Reviving Lake Boyukshor underway
By Nigar Orujova
Works on restoration of contaminated lakes continues in Baku, while the Lake Boyukshor enters the second phase of the project on reviving and work continues to clean up the Lake Zig.
“Currently, documents on engineering studies as well as cost estimates and document evaluating the environmental impact are under preparation on the lakes Boyukshor and Zig,” the Economy Ministry reported.
Furthermore, the preparatory works continue for cleaning the bottom area of 380 hectares of the Lake Boyukshor, the ministry said, adding that clearing work will begin in the coming days.
Boyukshor, Azerbaijan's second largest lake and the largest lake in the Absheron Peninsula, is polluted with the waste from surrounding industrial facilities. The world’s leading experts earlier assessed Boyukshor as one of the most polluted lakes in the world.
The rehabilitation process is carried out in two stages. The first stage includes separation of the most polluted part from the rest of the reservoir by using the dam.
The first phase included works to clean up the territory of 300 hectares, and the area around the lake was also cleaned, where improvement works were carried out.
These resulted in decrease of oil pollution of the lake bottom from 100-120 mg/kg to 100-400 mg/kg. The total level of oil contamination of the lake has also fall from 300-400 mg/liter to 100-200 mg/liter.
The average cost of the first stage of the project was expected to amount to 99.5 million manats. The second stage of the restoration project is expected to cost 183 million manats.
Today, 80,000 trees and bushes were already planted on the shore of the lake. The restoration work will include establishment of one-kilometer-long boulevard around the lake with a promenade, sports and biking lanes, and numerous threes.
Along with Boyukshor, today, Baku plans to restore nine contaminated lakes on the Absheron peninsula through public funds. The project will cover the restoration of Boyukshor, Khojasan, Girmizi, Gu, Zabrat, Bulbula, Zikh, Puta, and a lake in the Binagadi village of Baku.
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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’ staff journalist. Follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar
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