Lake Namak

Lake Namak lies east of Qom on the western edge of the central Iranian desert. The Qomrud and other seasonal rivers end in this shallow inland basin, spreading thin sheets of water over the salt flat after rain. In dry weather the water evaporates and leaves a white crust, beneath which soft mud can persist. The changing lake and its surrounding desert form a broad natural barrier between the settled country of Qom and the oases farther east.