On the Iranian side of the Persian Gulf, Musa Bay is home to extraordinary biodiversity, notably in the protected Shadegan marshes. The dendritic drainage systems we see here are reminiscent of the branches of an aquatic tree surviving in an arid, inhospitable desert. But the water could well evaporate from the region for good, to the detriment of animals, plants and the local population…
This region of Iran, known as Khouzistan, was once a flourishing country. One of the oldest and richest in human history. Abundant water and fertile soils have long made this region a rich and well-endowed land around its great capital Susa – or Susa, after which today’s province is named.
Musa Bay is today a shallow estuary with a long history as a shipping hub: in classical times, Greek navigators used the area to trade with the peoples of Mesopotamia, and today it is home to Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni (BEK), one of Iran’s largest oil and gas ports. The bay’s waters are pristine, with the exception of the area that plunges into the Gulf, where numerous crude oil refining facilities discharge a large amount of petrochemical waste.
However, many species of ancient and rare fish can be found in the region, near the island of Qeshm. Spotted kingfishers are one of the bay’s protected species, along with whales and dolphins. The region also remains Iran’s most agriculturally productive. The variety of crops, including wheat, barley, oilseeds, rice, eucalyptus and medicinal herbs, as well as numerous palm and citrus plantations, make it one of the most fertile regions in the country. Heading north and east, the proximity of mountains is conducive to the cultivation of olives and, of course, sugar cane, from which Khuzestan takes its ancient name.
But, of course, that’s not all. Khuzestan holds 80% of Iran’s onshore oil reserves, making it indispensable to the Iranian economy. The region’s main ecosystem threat is water. The whole area is affected by increasingly intense water stress. Not only because of climate change, but also because of infrastructure choices unfavorable to hydrological balances.
Since 2020, public anger has been rising as water shortages worsen due to an extraordinary increase in the number of hydroelectric power stations. 650 dams have been built in a region once considered Iran’s breadbasket. The consequences are dramatic for the land and the people. As a result of this construction, the water in the rivers became salty, drying out cultivated land and making it unsuitable for consumption by animals and residents alike.
As a result of this systemic effect, all the region’s inhabitants, both humans and animals, could run out of fresh water.
