Flag of Turkmenistan

Caspian Sea Level Continues to Drop, Reaching Historic Lows in 2023

in News / Turkmenistan - by


In 2023, the level of the Caspian Sea continued to decrease, dropping by 26 centimeters compared to 2022. This information was reported by "Meteozhurnal" citing data from the Coordination Committee for Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea.

In 2022, the sea level decreased by 27 centimeters, and in 2021 by 20 centimeters. Satellite images show significant changes, such as the coastline receding by nearly 700 meters at the southern tip of the Ufra Peninsula. In the northeast of the Krasnovodsk Gulf, the coastline has shifted by more than three kilometers in some areas.

The main reason for the sharp drop in the Caspian Sea level is attributed to the low flow of the Volga River, which supplies 85 percent of the river flow into the sea. However, it is noted that the overall cycle of decreasing water levels has been ongoing since the late 20th century and is not solely dependent on the Volga River's discharge. Currently, the Caspian Sea levels are approaching historic lows.

In the spring of 2023, sources from turkmen.news reported that the Caspian Sea's shallowing is negatively impacting the resort area of Avaza. Hotel guests on the first coastline are unable to fully utilize the infrastructure built just 10-15 years ago as the sea has receded from the piers by several tens of meters. This situation has prompted hotel management to either relocate the piers or deepen the sea in front of the hotels.