Assessment of Some Environmental Stresses in the Shadegan Wetland: Analysis of Satellite Data, Water Quality Indicators, and Dust Storm Pathways

The study investigated the water quality, wetland area, and dust storm impacts on the Shadegan wetland in Iran from 2018-2023 using satellite data. The results highlight the severe challenges the wetland has faced in recent years. Key water quality indices, including water temperature, turbidity, and CDOM levels, indicate increasing pollution, particularly in 2022-2023. Water temperatures were highest in 2018 and 2021, peaking at 52°C, while turbidity and CDOM levels reached their maximum in 2022, affecting the northern, western, and southern parts of the wetland. The study also revealed a significant reduction in the wetland area, with considerable drying observed in the northern, eastern, and western sections during 2018, 2021, and 2022, with critical implications for the wetland's ecological health. Dust storm frequency and intensity have escalated, peaking in 2022-2023, correlating with periods of poor water quality and reduced wetland area. The highest dust pollution levels were recorded in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023, with over 214 dust days in the northern parts and over 146 dust days in the southern and southeastern parts of the wetland in 2022. Wind analysis and HYSPLIT show the pollution from the drying wetland affects a broad regional area, including Khuzestan province and the western, northwestern, and southwestern regions of Iran. The findings emphasize the urgent need for wetland conservation and restoration, as well as regional cooperation to rehabilitate the ecosystem and implement effective water resource management strategies.