Lake Sevan

Lake Sevan, large alpine lake on the Armenian Highland, the largest lake in Armenia. It has an elevation of 1,900 m (6,200 ft) and an area of 1,244 sq km (480 sq mi). The lake’s greatest depth, located in the northeast section of the lake, is about 83 m (about 272 ft) deep. Numerous tributaries flow into the lake, principally from the south and southeast, but its only outlet is the Hrazdan River.

A project was started in the 1930s to divert almost all of Lake Sevan’s waters to the Hrazdan for irrigation and to generate hydroelectric power. By the end of the 1950s a series of power stations had been built on the river, and nearly a third of the lake’s water had been drained. The project was abandoned, however, due to unanticipated environmental problems and the availability of new sources of energy from neighboring republics.