Climate change threatens to dry up Prespa lakes in southeastern Europe

This is what a study by the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Skopje (capital of Macedonia) reveals, which draws attention to the fact that the mountains surrounding the lakes (Big Prespa and Little Prespa) receive less precipitation and snow, leaving the Prespa without fresh water supply.

With a basin that dates back nearly five million years, Prespa Lakes are very old.

In the study, scientist Dejan Trajkovski warned that the lake’s water level drops by 19 centimeters per year.

Over the last 60 years, Prespa has lost around 40% of its water volume.

“If this trend continues, fueled by global warming and (agricultural) irrigation, within 60 to 80 years, most of the lake bottom will be dry, with a fate similar to that of the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan,” he maintained. .

The lake is also affected by the interruption of the water connection between the small lake Prespa and the large Prespa, as well as by the infiltration of water from the upper Prespa into lake Ohrid.

Since measurements began, the Prespa’s maximum water level was recorded in 1963, with an elevation of 851 above sea level. Since then, the lake level has been falling steadily.