Problems
Environmental problems related to the use of biological resources of Lake Sevan
Lake Sevan is the largest freshwater reservoir in Armenia and influences the water regime of the neighboring countries, Iran and Turkey. Hydrobiological modeling techniques have been applied to data collected from Lake Sevan since the 1970s, and this has provided insight into the functioning of the lake ecosystem. Over-exploitation and pollution have led to widespread changes throughout the lake basin. Uncontrolled water withdrawal from the lake has caused a severe drop in water levels, leading to eutrophication and deterioration of water quality. These events have serious implications for Armenia. Any future hydrological construction should be preceded by a proper environmental impact assessment to prevent disasters like those in Lake Sevan.
Changes in Water Level
Environmentalist Silva Adamyan noted that lowering the water level in Lake Sevan, pollution of its waters with sewage, reduction of fish reserves, and increase in temperature lead to changes in water and death of the lake. According to Adamyan, ecologists and scientists have always drawn attention to the problems related to water intake from Lake Sevan, and fish reserves, and called on the governments to stop taking large amounts of water. "The current government, just like the previous ones, doesn't listen to our appeals," the environmentalist said, adding that the situation doesn't change, despite the letters and speeches by specialists, the same situation was observed in the spring of 2020 and 2021, and the same volume of water intake. Adamyan noted that due to water withdrawals, the water level in the lake decreases, which leads to an increase in water temperature, changes in the ecology, and global climate change is added to this. "That is, water withdrawals and solar heat change the ecology, water quality, and the fauna of Lake Sevan basin, in particular, it concerns fish.
The reason for the blooming of the lake
In recent years, the water in the lake has turned bright green because of algae blooms, in addition, it reeks of an unpleasant specific smell. The "green" water creates a lot of problems of ecological character and also frightens tourists during the bathing season. The reason for the blooming of the lake lies in the change in water level. In recent years there has been a decline and disappearance of hypolimnion in the lake. The hypolimnion is a cold, oxygen-poor layer of water characteristic of deep lakes that lies below a zone of rapid temperature change. A general decrease in the hypolimnion in the lake leads to an intense transfer of phosphorus from the bottom to the water layers. To this is added organic matter that enters the lake with the sewage.
Authorities' Response
The Ministry of Environment of Armenia is taking measures to recover the ecosystem of Lake Sevan. In particular, programs have been developed to increase the whitefish population. Illegal constructions on the shore are also dismantled, and the water is purified. The mechanical purification station in Gavar is envisaged to be re-equipped, and the establishment of water purification systems is planned in Tsovinar and Vardenik villages.
Gallery
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Timelines
2021
July 27
The water level in Lake Sevan has not exceeded 1,901 m since the early 1960s, although it reached 1,900.91 in July 2017. As of July 2021, the lake is 1900.75 m above sea level and has a volume of 38 cubic kilometers. There has been much speculation as to why this happened. One widely suspected motive could have been an attempt by the elite to save their lakeside mansions and another real estate they have built on the lake shore over the past decades. According to water expert Knarik Ohanesian, only 14 of the 400 businesses on the lakeshore treat their wastewater.
2018
August 20
The Water Committee of the RA Ministry for Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources is proposing to make the water intake from Lake Sevan from 170 million to 210 million cum for the irrigation of land areas in Ararat Valley. Though PM Nikol Pashinyan stated that Lake Sevan is not a water container and other versions will be found to solve the problem with irrigation water, nevertheless, the discussions with the representatives of interested stakeholders show that Sevan's option is still valid. Lake Sevan is a strategic reservoir of freshwater in Armenia, and two laws are in force for its preservation, recovery, and sustainable use. Nevertheless, as a result of poor enforcement of these laws, currently, Lake Sevan is undergoing a waterlogging process. Under the appraisal of the environmentalists, even one drop of additional water intake from Lake Sevan is impermissible. The lake is in a critical situation and the additional water intake can lead to irreversible consequences. The residents of Lake-Sevan littoral communities also oppose the additional water intake, especially when the tourism business incurred huge damage because of the absence of holidaymakers due to the unprecedented blooming in the lake this summer.
2012
January 20
The lake faces environmental challenges, caused by overexploitation of its water resources in the Soviet period for Sevan- Hrazdan hydro-power cascade and irrigation, resulting in the decrease of the lake level by ~20m, and volume - by 26,5 bln cubs. m., as well as water pollution from human activities and an increase in average water temperature, causing eutrophication, reduction of dissolved oxygen, and water transparency from 13 to ~3m.
2005
September 01
The government decided to increase the outflow of irrigation water from Sevan to 150 million cubic meters, increasing it by 30 million cubic meters, Gagik Tadevosyan said: "They are already lowering the water level, or to be more precise, they are not letting it rise." Tadevosyan admitted that experts should say whether additional 30 million cubic meters are needed. However, he also added that the rumors mentioned above say much more about any such decision than the suggestion that it was made for irrigation purposes. Volodymyr Movsisyan, Vice-President of the Lake Sevan Expert Commission, considers the additional irrigation runoff justified, given the relatively dry summer and low rainfall this year. "If this continues, the Sevan Peninsula will become an island again," said the old man standing on the shore happily. The waves have grown noticeably, and last year's marshy areas have disappeared without a trace.
2001
May 15
The Parliament passed a "law regarding Sevan", which outlined the volume of permitted outflow. Thus, if the annual outflow of water from the lake earlier constituted up to 1-1.5 billion cubic meters (with an annual minimum of 256 million cubic meters), this law limited it to 150-170 million cubic meters per year. Experts in this field say that the outflow for irrigation is strictly within legal limits. The Complex Program for the Replenishment of the Sevan Ecosystem, which planned to raise the level of the lake by 6-6.5 meters over 30 years, was also accepted as law.
1964
April 04
Since 1933, the largest lake in the region has been exploited carelessly and without any measures to replenish it. Out of a total volume of 58 cubic kilometers, 26 cubic kilometers of water were drained for power and irrigation purposes, thus lowering the water level by 19 meters. Naturally, various parameters changed drastically - water temperature and acidity were no longer the same, the level of nitrogen products in the water increased, and phosphorus decreased. This led to the lake becoming "overgrown." Finally, Soviet scientists understood the gravity of the situation. Calculations were made and programs were outlined to raise the water level by at least 6 meters, ending the stagnation and bringing the water quality closer to drinking water. Other measures could then be considered to further improve water quality. But even these 6 meters seemed unrealistic at the time.