February 25, 2026 | 11:11
Research
Publications and scientific journals
Study of river flows feeding Lake Sevan to address domestic water supply challenges: YSU associate professor discusses recent research
Varduhi Margaryan, Associate Professor at the YSU Faculty of Geography and Geology, together with several researchers from Russia and Uzbekistan, has examined the main trends in the winter average monthly minimum flow of rivers in the Lake Sevan basin. Their scientific article on the topic has been published in E3S Web of Conferences, an international journal indexed in the Scopus database.
Presenting the research, Varduhi Margaryan emphasized that minimum flow is one of the most important hydrological characteristics considered in water management measures and engineering projects.
"Knowledge of mountain minimum flows is crucial for managing hydrological ecosystems, the efficient use and storage of water resources, determining environmental flow requirements, risk assessment, and the design and construction of hydraulic structures, among other applications. When developing mountain catchment areas, information on river minimum flow regimes is necessary, as it limits the utilization of local water resources," she explained, adding that minimum flows are of practical interest due to increasing water consumption and, consequently, anthropogenic pressure, particularly on smaller rivers.
Through this study, the researchers aimed to calculate the winter minimum average monthly flow, the coefficients of variability (Cv) and skewness (Cs), as well as minimum flows at different probabilities. They analyzed and assessed the distribution patterns of winter minimum average monthly flows in the Lake Sevan basin over a long-term observation period.
"The study used data from 12 hydrological observation stations of the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia. Monthly minimum flows were calculated for the low-water winter period of the hydrological year (XI-III). These data are important for the economic use of flows, mainly for addressing various domestic water supply issues," noted Varduhi Margaryan.
According to the associate professor, the study allows the following conclusions: in the studied area, rivers exhibit minimum flows during the summer–autumn and low-water winter periods, characterized by spatial and temporal variations. Winter minimum average monthly flows in the study area range from 0.015 m³/s (Drakhtik River – Drakhtik settlement) to 1.68 m³/s (Gavaraget – Noratus settlement). The magnitude of winter minimum average monthly flows in the Lake Sevan basin rivers increases with altitude. The coefficient of variation of winter minimum average monthly flows ranges from 0.15 to 0.64.
The study revealed a strong correlation between the winter mean flow and the minimum monthly flow, as well as between the winter mean flow and the absolute minimum monthly flow for the hydrological year. Varduhi Margaryan pointed out that these correlations can be used to estimate winter flows in rivers that have not been studied.
She added that the results will be useful for properly organizing water resource management activities.
The study was conducted as part of the scientific project authored by Varduhi Margaryan, titled "The Assessment of Possible Changes in The Distribution of Ice Regime Characteristics of Water Bodies of Armenia Under Actual Climate Conditions", which was funded through the "Program for the Empowerment of Women Leaders - 2024" competition announced by the Higher Education and Science Committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia.
