Misinterpretation Regarding Lake Sevan Levels Circulating in Some Media, Water Committee Clarifies

The Water Committee's press service informs that some media outlets are circulating misinterpretations regarding Lake Sevan's water level which are far from reality.

The Water Committee has provided clarifications: "As of September 1 of this year, the level of Lake Sevan is 1900.63 m, which is the same indicator as on the same day in 2018. The volume of water entering the lake through the Arpa-Sevan canal as of September 1 of this year amounted to 148.343 million cubic meters, while the same figure last year was 131.538 million cubic meters, making a difference of 16.805 million cubic meters of water.

As for water withdrawal from the lake, as of the same date this year, 129.044 million cubic meters of water has been released from Sevan, compared to 174.956 million cubic meters last year. We draw attention to the difference in these numbers: this year, the volume of water entering the lake through the Arpa-Sevan canal (including underground inflow) is 16.805 million cubic meters more than last year. It is evident that for the same date of September 1, this year less water has been taken from Sevan, specifically 45.912 million cubic meters less.

Let us recall that last year, after the legally established withdrawal limit of 170 million cubic meters, there was a further need for additional withdrawal, and a permit for an additional 40 million cubic meters for irrigation purposes was granted, with a total permitted withdrawal of 210 million cubic meters utilized at 200.623 million cubic meters. However, this year there is no need for additional withdrawal from the lake, and forecasts indicate an additional saving of 5-10 million cubic meters from the permitted 170 million, depending on weather conditions. Such savings have been made possible this year due to effective management steps in the irrigation system since the beginning of the year, as well as favorable weather contributing to larger water accumulation in reservoirs.

This is the reality, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement regarding 51 million cubic meters less withdrawal from Sevan in 2019 reflects this reality; of course, numbers vary by day, and the final picture will be presented to the public at the end of the irrigation season.

Regarding the correlation between lake levels and water withdrawal savings, these cannot be compared solely by absolute figures, as the lake's level is influenced not only by inflow or outflow but also by evaporation, underground outflows, weather conditions, and more, which can be explained in detail by relevant specialists.

The data regarding the lake’s level is also subject to change; and if the concern raised by some media was regarding a 1 cm difference recorded on August 29, as of September 1, as already mentioned, the indicator remains the same as last year’s. It is also worth noting that all figures related to Sevan are based on measurements from the Ministry of Emergency Situations' Hydromet Service, which are published regularly."