Long-term annual water balance analysis of the Lena River

Historical data analyses show that the Lena River and its major tributaries experienced an extended low water period over 1936–1957 and high water periods over 1974–1983 and 1988–2001. Higher than normal river discharge and annual precipitation is particularly pronounced since the late 1960s due to large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. The trend in runoff observed in the Lena River basin increased by 10% from 1936 to 2001 due to extended wet periods during the second part of last century. The trend is weakened for the Vilui River basin since it experiences reservoir regulation, which causes additional water losses through reservoir filling and increased evaporation. Runoff regulation strongly affects the winter runoff regime of both the Vilui River and the lower reaches of the Lena River causing an increased winter discharge at the Lena river outlet station of approximately 33%.