PRESS RELEASE
THE GREENS UNION OF ARMENIA
Dr. Hakob Sanasaryan, President
47-13, Mamikonyants st., 375051, Yerevan,
Republic of Armenia, Tel: (374-1) 281 411
Tel/fax: 257 634; E-mail: [email protected]
An Appeal to the Government of Armenia
October, 2006
The Greens Union of Armenia is appealing to the government of Armenia
not to interfere with the natural rise of the water level of Lake
Sevan.
We do not know when we will have another opportunity like this one:
due to meteorological and hydrologic conditions the water level has
risen by 2 meters during the last 5 years.
Since 1982, all the scientific studies have come to the same
conclusion that in order to preserve the water quality of the lake,
its fauna and its flora, the water level must rise by a minimum of 6
meters, thus reaching to the level of 1903.5 meters above sea level
(abs). Note that 1903.5 meters abs is still about 13 meters below the
lake’s original level of 1915.89 meters abs in the year 1930. At the
level of 1903.5 meters abs, additional studies must be carried out to
decide whether the lake needs a further rise in its water level in
order to recover its health and biodiversity . Therefore, all
construction is legally forbidden below the level of 1908.5 meters abs
in the watershed of Lake Sevan. (Although much has been constructed
below that level.) Similarly, the Law on Lake Sevan obligates the
government to take measures to insure that the lake’s level will rise
by 6 meters over a certain period of time.
Nevertheless, it has come to the attention of the Greens Union that
recently the government is taking steps in the direction of
interfering with the rise of the water level of Lake Sevan. For
example, the minutes of August 28, 2006 meeting with the President of
Armenia (HNA-16), indicate a clear attempt to change the existing law
regarding the rise of the lake’s water level, as well as a proposal to
lower the storm margin (wave height) from 5 meters down to 1 – 1.5
meters. According to the log of that meeting, all the changes are
proposed in order to preserve the existing structures and forests on
the shores of the lake, and also for the construction of a small port.
In addition, the log indicates that various ministries are directed to
perform their respective tasks in order to accomplish the changes in
the existing laws regarding Lake Sevan. Thus, the motives of the
government’s policy or rather, the causes of the government’s
mismanagement of the lake and its watershed basin have become clear.
For example, it is clear now why the Vorotan tunnel, which was
constructed during the hardest economic period for Armenia and which
was meant to replenish the water supply of the lake by routing water
from the River Vorotan, has not been put into operation at all, it’s
clear why there is no attempt to rehabilitate the very expensive
Arpa-Sevan tunnel (piercing 48 kilometers through a mountainous
terrain to supply water to the lake), and why there is no attempt to
clear the shores of the lake from trees, bushes and structures before
the rising water inundates them all. At the same time, certain
individuals are allowed to construct luxury homes and hotels right on
the beach, even destroying natural habitats, such as marsh areas where
the birds nest. All construction activities are forbidden by law
inside the Sevan National Park, which is a preserve, where all
disturbance of the wilderness is forbidden.
Another indication of the government’s true concerns became evident
during a conference/discussion at the National Academy of Sciences on
July 29th, 2005; the chairman and the main speaker of the conference
was the Minister of Nature Protection, Mr. Vartan Ayvazyan, and
persons expressing opposing views were not allowed to express their
views. During the speeches and discussions it was proposed that
something ought to be done to control the rise of the water level, and
studies need to be done in order to recommend a way or ways of slowing
the rise of the water level. Thus, Minister Ayvazyan declared: `The
rise of the level of the lake is happening faster than expected.
While it was anticipated to have the plan [the 6 meter rise]
implemented during a period of 30 years, given the current rate of
rise, the process will be over in 15 years. Therefore, just like the
drop of the lake was unmanageable, we do not wish that the rise be the
same way.’ (published in `Armenian World’, July 30, 2005).
Apparently, the government was planning for the water level to rise by
6 meters very slowly, during a period of some 30 years! (Note that
there is no scientific basis for the chosen number of 30 years.)
However, now, the water level of Lake Sevan is rising too fast for the
government; nature seems to be asserting itself, once again reminding
us of its might… We should humbly accept this gift of nature
replenishing our main reservoir of fresh water, since we are incapable
of predicting how nature will behave in the near future, where we may
discover that the water level once again is dropping…
(end)