, the earth moves down and finally, the soil particles are compressed together, and in
such a circumstance, the phenomenon of subsidence handles another meaning; It implies death of aquifers
The scope of this man-made phenomenon has actually advanced to such a level that researchers in this field describe it with words such as
cancer , permanent risk and death of the earth
In order to provide a point of view of the countrys subsidence rate, the National Cartographic Center began a job in this field in 2016
Morteza Seddiqi, an official with the Organization, informed ISNA that using satellite data and images is among the techniques that have
actually been implemented to inspect the rate of subsidence of the entire nation
Based on the studies carried out on these images, we have identified as lots of as 252 subsidence areas in the nation
Two main factorsIn 2021, Gholam-Ali Jafarzadeh, the former head of the National Cartography Center, regreted that some 29 provinces are
currently at danger of subsidence.He called 2 aspects of environment modification and human intervention as the most essential aspects of
land subsidence in the nation and kept in mind that it is anticipated that we take steps to reduce the pressure on the environment.He
included that 80 percent of the groundwater is withdrawn each year in Iran, which outpaces the worldwide rate.In the entire world, water
resources withdrawal is in between 3 to 20 percent, and when it reaches 40 to 60 percent it is thought about problematic, and it will be a
crisis when surpassing 60-80 percent, he noted.Over the previous years, some of the aquifer levels stopped by 100 centimeters.Inefficient
watering approaches in addition to digging illegal wells are the other main causes of groundwater extraction-induced subsidence, as out of
50,000 wells pumping underground water resources in the capital, 30,000 are illegal.It must be kept in mind that over the next 40 years, the
nations temperature level will increase by 2.6 degrees on Celsius Scale, which will increase the nations need for more water
resources.Dealing with subsidenceThe installation of smart meter systems on the water pumps and wells is an efficient step in this
regard.The Ministry of Energy should take steps toward lowering groundwater exploitation, in addition to prohibiting well construction along
with closing down unlawful wells in the sinking provinces.It must likewise manage farming products and restrict the cultivation of
water-consuming products in those provinces, and rather, present agricultural products which require a low quantity of water.The Ministry of
Agriculture must comply to carry out watershed management projects in order to increase the storage capability of aquifers.The Department of
Environment is another responsible organization that should take more serious actions toward environmental evaluation of land subsidence and
its avoidance techniques.MG
