The highly rated journal (Web of Science, index Q1, Impact Factoa 3.78) has published the article entitled “Changes in the hydrological regime of the Volga River and their influence on Caspian Sea level fluctuations” made by DSc on geography Said Safarov, the head of the Department of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea at the Institute of Geography, co-authored with PhD in geography Elnur Safarov, senior researcher Department of Caspian Sea level.

In this study, based on data from 1938-2020, hydrological changes in the Volga River and their impact on the level of the Caspian Sea were investigated. The analysis revealed a correlation between the high flow of the Volga River and the increase in precipitation in its basin. However, in recent years (2005-2020), according to the Verkhneye Lebyazhye hydrological station, a sharp decrease in the discharge coefficient of the Volga River has been revealed.

The impact of global warming on river flows and sea levels has been quantified and resulted in a 133cm drop in sea level from 1977 to 2020 – a period of 23 years. It should be noted that historically, changes in the level of the Caspian Sea reflected changes in the Volga flow until 2005, and since 2006, against the background of a decrease in the Volga flow, a sharper drop in sea level has occurred, which is associated with a change in the wind regime.