“Howz E Soltan” Lake is one of the natural tourist destinations, which is considered as one of the best tourist attractions in Qom province with its special and unique features.
“Howz E Soltan” Salt Lake is located in 40 km north of Qom and 85-90 km south of Tehran and south of the Alborz mountain range. This lake, like a large natural mirror in the middle of Iran, represents a corner of Iran’s countless attractions. In this lake you can see the reflection of the image of the sky. At 35-40 km of Qom-Tehran route, there is a dirt road that reaches the lake. It is one of the natural attractions of Iran, which is located next to the busy Tehran-Qom highway. This area is about 240 to 330 m2 and is 18 km long and 16 km wide at its most watery time. Crossing the lake is so exciting and enjoyable that many people spend 5 hours walking to the end. Photography of this landscape attracts many photographers to capture beautiful images for themselves. Some also go to this area in cycling and off-road groups and cross the lake. The height of the lake is 710 meters above sea level, which is almost the same throughout the lake.The average rainfall in this region is 100 to 120 mm per year and in this regard, it is considered as one of the low rainfall areas in Iran.
This lake was actually formed by the intervention of human resources and completely by accident. Its story dates back to 1261 AH, where the Qajar kings intended to build a dirt road between Tehran and Qom. After the construction of this road, “Howz E Soltan” lake was formed over the years and today it is called the saltiest lake in Iran. Saveh Lake is another name given to “Howz E Soltan” because it’s a remnant of the great sea of Saveh. In the past, it was also called “Shahi” Lake.The lake consists of two separate holes. The western hole is called “Howz E Soltan” and the eastern hole is called “Howz E Marah”, which are connected by a waterway. In watery seasons, “Howz E Marah” is first filled and then the excess water enters “Howz E Soltan”. The lake has five separate layers that have penetrated to a depth of 42 meters. The salt layers of the lake are up to 20 meters thick and are separated by clay soils with a brown to gray color spectrum.
The salinity of the water in the central parts of the lake is much more than its shore.
The size and shape of the lake varies according to the inflow of water and the amount of rainfall in different seasons of the year. When it rains and the snow melts in the surrounding heights, because the amount of incoming water increases, its area increases and in other days, its area decreases. So the water level of the lake is constantly changing. In winter, because the presence of the Alborz highlands brings a lot of water to the lake, the lake fills with water and the salt floor of this wetland goes under water and can not be seen. Numerous rivers like “Ghare Chay” and “Shoor” river also enter the lake, usually passing through the surrounding saline lands.
Lots of salt is extracted from “Howz E Soltan” lake every year. Due to the abundance of salt sheets, harvesting begins in early summer in the southern part of the lake. The easiest way to use the lake is to extract the salt in it, which is done in a traditional way and for industrial use; However, studies have shown that lake salts also contain substances such as sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate. The importance of the Qom Basin Salt Lake is determined when 12 kg of magnesium is extracted from every 100 kg of salt, which is much more than the water of the seas. Therefore, it is one of the most important natural resources of Iran for extracting magnesium and salt. Inside the lake, an embankment road is used to prevent cars from drowning in the swamp and exploiting the lake’s salt.
This year’s spring rains and increased water inflow to “Howz E Soltan” salt pond until the arrival of extreme heat of the air in Qom, caused an increase in single-celled algae and a reaction to water evaporation and created a pigment called beta-carotene which is a vitamin and its color is red that has caused a more dramatic redness of the water in “Howz E Soltan” wetland.
Immigrant pigeons and birds such as gray geese, storls, eagles, etc. can be included in the birds of “Howz E Soltan”. Mammals such as rabbits, foxes and sometimes deer are also found in the area. Among reptiles in the area, the presence of snakes and lizards, which are involved in the biological control of pests, is evident. Different types of spiders, Tarantulas, Termites and rare ants have extensive presence. According to studies, there are over 240 valuable species of creatures such as algae, fungi and bacteria in the wetland that can tolerate super salty conditions. Some of the available species are unique according to the initial evidence, and due to their specific genetic and physiological characteristics, enzymes, antibiotics and valuable microbial products are expected to be present in them. Its swampy edge has vegetation that is mostly seen on the northern and northwestern sides of this wetland. There are many plant species in this area, such as Sooda, Sasoola and Spinach, and the total number of plant species reaches more than 40. Due to the importance of protection of “Howz E Soltan” wetland from the attack of profiteers and the repair of damage to vegetation, this area was introduced in 1388 AH as a prohibited hunting area for five years.
The best seasons to visit this lake are early spring and mid-autumn. In these cases, you are safe from the cold weather of the desert and the insufferable heat.
