LEVEL OF LAKE SEVAN RISES BY 45 CENTIMETERS IN 2009

Noyan Tapan
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The level of Lake Sevan rose by
45 cm in 2009 as compared to 38 cm last year. Vladimir Movsisian,
Chairman of the Commission on the Problems of Lake Sevan under
the Armenian President, announced this at the November 10 press
conference. According to him, in 2009 nature helped the appropriate
bodies with raising Lake Sevan’s level: the precipitation in
July-September exceeded the norm. V. Movsisian forecast that on 1
January, 2010 the level of Lake Sevan will be higher by 31 cm than
on 1 January, 2009.

He said the Commission has submitted proposals to the government. In
particular, it has been proposed raising Sevan’s level to that of a sea
1,905 meters in height by 2031. At the same time, the Commission warned
the government that in this case thousands of buildings and structures
and hundreds of land plots located near the shore, also a number of
roads and gas pipelines, and 2,789 ha of forests will remain under
water. V. Movsisian noted that by 2031, the unauthorized buildings and
structures constructed on the shores of Lake Sevan should be demolished
and the gas pipelines and roads should be moved to other sites.