YEREVAN. – A number of problems have arisen because of the increase and decrease in the water level of Armenia’s Lake Sevan. The lake waterlogging is in progress. In this situation two new projects—additional water outlets and fish breeding—are planned for the lake.

Independent expert Seyran Minasyan said the aforementioned at a roundtable held at Gavar Aarhus Center in Gegharkunik Region, the “EcoLur” NGO reported.

“It’s a bluff that we are ahead of time. Currently, the increase by 6.5 meters won’t save Sevan; we need more increase. Any decision relating to Sevan should have scenarios with mathematical models, not only the substantiation of water demand,” the expert said, “the lake [water level] may drop by two meters by 2060.”

As per Minasyan, the other bluff relates to the nuclear power plant.

“It’s just blackmailing. It’s impermissible to blackmail people and say there is no water to cool the nuclear power plant. Take the pump a bit upper or lower. There is water for the nuclear power plant,” he stated.

According to the expert, another bluff relates to Ararat Valley.

“Five-hundred cubic meters of water is sufficient to irrigate Ararat Valley. The annual flow of the Sevjur River used to be one billion cubic meters. Thus the Sevjur water turned out to be two billion at that point.

“Deep wells are drilled and this expensive drinking water is used for fish farms, greenhouses, etc. Nothing is controlled. The water in the upper reach of the Sevjur River has reduced and it has doubled in the downstream. We just give the water taken out of the wells to the Turks; this is our water management level,” Seyran Minasyan stated.