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Caspian Sea water level decline

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-09 16:59 UTC → 2026-10-10 13:37 UTC · added removed

The Caspian Sea is facing a significant hydrological crisis characterized by declining water levels. Somayeh Rafiei, head of the Iranian Parliament’s Environment Fraction, identified the receding water as the “most serious environmental threat” facing the sea, noting that current frameworks like the Tehran Convention do not sufficiently address the issue. Rafiei attributed the decline to climate change-induced evaporation and a reduction in inflow, noting that approximately 80 percent of the sea’s water is supplied by upstream countries. In Kazakhstan, the recession has resulted in the emergence of new landmasses along the northern and northeastern coasts. Data from the Caspian Sea Kazakh Research Institute shows that the water level in the Kazakhstan section dropped from -26.82 meters in 1996 to a historic low of -29.42 meters in 2025. At the first Caspian Ecological Summit in Turkmenistan, leaders from the five bordering nations addressed the accelerating decline, reporting that the sea’s surface area has decreased by more than 20,000 square kilometers. Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the sea area in his country has shrunk by over 16,000 square kilometers in the last 25 years. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev warned that nearly 30,000 hectares of dry land have formed in the Azerbaijani section alone, impacting ecosystems, coastal communities, and port infrastructure. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for increased cooperation stated that the water level is dropping by an average of nine centimeters annually, a trend he attributed primarily to climate change. He noted that the receding shoreline has already impacted the Russian coast by 20,000 square kilometers over the last two decades. To manage these threats to biodiversity, fisheries, and announced infrastructure, Russia is developing a research program through 2030 focused on technological monitoring and infrastructure modernization has suggested creating an “AI-powered digital twin of the sea” to manage water resources. model changes.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-10 13:37 UTC Caspian Sea water level decline
  2. 2026-10-09 16:59 UTC Caspian Sea water level decline
  3. 2026-10-08 05:55 UTC Caspian Sea water level decline

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