Sevan

[Vrej1915]

Re: Sevan

You mean this?
http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article=72986

Yess, Thank You.
That site has changed the URL.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Sevan

Depressing, but true:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2416115320893602467

[Vrej1915]

Re: Sevan

Lake Sevan faces numerous threats. For decades Lake Sevan’s water was drained in order to provide the Ararat Valley with irrigation water for farms. As the deleterious results of this policy became obvious the Armenian government authorized the restoring of water to Sevan. The publically stated intent is to raise the level back to its original state, for a gain of approximately 6 meters.

This site provides some introductory facts and figures on Lake Sevan.



However, while there has been a recent resurgence of the lake level, it remains well below the level necessary to restore the natural balance of the ecosystem and for the wildlife that depend on it. Organic runoff from agriculture and raw sewage from nearby villages continue to contribute to eutrophication in the lake. As a result, one of the native ishkhan species is endangered, with another ishkhan species thought to already be extinct. The invasive sig species, originally from the Caspian Sea, has thrived in this altered environment, which poses a further threat to the native ishkhan.



For an excellent introduction to the problems at Lake Sevan view “Threads of Hope“.



This government sponsored report, from 2006, on the importance of the lake to the economy of Armenia provides an interesting perspective. What is interesting to note is Table 2 on the recorded fish catches from 1926 onward. Notice the total absence of the Lake Sevan Ishkan and Sevan Barbel from the catch records as of the early 1980’s. Notice also the precipitous decline in the Koghak harvest in recent years. These are ominous signs that permanent, irreparable damage may have already been inflicted at Lake Sevan.


These two articles paint a slightly different perspective for the prospects of Lake Sevan than the government sponsored report.

Rising Interests: Welcomed increase in water level recorded at Lake Sevan
Will Lake Sevan problems be resolved?
The restoration of original lake levels may also be less prioritized than officials proclaim. Many well-to-do citizens, including government officials, have built private summer homes on the shores of Lake Sevan. If the lake’s levels were raised to the projected levels necessary to salvage the wildlife still in existence, the water would flood these homes—which raises the question of true motivations and intentions. We would hope that the government abides by its pledge to raise the water level by 6 meters and takes all additional and necessary steps to prevent any further lasting damage to the lake.



The local economy is also endangered by the destruction of this habitat. The fishing industry has seen their harvests steadily decline over the years (see govt. report above). Proper management of the aquaculture farms that are popping up around the area would help to reduce any effluent that is harming the habitat for the wild species remaining in the lake. These steps would increase long-term economic development and a sustainable source of income for fishermen.



A clean lake is also critical to the development of steady tourism–no one wants to vacation in a spot that has been destroyed over the years and is no longer healthy to be in or around. Lake Sevan is a popular destination for holiday goers, especially in the summertime. However, tourism can harm an area if it is not maintained sustainably. For more information on the impacts of tourism and how to plan your own visit to Lake Sevan in harmony with its wildlife, see the Armenian Ecotourism Association’s page on Lake Sevan.



If you know of an organization or report that should be listed here and is not, please Contact Us with a brief explanation of its relevance and an active URL for the organization or report

To view a broader list of active environmental organizations, see Our Partners page.

For reports and other publications relevant to this topic, see our Publications page.

http://www.armenia-environment.org/lake-sevan/

[ZORAVAR]

Re: Sevan

Unfortunately news report are true.
1- Ishkhan is not back first and foremost because of massive and shortsighted fish plundering (ie: extreme corruption from the smallest natural reserve guards, to lake
etc.
etc
etc. .

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this detailed analysis.
Believe me, I have read/heard many versions of Sevan's multitude of problems. I have a scientific background and I take all media reports with a grain of salt.
Some reported problems are indeed genuine and should cause serious concern. I also believe that some of the problems are grossly exagerated either by the media or by some parties/sides to push a point or view. For example, in my opinion the pollution factor is exagerated too much. Yes, there is some pollution due to human activity, but it is not as bad as some people portait it. There are far more polluted freshwater lakes in this world and they are still alive with many species of fauna and flora.
The 3m rise in water level is very positive and helps to aleviate most of the problems. Another 3 m rise will go a long way to solve at least some of the problems. However, water level rise will not mean much for the Ishkhan and Sig if destructive fishing practices continue. Carp can be a problem in the long term.
Educating the people living around the lake about what is good and what is bad goes a long way to assure Sevan's future. Unfortunately it is easier said than done... go convince the person who catches a big fish to release it back in the water because that one happens to be the highest contributor to the reproductivity.

By the way, I am trying to find the English (or Scientific) names of the Goghak. Do you happen to have it?

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Sevan

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this detailed analysis.
Believe me, I have read/heard many versions of Sevan's multitude of problems. I have a scientific background and I take all media reports with a grain of salt.
Some reported problems are indeed genuine and should cause serious concern. I also believe that some of the problems are grossly exagerated either by the media or by some parties/sides to push a point or view. For example, in my opinion the pollution factor is exagerated too much. Yes, there is some pollution due to human activity, but it is not as bad as some people portait it. There are far more polluted freshwater lakes in this world and they are still alive with many species of fauna and flora.
The 3m rise in water level is very positive and helps to aleviate most of the problems. Another 3 m rise will go a long way to solve at least some of the problems. However, water level rise will not mean much for the Ishkhan and Sig if destructive fishing practices continue. Carp can be a problem in the long term.
Educating the people living around the lake about what is good and what is bad goes a long way to assure Sevan's future. Unfortunately it is easier said than done... go convince the person who catches a big fish to release it back in the water because that one happens to be the highest contributor to the reproductivity.

By the way, I am trying to find the English (or Scientific) names of the Goghak. Do you happen to have it?

Don't have anything to add except one thing that the government should stop the overfishing that is going on.

[Federate]

Re: Sevan

By the way, I am trying to find the English (or Scientific) names of the Goghak. Do you happen to have it?

Voila my friend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevan_khramulya

[Vrej1915]

1900.19

Սեւանը բարձրանում է ավելի արագ, քան սահմանված է օրենքով. Վլադիմիր Մովսիսյան





Մարտ 02, 2012 | 12:25
Սեւանի մակարդակը ներկայում գտնվում է 1900.19 մետրի վրա: Այդ մասին այսօր` մարտի 2-ին, լրագրողների հետ հանդիպման ժամանակ հատարարեց ՀՀ նախագահին առընթեր Սեւանա լճի հիմնահարցերի հանձնաժողովի նախագահ Վլադիմիր Մովսիսյանը:

2001 թ. ընդունված օրենքների համաձայն` Սեւանա լճի մակարդակը 10 տարում պետք է բարձրանար 216 սմ, սակայն բարձրացել է 380 սմ-ով, որից 126 սամ` վերջին 3 տարում; Այսինքն` տարեկան միջին հաշվով Սեւանը բարձրանում է 30 սմ-ով, իսկ վերջին 3 տարում` 42 սմ-ով:

Զուգահեռ` նվազել է Սեւան լճից ջրի բացթողումը: Ըստ օրենքի` այն չի կարող գերազանցել տարեկան 170 մլն խոր. մետր ծավալը, փաստացի միջինը կազմում է 158 մլն խոր. մետր:

Ներկայում, ըստ Վլ. Մովսիսյանի, Սեւանա լճի մակարդակը հավասարվել է1963 թ. մակարդակին: «Վերջին 10 տարվա ընթացքում ոչ մի տարում չի եղել Սեւանի ջրի բացթողնման ու ներհոսքի բացասական հաշվեկշիռ»,- ասաց Վլ. Մովսիսյանը:

[Vrej1915]

Re: Sevan

https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/lake-sevan/project_results.htm

https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/lake-sevan/sevan_problem.htm

[Vrej1915]

Re: Sevan

You act as a RoA PM at this forum. The level has been risen because of God's will (Force Major) mainly, oligarchs could not confront it much, fortunately.

I heard our government now is working hard on a bill of prohibiting earthquakes in Armenia and that it is the Hanrapetakan party initiative, to enroll new party members for future elections. Is that true?

The actual level is:
From 2012-04-10
Water level of Sevan
1900.24m

This means, on a year to year basis, the rise is only 20 cm this year compared to April 2011 same day, while the period was not a dry year, rather contrary...
This is one of the worst figure for the last 6 years or so.
This means, there was a policy to slow down the rise of the water level.
Hope it was temporary, and this year around, with all the snow up in the mountains of Kegham am Vardenis, we can have a 40-45 cm rise...., like previous years.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Sevan

«Հայացք». Սեւանի կարասում հայտնաբերված որդերը սեզոնային են


Մայիս 02, 2012 | 07:45
Սեւանի բնակիչներն ահազանգել էին, որ շուկայից կարաս ձուկ են գնել եւ մաքրելիս դրանում ժապավենաձեւ որդեր հայտնաբերել: Այդ մասին գրում է «Հայացքը»:

«Ըստ բնակիչների` Սեւանի ձուկը վարակված է եւ հիվանդ: Մենք փորձեցինք անձամբ ձկնաբաններից ճշտել, թե ինչ վարակվածության մասին է խոսքը: Կենդանաբանության եւ հիդրոէլոլոգիայի գիտական կենտրոնի տնօրեն, ձկնաբանության բաժնի վարիչ Բ. Գաբրիելյանը մեզ հետ զրույցում նշեց, որ այդ երեւույթը միշտ էլ եղել է, դա նորություն չէ: Ամեն տարի, երբ մոտենում է ամռան սեզոնը, ձկների մեջ նման վարակ է տարածվում: Դրանք սպիտկ որդեր են, որոնք նույնիսկ կարող են հանգեցնել կարասի մանրաձկների մահացության: Դա գաղտնիք չէ: Մենք այդ որդերը շատ վաղուց ենք հայտնաբերել: Դրանք տարածվում են ճայերի միջոցով, եւ վերացնելն անհնար է: Այդ վարակվածությունը բնական պրոցես է, կրում է սեզոնային բնույթ, ասաց Վ.Գաբրիելյանը»,- գրում է «Հայացք» թերթը: