Armenian parliament allows extra release of water from Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes
YEREVAN, July 12. /ARKA/. The Armenian parliament voted today to allow the government to release 240 million cubic meters of water from Lake Sevan in 2023 for irrigation purposes, by 70 million cubic meters more than permitted by a special law.
The government says the additional water withdrawal is prompted by weather conditions in late spring and insuficient accumulation of water in reservoirs.
According to the government's plan, the additional volume of water will be used in August to ensure water availability for the irrigation season. The same practice was also applied in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2021.
The extra release of water was opposed by a panel of experts from the National Academy of Sciences, which recommended leaving the water withdrawal at the level of 170 million cubic meters. The opposition accused the authorities of violating the law On Lake Sevan.
Lake Sevan is the main source of drinking water in the region, one of the largest mountain lakes in Europe and Asia, located in the heart of the Armenian Highlands, at an altitude of 1914 meters above sea level.
The lake stretches more than 70 kilometers in length, from northwest to southeast. The only river that flows out of the lake is the Hrazdan River, while 28 smaller rivers flow into it. By 2030, the lake level is to be raised to the optimum 1903.5 meters above sea level.--0-
