NORTH MACEDONIA PRESPA LAKE WORLD WATER DAY

The water levels in ancient Lake Pespa continue to decrease

epa11233940 The retracted shoreline of Prespa Lake as seen from the now abandoned and destroyed Hotel 'Evropa', which was an elite hotel 30 years ago, near Resen, Republic of North Macedonia, 21 March 2024. Lake Prespa, located on the borders of Albania, Greece and North Macedonia, falls in the category of ancient lakes, and it is older than 130 000 years. According to the professor of the Technical Faculty in Bitola, Dejan Trajkovski, the lake's water level reduces by 19 centimeters per year and according to NASA, in the past 60 years, Prespa has lost some 40 percent of its volume of water. If the trend continues, at this rate, helped by global warming and pumping, it most certainly will only accelerate, and in about 60 to 80 years most of the bottom of the lake will remain dry, similar fate as Kazakhstan's Aral Sea. North Macedonia's Directorate for Hydrometeorological Affairs (HMRC) has measured, on the North Macedonian side of the lake, a 9,93m lower value than considered normal for the lake. Divided by only 10 km from another ancient lake, Ohrid, the two lakes share a tight bond. Since Prespa is located on the higher ground, much of the water in the Ohrid lake is drawn from Prespa, showing potential of lowering the water level of Ohrid lake as well. EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI

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