<p>Lake Urmia, located in Iran, has undergone significant water loss in recent years, mainly due to overexploitation and unsustainable agricultural water management. This study investigates the potential of Irrigation Best Management Practices (IBMPs) to enhance water productivity and contribute to the lake’s restoration. Three strategies (i) deficit irrigation, (ii) adjustment of planting dates, and (iii) adoption of transplanting methods were assessed in the Miandoab region using the AquaCrop simulation model. The impacts of these strategies on dry yield, biomass, and water productivity were evaluated. Results showed that early planting of winter crops (wheat and barley) and delayed planting of spring crops (sugar beet) could save approximately 50.71&#xa0;Mm³ of water and increase water productivity by 13%, 2%, and 5%, respectively, compared to conventional dates. Deficit irrigation, which reduced net irrigation water requirements by 10–50%, improved water productivity by 29% (wheat), 20% (barley), and 26% (sugar beet). Additionally, removing two irrigation events increased water productivity by 32% for wheat and 22% for barley. Transplanting sugar beet also proved effective, achieving water savings with minimal yield loss. The combined implementation of these non-structural strategies could reduce agricultural water consumption by approximately 131.59&#xa0;Mm³ (26%). These findings demonstrate not only the feasibility of significantly reducing water use in agriculture without compromising yields, but also the critical role such strategies play in restoring vital ecosystems like Lake Urmia. Accordingly, given the national goal of a 40% reduction in agricultural water use, the results suggest that scaling up IBMPs across the Lake Urmia basin could achieve even greater water savings.</p>