Monograph on ecology of Lake Sevan to be published

Karine Daniyelyan, PhD in Geography, Chairman of the Association For Sustainable Human Development of the National Committee UNEP, said that a monograph entitled “Integral Evaluation of the Ecological Condition of Lake Sevan” will soon be published, ARKA reports.

The scientist said that his goal is to evaluate the genesis and evolution of the lake’s problems to find their solutions. The work was composed after a two-stage expedition in 2011. Additional studies of harm from mines in the area are still needed.

Daniyelyan said that the UN Development Program for ecology UNEP GRID Arendal supported the project. Experts of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Ministry for Ecology and Emergencies, Ministry for Healthcare and independent experts helped compose the monograph.

Vladimir Movsisyan, Chairman of the Presidential Commission for Lake Sevan Problems, Simon Papyan, Deputy Minister for Ecology, Yuri Javadyan, PhD in Techniques and Director of Armvodoproyekt, Alexey Tarverdyan, Chief Engineer of Armvodoproyekt and Knarik Ovannisyan, expert of the Public Ecological Coalition for Problems of Water Resources, contributed to the work. The monograph was reviewed by Aram Avakyan, head of the Subdepartment for Socio-Economic Geography of Yerevan State University, member of the Presidium of the Armenian Georgraphic Society, and Tigran Sarkisyan, member of the Presidium of the Association for Sustainable Human Development of the National Committee UNEP.

The book will be published in Armenian, Russian and English in 500 copies.

Lake Sevan is the highest lake in Europe and Asia at an altitude of 1914 meters. Its water level was 1900.1 m on January 1, 2012, just as in 1963. It covers 1500 square km. It is the main source of water in the region. The water level will increase to 1903.5 meters in 2030.