At the end of 2021, Lake Sevan recorded a vaster negative balance compared to the negative balance recorded in the last 15 years. If in previous years the negative balance of Lake Sevan fluctuated in the range of 3-4 cm, it made up 9 cm by the end of 2021. As of December 30, 2021, the level of the lake constituted 1900.43 m, whereas it made up 1900.52 m on the same day in 2020. With this indicator, the level of the lake is even lower than the level of 1900.46 m in 2016.
Reminder: according to the law "On approving the annual and comprehensive program of measures for restoration, preservation, reproduction and use of Lake Sevan ecosystem", Lake Sevan should rise by 21.6 cm per year. The lake level should exceed 1903 m in 2030. There are 8 years left, but we cannot even raise the level of the lake to 1901 m.
The level of the lake is affected by the inflow and evaporation of water through Arpa-Sevan tunnels, as well as by floods for irrigation of the lands in Ararat Valley. EcoLur observations show that the lake had a negative balance during the years of additional water intake. In the last 20 years, additional discharges from the lake began in 2008.
It should be noted that after many years of renovation, the Arpa-Sevan tunnel started operating at full capacity in 2020. According to the data available at the end of 2019, 158.636 million cubic meters of water flowed into Lake Sevan, 204.475 million cubic meters in 2020 and 156.675 million cubic meters in 2021. However, the inflow of water did not stop the fall of the lake level. This shows the impact of climate change on Lake Sevan. It is necessary to raise the level of the lake in order to restore the ecological balance of the lake, to mitigate the negative impact of global warming, which is still not possible.
February 07, 2022 at 10:23