Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




WATER WORLD
Russia sounds alarm as Lake Baikal's water levels drop
by Staff Writers
Moscow (AFP) Jan 20, 2015


Russia sounded the alarm Tuesday as water levels in Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater lake, dropped to record lows, with environmentalists blaming dry weather and overuse by local industry.

The regional emergency ministry in Buryatia region on the lake's shores announced a state of high alert as villages surrounding the lake were reportedly hit by water shortages.

The water level in the lake is just eight centimetres (3 inches) above the minimum 456 metres (1496 feet) above sea level allowed by the Russian government. The lake has been at its lowest levels in 60 years, according to Buryatia natural resources minister Yury Safyanov.

Environmentalists, fishermen and industry that relies on hydroelectric power stations fed by Baikal haggle over the lake year after year.

The Irkutsk hydroelectric power station on the Angara River flowing from Lake Baikal serves the large city of Irkutsk with electricity and water. It also feeds an enormous aluminium plant in the region with electricity. There are several other hydroelectric power plants on the Angara.

Lake Baikal -- one of Russia's most striking landmarks which contains around one-fifth of the Earth's fresh water -- is also a bone of contention between big industry and local populations thirsty for its water.

In Buryatia, a region that borders Lake Baikal and Mongolia, the governor Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn said there were already reports of underground springs drying up, fish disappearing and wild fires increasing.

"Every year, energy workers want to lower the level of Baikal to produce more power," said Alexander Kolotov, a coordinator for Rivers Without Boundaries, a coalition of environmentalists in Russia, China, Mongolia and the United States.

"But that is detrimental to the ecosystem," he told AFP.

A special meeting of the Russian government will decide next week whether to allow Baikal to drop below the current legal minimum level to feed the hydroelectric power plants, he said.

Last spring Baikal's levels were lowered as everyone expected a rainy year, but the year turned out to be dry and the lake's level stayed low, said Arkady Ivanov of Greenpeace's Baikal programme.

"Now the energy industry wants to drop it even further -- the more the level drops the more money is made," Ivanov said, cautioning that lower levels disrupt fish spawning and increase algae growth.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








WATER WORLD
China's water stress set to worsen with transfer initiatives
Norwich, UK (SPX) Jan 13, 2015
New research paints a grim picture for the future of China's water supply, as its booming economy continues to heap pressure on its natural resources, according to scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA), the University of Leeds and other international institutions. Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) compiles for the first time a full ... read more


WATER WORLD
Service Module of Chinese Probe Enters Lunar Orbit

Service module of China's lunar orbiter enters 127-minute orbit

Chinese spacecraft to return to moon's orbit

Russian Company Proposes to Build Lunar Base

WATER WORLD
Team Working on Strategy to Fix Flash Memory Issue

Crystal-Rich Rock 'Mojave' is Next Mars Drill Target

Russia-EU Mars Research Program to Be Completed

Mars is warmer than some parts of the U.S. and Canada

WATER WORLD
U.S. food headed for ISS stalled in Russian customs

Long duration weightlessness in space induces a blood shift

Experts explore the medical safety needs of civilian space travel

NASA, Nissan to Create Interplanetary Driverless Vehicles

WATER WORLD
China launches the FY-2 08 meteorological satellite successfully

China's Long March puts satellite in orbit on 200th launch

Countdown to China's new space programs begins

China develops new rocket for manned moon mission: media

WATER WORLD
Astronauts take shelter after alarm at space station

Russia delays decision on using ISS after 2020

Space station worms help battle muscle and bone loss

Fresh supplies and experiments for Samantha

WATER WORLD
Soyuz Installed at Baikonur, Expected to Launch Wednesday

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wants to shake up satellite industry

Firefly Space Systems and NASA have Inked Space Act Agreement

Vega ready to launch ESA spaceplane

WATER WORLD
A twist on planetary origins

NameExoWorlds contest opens

Ground-breaking research to discover new planets

NASA releases retro-styled travel posters for newly discovered planets

WATER WORLD
Japan researchers target 3D-printed body parts

Laser-generated surface structures create extremely water-repellent metals

New laser-patterning technique turns metals into supermaterials

Integrating with multiferroic materials and devices silicon chips




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.