ArmenPress
July 29 2005
MINISTER WARNS AGAINST FURTHER RISE IN LAKE SEVAN WATER TABLE
YEREVAN, JULY 29, ARMENPRESS: Armenian nature protection minister
Vartan Ayvazian warned today that further rise in the water level of
Lake Sevan, one of the largest high altitude lakes in the world,
hemmed in by dormant volcanic mountains, may result in a number of
ecological problems and called for a comprehensive study to learn all
positive and negative consequences of higher water table.
Speaking at a round table discussion today Ayvazian said a level
rise by 1.44 cm since 2002 has flooded 410 hectares of land of which
215 are forests. According to him, if the government sticks to its
previously declared goal of raising the lake’s water level by six
meters some 4,427 hectares of land would be flooded.
Last year the government released more than $100,000 for clean up
of a territory that was flooded. The lake is fed by 28 rivers and
streams, and is the source for the Hrazdan River, which connects
Sevan with the Arax River in the Ararat valley.