Tehran, July 21, IRNA � Spokesman for the Government Mohammad-Baqer Nobakht announced here Tuesday that revival of Orumiyeh Lake will continue faster during the current Iranian calendar year started on March 21, 2015.

Money for that end will be provided through New Year budget and special credits from National Development Fund of Iran, Nobakht told reporters at his weekly press conference.

Orumiyeh Lake is an endorheic salt lake in northwestern Iran near Iran's border with Turkey.

The lake is between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan in Iran, and west of the southern portion of the Caspian Sea.

At its full size, it was the largest lake in the Middle East and the sixth largest saltwater lake on earth with a surface area of approximately 5,200 km� (2,000 mile�), 140 km (87 mi) length, 55 km (34 mi) width, and 16 m (52 ft) depth.

Recently, Director General of the Crisis Headquarters in East Azarbaijan Province Khalil Saei said the government has compiled a program for the Orumiyeh Lake Revival Headquarters to raise water balance of the lake in the next eight years to the ecologic balance and the water of the lake to about 14.5 billion cubic meters.

Desiccation will increase the frequency of salt storms that sweep across the exposed lakebed, diminishing the productivity of surrounding agricultural lands and encouraging farmers to move away.

By IRNA