EcoLur
At the meeting on 14 June the Armenian Government will consider the project on increase in water outlets from Lake Sevan up to 320 million cubic meters. On 13 June, at the end of working day, the government website displayed the draft decision submitted by the State Committee on Water Industry of Armenia, which refers to making supplements in the law designed to preserve Lake Sevan ecosystem, and where the limited volume of outlets makes up 170 million cubic meters. The committee substantiates this by the need of agriculture and by the fact that in 2012 the water in Azat and Aparan reservoirs are less than that of last years.
In 2008, the National Assembly adopted a unprecedented decision to make amendments in RA Law “On Approving Annual Action Plan on Preservation, Recovery and Use of Lake Sevan Ecosystem”, which lays down the maximum volume of outlets, 170 million cubic meters, and approved water outlets in the volume of 303 million cubic meters. In accordance with official figures, in 2008 the fullness of Aparan reservoir made up 27.93 million, while this figure for Azat reservoir was 46.36 cubic meters, i.e. 74.29 million cubic meters.
As of 4 June 2012, the fullness of reservoir made up 97.63 million cubic meters, that is 2012 is nearly equal to 2009, when the outlets from Lake Sevan were conducted in accordance with law. There are no edges for comparison with 2008, when the reservoir was filled with 19,11 million cubic meters more!!!
EcoLur calls for the government and Nature Protection Ministry not to approve this project taking into consideration the inexpediency of the substantiation submitted by the State Committee on Water Industry, as well as high risks for Lake Sevan ecosystem due to disturbing the regime of continuous increase in lake level and its drastic fluctuations. We think that the government mustn’t annul its decision of water outlets from Lake Sevan approved in 2012 in the volume of 169 million cubic meters.
June 13, 2012 at 21:59