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Amin Mammadov: Risk of Lake Goycha drying up is increasing

Amin Mammadov, Chairman of the “Water Use Specialists” Public Union

05 October 2026 15:48 (UTC +04:00)

“The World Bank’s report notes that Armenia is experiencing water scarcity,” Amin Mammadov, Chairman of the “Water Use Specialists” Public Union, said at a briefing of the Environmental Protection First NGO Coalition on “Environmental Impact of Mining Activities Carried Out in the Territory of Armenia,” APA reports.

He said that groundwater extraction for commercial fishing and irrigation in the Ararat Valley exceeds the annual rate of its natural replenishment: “The volume of water permitted to be released from Lake Goycha to meet irrigation demand significantly exceeds historical natural flow levels. As a result, the risk of Lake Goycha drying up is increasing, negatively affecting the diversity of fauna there. In general, since Azerbaijan is a downstream country in the Caucasus, the pollution of transboundary rivers in Armenia affects Azerbaijan the most. Therefore, in accordance with the Espoo Convention, the Armenian government must submit a report on this matter.”

Gunay Elshan

Amin Mammadov Lake Goycha Armenia Azerbaijan water scarcity Ararat Valley groundwater irrigation transboundary rivers water pollution Espoo Convention environmental protection Environmental Protection First