Meighan Pond, listening to the birds
Meighan desert Pond is located in Markazi province, 12 km northeast of Arak, at the lowest point of the plain of Arak region, near the tourist villages of Rahzan, Deh Namak, and Tarmzad. The word of Meighan means believing or what anyone who hears believes.
History of the Pond
Archaeologically, it dates back to the Paleocene, in which it was formed due to the movement of surrounding tectonic plates
Biological features of Meighan Pond
In terms of tourism, this pond is one of the most important centers of nature tourism and bird watching in the country. One of the reasons for the importance of this Pond is the high population of Dorna (an especial beautiful bird) in the pond compared to other habitats in the country, which annually inhabit 11,000 Dorna in the pond, as well as 10,000 Khotka and 5,000 Flamingo, etc have been observed in this area. Meighan pond alone contains 68% of the birds of Markazi province and 27% of the birds of the country.
November 6 has been named Dorna Day due to the accumulation of dornas in Meighan pond.
In addition to birds, mammal species such as wild animals such as wolves, foxes, snakes, and lizards live in this desert and saltwater algae are other living things in the lagoon and its surroundings.
Plants of Meighan pond
Around the lake and desert, most of the salt plants are known as Qare Dagh. This plant, which is native to the region, is known as the Hero of the desert. Meighan pond is one of the important reserves of saline plants in the country.
Also, this pond has the largest source of sodium sulfate in the country and is one of the most important sources of sodium sulfate supply in the Middle East. Nearly 60% of the country’s sodium sulfate resources are located in Meighan pond, which can be exported to other kilns by constructing a factory next to it and extracting sulfate in addition to meeting domestic needs. This mineral is used in the production of detergents, cleaners, pulp, glass, textiles, and leather.
Due to its size, ecological features and the extent of its impact on the climate of the region and the city of Arak, this pond is considered a sensitive ecologist and due to its fragile ecosystem, it became a no-hunting area in 2009 And because of the location of the city near the pond, water vapor rising from the pond surface will soften the air, increase steam and fog and have a positive effect on reducing dust transfer, but on the other hand, due to the location of the airport near the pond, cancel flights in winter.
Due to the salinity of the water, salt layers can be seen in the region. Besides, there are salt domes in the lower surface of the region, which cause mild seismicity in the region due to faults in the region.
Indiscriminate human intervention in the last 27 years has caused the temperature of the pond to rise by one degree. The highest recorded temperature in the pond area was 44 degrees above zero and the lowest recorded temperature was 33 degrees below zero.
In years when the rainfall is good, the pond has significant water and in years of water shortage, the surface of this pond generally dries and becomes desert.
The 25,000-hectare pond includes a lake with three islands in the middle, the largest of which is 500 meters, the desert part, and the surrounding plains. The nearest mountain to the pond is located 10 km southeast of it, which is called “Yellow Flat Mountain” and its height is 2269 meters.
Other potentials of Meighan pond
Meighan pond has different capacities that together have created a complete nature tourism complex. Other tourism potentials of the pond include bird watching and rural tourism. For this reason, this pond has been introduced as a model tourist area with a focus on nature tourism.
The beauty of this pond is amazing all day long, especially at sunrise and sunset, and therefore attracts tourists. Also, hearing the birds singing and flying in the region is the most interesting part of tourism in the desert and Meighan pond.
Miqan pond also has a bird watching tower.
The best time to visit Meyqan desert
It may seem to you that winter is not a good season to travel to Arak, this is somewhat true and the best time to travel to Arak is spring, April and May, but if you are a nature lover and interested in birds and the cold is too much Do not be bothered, Meighan pond is a spectacular and unique region in winter, in this season all hotels and inns of Arak have enough space and capacity to receive and you can safely visit this pleasant area.
Necessities that you should know before traveling to Meighan Pond
Accessories for traveling to Meighan pond are light backpacks, binoculars, sneakers, sunglasses, camcorders, and personal items.
The point to keep in mind is to never wear brightly colored clothes. These colors will scare and make the birds run away.
Remember to keep quiet to have a better chance of seeing these unique creatures.
There is no restaurant or shop around the pond. Bring water and food for yourself.
A car can’t enter Meighan pond area because it reduces the security of the area and birds.
Due to the proximity of Arak city to Meighan pond, if you travel to this pond, plan to visit other attractions of Arak city such as Arak traditional bazaar, Chaharfasl bath, Hassan Pour museum, Mafakher museum, Sultanabad museum Etc.
Where to stay near Meighan pond
There are small inns in Arak, one of them is located in the center square of the city at a very cheap price called Tohid inn, the other one called Sadr inn that is located in this street. the best hotels in Arak is the 5-star Amir Kabir Hotel, Zagros Hotel, and Aftab Hotel.
Other tourist attraction in Arak
Other tourist attractions in Arak are Traditional Bazar, Hasan Pour House, Mafakher Museum that is both restaurant & museum, and Chahar Fasl Museum.
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