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Armenian Environment Minister Hakob Simidyan announced that no eutrophication was observed in Lake Sevan in 2024, meaning the water did not "turn green". Simidyan added that the construction of a water treatment plant in Gavar was postponed due to a lack of participants in the tender process.

The question remains as to whether the ongoing measures for recovery of Lake Sevan are sufficient and whether additional steps are being taken to mitigate the problem? Experts attribute the absence of algal blooms in 2024 solely to favorable climatic conditions. The summer months did not experience significant temperature spikes, which restrained eutrophication and prevented the activation of blue-green algae. However, this does not indicate an improvement in the lake’s overall health.

“The fact that algal blooms did not occur this year does not mean that the lake has become healthier. For 4-5 years, we have been observing these processes, and a single bloom-free year does not guarantee that it won’t happen next year. Two main factors contribute to algal blooms: rising temperatures and the saturation of water bodies with biogenic elements. The water temperature depends on the lake’s water level. This year, the level has slightly increased, and if it continues to rise, the problem may become less acute,” Bardukh Gabrielyan, chair of the Expert Committee on Lake Sevan Preservation at the National Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with Panorama.am.

Gabrielyan also highlighted objective factors like climate change, which contributes to rising water temperatures. Regarding anthropogenic impacts, he stressed the need to build treatment plants in the coastal areas of the lake basin to reduce the inflow of biogenic elements. “Only then can we expect a decrease in algal blooms. If this process is reduced to zero, the ecosystem of Lake Sevan can return to normal, allowing whitefish stocks to recover,” the scientist added.

In addition to constructing treatment facilities, Gabrielyan called for restrictions in settlements near the lake’s tributaries, including limiting the use of detergents and chemicals, which increase phosphorus and nitrate levels in the water. Also, he underscored the importance of cleaning coastal zones and implementing competent fisheries management to support the lake’s recovery.