YEREVAN, Nov. 25 (RFE/RL) - The government's efforts to save Lake Sevan from ecological disaster have so far brought few results, with the water level of Armenia's largest natural reservoir continuing to fall, a senior environment ministry official said on Saturday.

According to Vladimir Narimanian, head of a ministry department on water resources, the lake is currently at its lowest level registered in the last several years despite a serious cutback in the use of its water for irrigation and power generation. He said the government measures have been offset by "natural factors," such as dry weather, strong winds and the resulting intense evaporation.

Situated about two kilometers above sea level, Sevan plays a pivotal role in Armenia's ecological system. Years of Soviet mismanagement and experiments have resulted in an unprecedented shrinkage of the lake's depth and area. A rescue plan launched by the government in early 1999 was supposed to reverse the dangerous trend. No water has been artificially pumped out of Sevan this year for a cascade of hydroelectric stations situated along the Hrazdan River. The use of Sevan's water for irrigation purposes has been likewise minimized. But the measures have not had the desired effects, Narimanian told RFE/RL in an interview.

For years the lake has been fed with water pumped from one of the nearby rivers through a tunnel passing under high mountains. The authorities hope that another such tunnel, currently under construction, will remedy the situation.

Large-scale fishing, the main source of revenue for many residents of the surrounding towns and villages, is another serious problem threatening the future of Sevan's habitat. The environment ministry will impose a 30-day ban next month on all forms of fishing to shore up the lake's declining fish stocks.