Shadegan Wetland (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Abstract

Shadegan wetland at the most downstream reach of Jarrahi river is one the largest Iranian Ramsar Sites located in Khuzestan Province in the southwest of Iran. It includes a combination of vast areas of reed beds, open water, mudflats, estuaries, Khur musa bay, isolated small islands and shorelines along the Persian Gulf. Because of such habitat diversity, Shadegan wetland represents a unique wetland along the Persian Gulf and provides globally significant ecological services.

Shadegan wetland hosts large numbers of migratory birds including threatened and rare species. It is also important habitat for fish. A large number of rural people are resident around the wetland and dependent on its resources. Fishery in the Khur Musa bay and along the shorelines of Persian Gulf is an important source of income to the rural families. Buffalo and cow breeding is also a common industry in all the rural areas around the wetland.

The wetland which was originally fed by fresh flood flows of the Jarrahi River is now receiving major part of the water as irrigation return flows. Two storage dams in the upstream catchment control parts of the floods and several irrigation development projects abstract river flows for crop production.