Copernicus Sentinel 2 Space Exploration Earth Series: Lake Mahalo, Iran

Located about 27 kilometers southeast of Shiraz in southwestern Iran at an altitude of about 1,400 meters above sea level, Lake Mahalo evaporates far more each year than the annual rainfall in desert areas, meaning that the lake is often very dry. Due to the high evaporation rate, the lakebed has been covered with salt over time. The increase in salinity in the lake water allows certain algae to thrive and cover the surface.

Thus the water includes a variety of creatures, showing colors ranging from pink to orange to red, and the intensity of the colors varies at different times of the year. Usually, the deeper the lake, the darker the color of the water.

Given that the lake is seasonal, the water level drops in the summer and rises again in the winter. In this image, taken in June 2019, the lake is dark orange, meaning it's shallow but still contains some water.

Interestingly, Maharloo was completely dry in June 2021.

As is the case with many desert lakes, salt from the pulses of the surrounding mountains accumulates, and the white crusts on the shores of the lake can be seen in the image. In some parts of the lake, salt mining facilities have been set up (along the south bank can be seen in this picture).

The lake's salt levels make it impossible for organisms, especially fish, to survive in the lake, however, some birds migrate to Mahalo during the summer months, including flamingos. Shiraz, the fourth most populous city in Iran, can be seen in the top left of the picture, and Shiraz International Airport can be seen just south of the city.

Copernicus Sentinel-2's new imager, with its 13 spectral channels, captures water quality parameters such as the surface concentration of chlorophyll, detects the reproduction of harmful algae, and measures turbidity (or transparency of water) – clearly showing health and pollution levels.