The Shah-Esmaeel Reservoir is located in a mountain valley near the town of Golpayegan. In 1970 it was drained because of repairs to its dam. In the spring of 1971 the reservoir was refilled. After complete filling of the reservoir, its area amounts to some 300 ha now. Its maximum depth near the dam is 50 metres. In low-water years the reservoir's water level goes down by 38 metres. When the water level is maximal, the reservoir's volume of water equals 28 millions of m3 and when it is minimal, the volume is 5 millions of m3. The reservoir is fed by waters of the Golpayegan river.
In March of 1971, the Ministry of Natural Resources stocked the reservoir with fish. Sixty-two 3 to 6 year old common carp spawners, their total body length ranging from 40–63 cm, and fifty-two pike-perch spawners of 2 to 3 year age which had 38–40 cm total body length were released into the reservoir. The fishes had been caught in the Caspian Sea and transported in a live-fish truck to the reservoir. It took 18 hours to bring the fish there. There was no mortality of fish during transportation.
In order to render multiplication of the fishes introduced into the Shah-Esmaeel Reservoir successful, it is essential that a substrate of soft submerged aquatic vegetation be created in its upper section. Willow trees and tamarisk should also be planted along the shoreline.
Once the reservoir's fish stocks come into being, it will be necessary to take measures on regulation of fishing and limitation of catches there.
