The water level of Lake Sevan, Armenia’s main source of drinking water, has dropped sharply over the past six months, largely due to an unusually dry autumn, officials said.

As of 28 December, the lake’s water level stood at 1,900.22 metres, around 17 centimetres lower than at the same time last year, according to Levon Azizyan, director of Armenia’s Center for Hydrometeorology and Monitoring, as reported by Sputnik News.

Azizyan said the lake experienced a seasonal rise earlier in the year but then saw a significant decline. On 1 January, 2025, Lake Sevan’s level was measured at 1,900.39 metres. By 8 June, it had risen by 38 centimetres to 1,900.77 metres, before falling by 55 centimetres between 9  June and 28 December.

Overall, Azizyan said 2025 was not a favourable year from a hydrological perspective, citing a relatively dry winter and spring followed by a lack of precipitation in the autumn months.

He also noted that water withdrawal from Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes totalled 119.6 million cubic metres this year, which is 65.4 million cubic metres less than the volume withdrawn in the previous year. While the reduction eased pressure on the lake, officials said weather conditions remained the main factor behind the declining water level.

Lake Sevan is one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes in Europe and Asia and plays a critical role in Armenia’s water security. Located in the heart of the Armenian Highland at an altitude of around 1,914 metres, the lake stretches more than 70 kilometres from northwest to southeast and covers nearly 1,500 square kilometres.

Experts warn that continued dry conditions could pose long-term risks to Lake Sevan’s ecosystem and Armenia’s water supply, underscoring the importance of careful water management amid changing climate patterns.

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