In recent years, Urmia lake, the largest lake in Iran is faced with a dramatic reduction in the Volume of Water. This has
created some concern in terms of outcomes and impacts. also, it has effected Rural communities on access to water
supplies through restriction and has many economic, social, physical and environmental costs. The aim of this study is to
Evaluation of the effects of water level decline of Urmia Lake in sustainable rural development in Central Marhamat Abad
rural district, Miandoab County. The type of research is experimental, the method of research is descriptive – analytical,
data collection tools were library research and field survey (observation, interviews and questionnaires) and for data
analysis, descriptive (mean, Variance and standard deviation) and inferential (T-test, Friedman and regression) statistics
were used. The spatial scope of the study is Central Marhamat Abad Rural district, Miandoab. According to the Statistical
Center of Iran's population census, in 2011, the population of district is against 7040 persons and 1616 households that
125 households are selected as samples by modified formula Cochran and Simple Random Sampling. The research
findings show, water level decline of Urmia Lake has the most negative influence on the physical (salinization of lands,
declining diversification in crops, destruction of orchards and pastures, increasing contamination of water resources and
rural environment) , economic (declining of non-agriculture employment opportunities, declining of rural income,
declining of employment and job diversity, increase in house and land prices and etc) dimensions and then physical and
social dimensions and least influence on the institutional dimension.