Caspian Sea drops to lowest level in recorded history
Experts blame falling Volga River inflows, rising temperatures, and growing water use for alarming sea level decline
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (MNTV) — The Caspian Sea has reached its lowest recorded level since the start of instrumental monitoring, dropping to below minus 29 meters based on the Baltic height system.
According to a report by aze.media, the Volga-Caspian branch of the Caspian Fisheries Research Institute (KaspNIRKh) highlighted that the decline is most visible in the shallow northern parts of the sea, where it borders Russia and Kazakhstan. These areas, once rich in biodiversity, are now seeing large swaths of exposed seabed as the shoreline retreats.
The sea has been shrinking steadily since the mid-1990s, but the trend has accelerated in recent years—falling nearly 0.8 meters since 2020.
Researchers attribute the decline primarily to a sustained reduction in freshwater inflow from the Volga River, which supplies roughly 80% of river water to the Caspian and 64% of its total water input.
“Large portions of seabed are now exposed in the north, which used to be among the most densely populated zones for marine life,” the institute said, warning that the continued retreat poses a severe threat to local ecosystems.
Over the past four years, the Volga’s annual discharge has remained well below average, ranging between 210 and 232 cubic kilometers—far less than the long-term norm of around 250 cubic kilometers.
Scientists say this is compounded by rising greenhouse gas emissions, which are heating the atmosphere and accelerating evaporation from both the sea and its tributaries.
Additional stress comes from increasing water consumption for agriculture, industry, and domestic use, further draining the rivers that feed into the Caspian.
Environmental experts warn that unless regional governments act swiftly to curb water overuse and address climate impacts, the Caspian’s ecological collapse could intensify in the years ahead.
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