World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
Caspian Sea decline may turn Russia’s Nordovy Island into a peninsula
Nordovy Island in Russia’s Kizlyar Bay is gradually joining the mainland as the Caspian Sea gets shallower.
Small channels between the island and the coast are drying up, and land is appearing where water once separated them.
The Caspian’s level has fallen about 1.5 metres in five years.
Scientists estimate it could fall another four to five metres in the next 20 years if the trend continues.
If that happens, Nordovy would become part of the mainland rather than an island.
The uninhabited island is now important as a bird-nesting site, and changing water levels are reshaping the coastline.
Researchers are using older records, satellite images and digital models to track the changes and forecast where the coast may shift.
Nordovy Island in the Caspian Sea’s Kizlyar Bay is gradually connecting to the mainland as water levels fall.
Shallow channels between the island and shore are drying up, and new land is appearing.
The Caspian Sea has fallen about 1.5 metres over the past five years, according to the articles.
Researchers estimate that the water level could fall a further 4–5 metres over the next 20 years.
If that happens, Nordovy could become part of the mainland; the uninhabited island is now an important bird-nesting site.
- Who
- Nordovy Island, which is part of Russia.
- What
- It is gradually joining the mainland as the Caspian Sea recedes.
- When
- The sea fell about 1.5 metres over the past five years. A further fall is forecast over the next 20 years.
- Where
- Kizlyar Bay, in the Caspian Sea.
- Why
- The Caspian Sea is becoming shallower, drying the shallow channels between the island and shore.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Caspian Sea level fell by about 1.5 metres, while shallow channels near Nordovy began drying up.
Joint work with the Caspian Flotilla’s hydrographic service confirmed that the area between Nordovy and the mainland was continuing to dry out.
Researchers estimate the Caspian water level could fall a further 4–5 metres, potentially joining Nordovy to the mainland.
- Island
- Nordovy, in Kizlyar Bay
- Area
- About 630,000 square metres, or roughly 88 standard football fields
- Sea-level change
- About 1.5 metres lower over the past five years
- Forecast
- A further 4–5 metres of decline over the next 20 years
- Current use
- Uninhabited; an important bird-nesting site
3 sources
What people are saying
If the sea continues to become shallower at this rate, over the next 20 years the water level could fall a further 4–5 metres. Then Nordovy will finally become part of the mainland, and other islands could disappear with it – new peninsulas and areas of land will appear on the map instead.