The prolonged drought and water use for electricity production have caused a significant drop in the level of Lake Kukës, part of the reservoir of the Fierza hydropower plant.
Inflows from the Drin have fallen below 80 cubic meters of water per second, while electricity production continues, further contributing to the decline of the reservoir’s level.
The receding water has once again exposed traces of old Kukës. Among the ruins, parts of the former city center, the monument to Zog I, a well, and the piers of the old Kukës bridge are visible.
The drop in the water level is also having consequences for the lake’s ecosystem. Hundreds of mollusks have died and been left on the shores after the water receded.
KESH’s official data have not yet been updated, but the lake level is estimated to have dropped below the 250-meter mark. Meanwhile, inflows continue to remain significantly below the annual average.
If the situation continues, a further drop in the water level could also affect the operation of the units at the Fierza hydropower plant, leading to restrictions or interruptions in production.
The emergence of the ruins of old Kukës is considered a rare phenomenon, but this year they have appeared twice within a period of ten months.