Meghri (river)

The Meghri (Մեղրի, also known as the Meghriget) is a tributary of the Aras River in the Syunik Province of southern Armenia. It descends steeply through the province, stretching 36 km in length from its headwaters at Blue Lake to its confluence with the Aras south of the town of Meghri.

Geography
The Meghri is a river in Syunik Province, Armenia. It measures 36 km in length. It descends sharply over its course, from 3250 m above sea level at its headwaters at Blue Lake, to an altitude of 380 m at its confluence with the Aras.

The river's catchment area totals 336 km2. It has an average discharge of 3.53 m3 per second, although this can increase dramatically during periods of flooding, up to a recorded high of 87.5 m3 in March 1956.

A portion of the upper Meghri is within Arevik National Park. The Meghri valley is the hottest and driest region in Armenia.

Flora and fauna
Due to its geographical separation from the rest of Armenia, several species of plants that grow within the Meghri basin are not found elsewhere in the country. It displays strong similarities with the flora of adjacent regions within Iran.

The Eurasian otter is found in the Meghri river basin. Endangered in Armenia, Otter populations have seen some recovery in the basin, where they frequently steal fish and pose a nuisance to aquaculture. However, lower water levels from the instillation of hydroelectric stations has caused many to migrate to the Aras itself.