Azerbaijan reports decline in its underground freshwater resources drops

Azerbaijan's underground freshwater resources have dropped from approximately 10 billion cubic meters to 8 billion, Rafig Verdiyev, department head of the State Control Service for Water Use and Protection under the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency (ASWR), said.

According to Report, he made the remark during the panel discussion themed "Water security in the context of climate change" at the closing ceremony of the UN Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change "LCOY Azerbaijan 2025".

According to Verdiyev, Azerbaijan currently has 8.4 billion cubic meters of underground freshwater reserves: "With this, the country's renewable freshwater resources reach 26.2 billion cubic meters. However, 25 percent of water taken from natural sources is lost."

The official stated that over the past 34 years, the flow entering the country through the Kur River, Azerbaijan's main water artery, has decreased by 9 percent: "The greatest decrease of 19 percent was observed during the summer period. The annual decrease is most evident in the river's flow below the Mingachevir reservoir. This figure was 28 percent."