In Russia, a drying lake threatens an ‘era of water wars’

Lake Baikal’s dramatic drying already is causing tensions between the two regions that rely on it. In the Buryat Republic, upstream of the lake, wells are running empty and the area’s fishing industry is struggling with decreasing fish populations.

Downstream, the people of the Irkutsk Oblast region who depend on the lake for their water and electricity supply are demanding they continue to have access to it despite the falling water level.

"Welcome to the era of water wars in Russia," said Alexander Kolotov, Russian coordinator of the international ecological coalition Rivers Without Boundaries. "Water is becoming the country’s most valuable resource."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/03/16/us-russia-water-conflict-idUKKBN0MC18X20150316