The tranquil beauty of Lake Prespa, one of Europe's oldest and most ecologically diverse bodies of water, is under threat as it continues to recede at an alarming rate, causing concern among locals and environmentalists alike.
Fisherman Vancho Vasilevski encounters frequent incidents of his boat getting stuck when he navigates Lake Prespa, an ancient European lake that hosts over 2,000 species of fish, birds, mammals, and plants. This serves as a clear indication of the significant water loss the lake is experiencing.
Vancho Vasilevski, a seasoned sailor on the lake, has noticed a significant drop in water levels in recent months.
"In the last two, three months the water has dropped 36 centimeters and in the last days probably another two or three centimeters. It will go down more. There is no rain, no winter, no snow, no rivers. Only one river is coming into the lake... This is a disaster, a natural disaster," said Vasilevski, who has spent his life around these waters.
The decline in Lake Prespa's water levels has been an ongoing issue for several decades. Located high in the mountains and boasting a history spanning 5 mn years, the lake's water level now stands more than 8 meters lower than it did in the late 1970s. In a 2022 report, NASA highlighted that satellite images indicated the lake had lost 7% of its surface area and half of its volume between 1984 and 2020.
Lake Prespa, with a surface area of around 260 square kilometers, is divided among North Macedonia, Greece, and Albania, with more than two-thirds of it falling within North Macedonia's borders.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has sounded the alarm, warning that several wildlife species inhabiting the lake are now at risk of extinction due to the destruction of their habitat caused by harmful farming practices, erosion, untreated waste, and wastewater.
What makes this situation even more precarious is the potential impact on Lake Ohrid, a much larger lake situated just 10 kilometers from Lake Prespa. Approximately one-third of Lake Ohrid's water is sourced from Lake Prespa, raising concerns about the ripple effect of Prespa's declining water levels.
Environmentalists have pointed to various factors contributing to this ecological crisis. The lack of rain, excessive evaporation, and the overuse of water for irrigation by all three countries surrounding the lake are among the primary reasons for the ongoing water loss.
Dragan Arsovski, a biologist from the Skopje-based NGO Macedonian Geological Society, acknowledged that Lake Prespa's water level has naturally fluctuated over the centuries. However, he emphasized the importance of adapting to these changing conditions.
"There are some things when it comes to global climate change that we simply cannot change and we need to adapt to what is to come. Some things perhaps we can change, like our everyday habits," he stated.
One of the human-driven factors contributing to this crisis is the use of pesticides by fruit farmers, which has led to the rapid growth of biomass that endangers endemic species.
"All (pesticides) go in the underground waters, in the lake, they go everywhere and are very dangerous for Prespa," said Mende Pandevski, a farmer harvesting plums near the lake.
The situation of Lake Prespa bears a striking resemblance to the ongoing ecological crisis that befell the Aral Sea, although on a smaller scale. The Aral Sea, once one of the world's largest inland bodies of water, faced a similar fate over the last few decades.
The Aral Sea's decline began in the mid-20th century due to unsustainable water diversion projects for agriculture, primarily cotton farming. These projects diverted water from the two major rivers that fed the sea, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, causing the sea to shrink dramatically. By the late 20th century, it had split into smaller, highly saline remnants. The ecological consequences were devastating, with the loss of fish species, destruction of habitats, and severe health issues for the surrounding population due to the blowing salt and toxic dust from the exposed seabed.
Efforts have been made to mitigate the Aral Sea crisis in recent years, such as the construction of dams to separate the smaller remnants and restore some water flow. However, the sea's recovery to its former state remains a challenging and ongoing process.
The situation in Lake Prespa underscores the importance of sustainable water management and environmental protection. The decline in both Lake Prespa and the Aral Sea serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of overexploiting water resources and neglecting the ecological health of these vital ecosystems. It emphasizes the need for international cooperation and responsible environmental practices to preserve these natural treasures for future generations.
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