Officials in a major capital in the Middle East are contemplating drastic measures to manage dire water shortages driven by a severe drought.

What's happening?

The BBC reported that the Iranian capital of Tehran is on the brink of running out of water. The lack of rainfall has caused the dams supplying the city to fall to less than 10% of capacity. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that rationing and other extreme options are on the table if the rains don't come: "If rationing doesn't work, we may have to evacuate." 

Unfortunately, there's no end to the drought in sight, and the country has begun controversial cloud seeding operations in a desperate attempt to induce rain. Iran's Meteorological Organization reported an 89% drop in rainfall compared to last year, the worst drought in fifty years.  

Why is Iran facing huge water shortages?

Iran's water woes aren't especially new. The World Resources Institute ranks Iran as the 14th-most water-stressed country in the world. It's one of 25 nations with "extremely high" baseline water stress. 

Part of the issue is the over-extraction of groundwater; 70% of Iran's groundwater is considered over-extracted. Iran has doubled its cultivated lands since the revolution as it sought self-sufficiency. However, the nation's infrastructure hasn't been adequately updated to meet that increased demand and output. It's causing Tehran to sink by about 30 centimeters a year, and other misguided ventures are hardly helping. 

Additionally, the heat-trapping pollution of dirty energy makes extreme weather events like droughts longer and more severe. A warmer atmosphere makes rainfall more erratic and causes arid areas to become even drier. The situation is further complicated by geopolitical tensions. Regional conflicts are damaging the already poor water infrastructure and limiting Iran's diplomatic options. 

What can be done about the droughts?

The story highlights the importance of staying up to date on climate issues. As dire as the situation may seem, there are steps that Iran could and should take to improve its water security. 

Cloud seeding is unlikely to be the answer, but pivoting to more sustainable, less water-intensive agricultural practices could free up enough water to slake Tehran and other large cities' thirst. As Al-Jazeera reported, agriculture accounts for over 90% of the nation's water use, and much of that is wasted. Even a modest cut in water used for agriculture would provide short-term relief. 

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