BirdLife Cyprus has demanded an immediate halt to the drainage of Lake Paralimni, which it says has been under way since Tuesday following the partial removal of an embankment, and has directly challenged the justifications put forward by the Paralimni-Derynia Municipality for the operation.
The conservation organisation said the drainage is taking place at the worst possible time — the peak of the breeding season for several bird species that depend on the lake, including the Spur-winged Lapwing, the Kentish Plover, and the Little Tern. All three nest during this period and rely on shallow water and muddy margins for egg incubation and chick survival. BirdLife warned that sudden changes in water levels risk nest abandonment and habitat loss, and that the presence of water around nests also protects birds from predators.
The organisation added that the lake is the most important habitat for the endemic Cyprus Grass Snake, whose breeding season begins in late spring and is critically dependent on the presence of water and suitable micro-habitats.
Justifications disputed
The Municipality had argued that drainage was necessary to address mosquito infestations and high aquifer salinity caused by prolonged standing water. BirdLife rejected both claims.
On mosquitoes, BirdLife said Environment Department studies show the main breeding sites for mosquitoes are abandoned swimming pools and incomplete construction sites — not the lake. On salinity, it said the high salinity levels recorded in the Kokkinochoria area are caused by over-pumping of the underground aquifer from both licensed and unlicensed boreholes, not by water levels in the lake.
BirdLife also disputed the broader management approach, saying the drainage had been carried out without transparency, without scientific documentation, and without a clear assessment of its environmental impact. It called for water levels to be maintained at shallow, stable depths of 10 to 30 centimetres in parts of the lake during the April–June period to support wading species such as the Spur-winged Lapwing, while other areas should remain dry to create suitable breeding conditions for species such as the Kentish Plover — in line with expert recommendations.
Questions sent to state authorities
BirdLife said it has submitted six formal questions to the Environment Department, the Game and Fauna Service, and the Water Development Department, asking who authorised the embankment removal and on what scientific basis; how much water is being removed per hour and in total; how much water will be retained through to the end of the breeding season in late June; who is monitoring the process; and how the operation complies with the Protection and Management Decree for the Lake Paralimni Special Conservation Zone.
What BirdLife is demanding
The organisation is calling for the immediate restoration of the embankment and closure of the drainage canal; the completion and implementation of a hydrological study to determine the lake’s required water balance; the establishment of a Lake Management Committee to take decisions on the basis of scientific data; and the removal of all illegal activities within the protected area.
Background
The Paralimni-Derynia Municipality had issued a statement earlier this week defending the drainage operation, saying it was conducted exclusively by state authorities — the Environment Service, the Game and Fauna Service, the Water Development Department, and the Geological Survey Department — at the Municipality’s request. It cited public health risks from stagnant water and said outflows were managed with daily measurements and on-site checks. The Municipality has also been calling for state expropriations of the private land on which the lake sits to allow for more effective long-term management.
Lake Paralimni is the largest inland natural lake in Cyprus and was designated a Natura 2000 site in 2009. It has been identified as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, with at least 186 bird species recorded there. The drainage dispute is not new. BirdLife noted that Cyprus was condemned by the European Court of Justice in 2012 — the only such environmental ruling against Cyprus to date — specifically for failing to adequately protect Lake Paralimni and the Cyprus Grass Snake. The organisation said the country’s management of Natura 2000 protected areas did not appear to have changed significantly since that ruling.
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