Asad Shirinov: Most small mountain rivers of Azerbaijan might dry up

The rate of glacier melting in Azerbaijan has doubled over the last century, the Advisor to the Chairman of the State Water Resources Agency of Azerbaijan Asad Shirinov said at the Baku Water Week international conference, Report informs.

“In Azerbaijan, 90% of freshwater reserves are formed as a result of precipitation and melting of glaciers on the ridges of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. Over the past two decades, the area of glaciers in the mountains of Azerbaijan has decreased by 13 square kilometers,” he said.

According to Shirinov, with current trends, by the end of the 22nd century, there is a risk of losing 80% of glaciers. As a result, most of the small mountain rivers in the country may dry up, and the remaining ones will turn into seasonal watercourses, Shirinov noted.