Apsheron lakes

In the Apsheron peninsula more than 250 lakes are as a whole available. The location of these lakes in the Peninsula have been indicated on the fig

In pollution of water resources in Baku area and Caspian sea the importantance has Apsheron lakes. In inhabited files to the large Baku are available more than about 10 lakes with the area more than 1 sq km: Beyukshor, Bulbula, Girmizi , Hodjahasan, Kurdahani, Duzlugel, Masazir and Mirzaladi. These lakes have certain contribution in the establishment of climatic conditions in the peninsula (fig 2).In the last time in lakes Bulbula, Hojahasan, Ganligel and oth develops fisheries. In some places the water areused for watering . The observation for a condition of Apsheron lakes for the last 50 years show, that occurs sharp changes as in the geometrical sizes, and in an ecological condition of theselakes. Therefore, these changes have attracted attention ecologists of the country.
Ecological Society "Ruzgar" from October 2000 carries out the project on public-ecological monitoring of Apsheron lakes and organization of the public movement on their protection by Small Grant of ISAR-Azerbaijan and World Bank . The monitoring on the radiating background, microbiological conditions and contents of petroleum in 8 large lakes, such as Bulbula, Beyuk-shor, Hojahasan, Masazir, Mirzaladi, Kurdahani, Girmizi and Duzlugel carried out. The results of public-ecological monitoring are adduced on tables 1-4.

Table 1.Radiation background on lakes territory

Table. 2 Maximal oil content in water(mg/l)

Table 3. Microorganisms in the Apsheron lakes

It is known, that on coast of these lakes there are the inhabited files Masazir, Khodjahasan, Kurdahani, Bulbula, Amiradjan, Beyukshor the population, which consists, in basic of poverty families. The ecological conditions directly works on their life and health.
The results of independent monitoring show, that the concentration saprefides, as the basicparameter of presence of organic connections in water environment reaches up to 2100-11000 for lakes Beyukshor, Bulbula, Girmizi and Hodjahasan. In this relation rather pure are the lakes Kurdahani, Duzlugel, Masazir and Mirzaladi where this number does not exceed 700-900.
The radiating background in water environment does not exceed permissible norm, however the small increase of a background up to 24-35 mcR/h is observed in seddment adjourment.
In certain sites of lakes Beyuk Shor and Girmizi the contents of petroleum in water environment exceeds 10 mg/l, that exceeds allowable norm 200 times.

By the researchers were spent inventory of pollution sources of Apsheron lakes. Were established, that main sources of pollution of these lakes are a petroleum industry (table 4).

Table 4.The sources of pollution of the lakes

On coast of lakes Girmizi, Khodjahasan, petroleum chinks are available and many which are in an emergency condition and the petroleum drains get in lakes. On coast of lake Beyuk Shor are available oil-basa of oil refining industrial associations and pipelines, that are potential sources of pollution of these lakes.
At planned development of the petroleum industry in Caspian region the ecological conditions in Apsheron lakes can more seriously.
All municipal wastes of districts Bulbula, Amirajan, Khodjahasan, Beyukshor, Kurdahani ther coastal populated area following to appropriate lakes.
The authors of the project at the moment develop the offers for improvement of an ecological conditions of Apsheron lakes.
These offers includes following:
- Termination of hit of municipal and industrial drains in lakes
- Isolation of objects of the oil industry from lakes
- Clean up of water environments and seddment of adjourment of lakes
- Development of a zone of rest on coast of the lakes