Five Rivers Flowing into Lake Sevan Contaminated with Nutrients, Minister Says

The Ministry of Environment's Monitoring and Information Center is conducting water quality monitoring in the Sevan Basin at eighteen observation points, including the rivers Dzdzrak, Masrik, Sotk, Karchaghbyur, Vardenis, Martuni, Argichi, Tsakhkar, Shovag, and Gavarraget. Environment Minister Erik Grigoryan posted on his Facebook page.

"The rivers flowing into Lake Sevan that are polluted with nutrients are Gavarraget, Tsakhkar, Shovag, Masrik, and Argichi. The likely reasons for the nutrient contamination are discharges of untreated municipal sewage, as well as agricultural runoff. Completely untreated municipal sewage carries significant amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus into the rivers and ultimately into the lake," the minister wrote.