Sevan

[Vrej1915]

Սևանից ջրառը դադարեցվել է, սակայն լճի մակարդակը 11սմ-ով զիջում է նախորդ տարվա մակարդակին


ԷկոԼուր

Մայիսի 9-ին ԷկոԼուրի ֆոտոխցիկը ֆիքսեց, որ Սևան-Հրազդան ջրատարը դատարկ է: Հիդրոմետ ծառայության տվյալների համաձայն` մայիսի 6-ից ոռոգման համար Սևանա լճից ջրառ չի իրականացվում: Այս տարի նախատեսված 170 միլիոն խմ ջրառից Սևանից վերցվել է դեռևս 24.721 միլիոն խմ ջուր ապրիլի 18-ից մայիսի 6-ի ընթացքում: Չնայած ջրառի դադարեցմանը և Արփա- Սևան ջրատարով այս տարի արդեն իսկ 54.942 միլիոն խմ ջուր Սևանա լիճ ջուր մղելուն` լճի մակարդակը չի մոտենում նախորդ տարվա մակարդակին: Մայիսի 10-ի դրությամբ Սևանա լիճը 11 սմ-ով ցածր է նախորդ տարվա նույն օրվա ցուցանիշից և կազմում է 1900.65մ:







19:09 Մայիս 10, 2018

[Vrej1915]

Վարդենիկցիները փակել են Հակոբ Հակոբյանի հէկի ջուրը

Քրիստինե Աղալարյան

http://hetq.am/arm/news/88366/varden...heki-jury.html


17:18, 2 մայիսի, 2018

Գեղարքունիքի մարզի Վարդենիկ գյուղի բնակիչները փակել են ԱԺ ՀՀԿ խմբակցության պատգամավոր Հակոբ Հակոբյանին պատկանող հէկի ջրամատակարարումը: Նրանք դեպի հէկ գնացող հոսքը փակել են և ջուրն ուղղել իր բնականոն՝ գետի հուն: Գյուղացիները հերթապահություն են սահմանել և հսկում են, որպեսզի որևէ մեկը չմոտենա և չբացի հէկ գնացող ջրի ուղղությունը:

Վարդենիկի համայնքապետարանի աշխատակազմի քարուղար Արմեն Հովհաննիսյանը մեզ հետ զրույցում հաստատեց այս տեղեկությունը՝ նշելով, որ դա գյուղացիների բողոքի դրսևորումն է եղել:

«Հավանաբար սեփականատերերի հետ հանդիպում կլինի, դրանից հետո բնակիչներից է կախված: Բնակիչների պահանջը հավաքական է»,- ասաց աշխատակազմի քարտուղարը:

Նա նշեց, որ առայժմ ընկերության որևէ ներկայացուցիչ կամ սեփականատեր գյուղ չի եկել և չի հանդիպել բնակիչներին:



«Ջրասահք» ՍՊԸ-ն 2013 թվականից Վարդենիկ համայնքում՝ Վարդենիս գետի վրա, շահագործում է «Վարդենիկ» փոքր հէկը: Դրա հզորությունը 6170 կՎտ է: Համաձայն ընկերությունների գրանցման պետականռ ռեգիստրի՝ Հակոբ Հակոբյանն այստեղ բաժնետեր է եղել 2004-2007 թվականներին: Այնուհետև որպես բաժնետերեր հանդես են գալիս նրա որդին, եղբայրները և փոքր բաժնեմասով նաև գործընկերները:



Սա Հակոբյանների ընտնիքի միակ հէկը չէ: Հիշեցնենք, որ Հակոբ Հակոբյանի ընտանիքը Վայոց ձորի մարզում՝ Արփա-Սևան թունելի մոտ շահագործում է այդ տարածքի ամենամեծ հէկը:

[Vrej1915]

ՀՀ ԳԵՏԵՐԻ ԵՎ ՋՐԱՄԲԱՐՆԵՐԻ ՎԻՃԱԿԸ: ՏՎՅԱԼՆԵՐ ՍԵՎԱՆԱ ԼՃԻ ՎԵՐԱԲԵՐՅԱԼ.




Հանրապետության գետերում բնական էական փոփոխություններ չեն դիտվել:

[Vrej1915]

Սեւանա լճից մեկնարկել է ջրառը, լիճը կրկին բացասական հաշվեկշիռ ունի
30.04.2018


Ապրիլի 18-ից սկսած Սեւանա լճից ջուր է բաց թողնվում ոռոգման համար. ապրիլի 27-ի դրությամբ լճից բաց է թողնվել 12.784 միլիոն խմ ջուր, հաղորդում է «ԷկոԼուրը»:

Լճի մակարդակը նախորդ տարվա նույն օրվա համեմատ ցածր է 6 սմ-ով եւ կազմում է 1900.62մ: Նշենք, որ ՀՀ կառավարությունը սույն թվականի ապրիլի 12-ին որոշում ընդունեց Սեւանա լճից ջրբացթողումները սահմանել 170 միլիոն խմ, որն օրենքով սահմանված ջրառի առավելագույն չափաքանակն է:

Այս տարի լճի մակարդակն ընդամենը մի քանի օրով հասավ նախորդ տարվա մակարդակին եւ մեկ սմ-ով գերազանցեց նախորդ տարվա ցուցանիշները, այնուհետեւ զիջեց, չնայած որ այս տարի Արփա-Սեւան ջրատարով գրեթե կրկնակի անգամ ավելի շատ ջուր է հոսել Սեւանա լիճ, քան նախորդ տարի: 2018թ-ի մարտի 23-ից սկսած մինչ օրս Սեւանա լիճ է հոսել 39.688 միլիոն խմ ջուր, մինչդեռ 2017թ-ին Արփա-Սեւան ջրատարով ջրհոսքը Սեւանա լիճ սկսել է ապրիլի 6-ից եւ ապրիլի 27-ին կազմել է 20.353 միլիոն խմ ջուր:

Հիշեցնենք, որ Սեւան լիճը 2017թ-ին գրանցեց բացասական հաշվեկշիռ իրականացված հավելյալ ջրառի, գոլորշիացման արդյունքում: Այս տարի ՀՀ ջրային տնտեսության պետական կոմիտեն (ՋՏՊԿ) Սեւանա լճից ջրբացթողումների առավել արդյունավետ կառավարման նպատակով դիսպեչերական կենտրոն է ստեղծել, որում առցանց ստացվելու, կուտակվելու եւ վերլուծվելուն են Սեւանա լճից ջրի բացթողնման, հաշվառման, ինչպես նաեւ՝ բաշխման հետ կապված բոլոր թվային տվյալները:

« Հաշվի առնելով այն հանգամանքը, որ ՋՏՊԿ-ի համար Սեւանից կատարվող ջրբացթողնման միակ նպատակը ոռոգման կայուն ջրամատակարարում ապահովելն է, որոշվել է օպերատիվ արձագանքման դիսպեչերական կենտրոն ստեղծել, որը Սեւան-Հրազդան դիրեւացիոն ջրանցքի կառավարչի կողմից ստեղծված համանման կենտրոնի հետ համագործակցությամբ՝ կիրականացնի ջրբացթողնման ընթացքի համատեղ, առավել արդյունավետ կառավարումը: Այս գործընթացի հիմնական նպատակը ջրբացթողնման ընթացքում ոռոգմանը գերակայություն տալն է, ինչպես ամրագրված է ՀՀ կառավարության որոշումների մեջ:… Կենտրոնը հնարավորություն ունի առցանց ռեժիմով հետեւել ջրանցքով կատարվող ջրբացթողնման, ջրանցքի գլխամաս հասնող ջրի ծավալներին, «Սեւան-Հրազդանյան» համակարգի յուրաքանչյուր ՀԷԿ-ով անցնող ջրաքանակին»,-նշված է ՋՏՊԿ-ի հաղորդագրության մեջ:

Սեւանից կատարվող ջրբացթողումները եւ, ընդհանրապես, ոռոգման համակարգն ամբողջությամբ հաշվառելի դարձնելու համար, ըստ ՋՏՊԿ մասնագետների հաշվարկների, անհրաժեշտ է 2100 ջրաչափական սարքավորում:

[Vrej1915]

Yeghvard Reservoir

The Yeghvard Reservoir was designed in the early 1980s and construction began during that time as well. The reservoir is found in the Aragatsotn region near the border with Kotayk between the Kasagh and Hrazdan rivers. It’s not built on a riverbed so water doesn’t fill into it naturally. The plan originally was to have the 228 million cubic meter reservoir filled by a gravity-fed line from the Hrazdan River and a pump feed from the Sevdjour (Metzamor) River. The reservoir would have the capability of providing enough water to irrigate 30,500 hectares and increase the safe water supply level.

However, filling the reservoir became problematic when the Sevdjour River significantly receded. It was decided that the water would enter from the Hrazdan mudflows via the Arzni-Shamiram waterway. As a result the reservoir’s volume decreased to 90 million cubic meters. Ghazaryan indicated that water from the reservoir can sufficiently irrigate 12,200 hectares and nine pump stations would be operational with a yearly savings of 28.6 million kWh. About 5,500 hectares would be irrigated with water from the Sevdjour River thanks to the project. Furthermore, due to the accumulating Hrazdan mudflows the reservoir would also help protect against the potential for floods in the Ararat Valley.



Arial View of the Present-Day Yeghvard Reservoir

Land was cleared for the Yeghvard Reservoir in the Soviet era with soil brought in to be used for vineyards. Some work was completed, for instance on the spillways, which have heights of 14 and 32 meters. The latter is still incomplete with another 9 meters to go. The spillways are designed to accommodate 228 million cubic meters of water.

Negotiations for financing have been done with the Japan International Cooperation Agency – JICA. According to the State Committee of Water Economy studies for the reservoir will be completed this year.

Harutyunyan is assured that the Yeghvard Reservoir does not have safety issues since the water would fill immediately into the Kasagh River if anything ever went wrong. The problem is related to the tendency to lose water. That’s why the reservoir floor was coated with a layer of clay during the Soviet era, which was quite expensive to do. He stressed that was why attracting the Japanese was so important, to discover what solutions their experts would suggest.

Director of Hayjrnakhagits Institute CJSC Yuri Javadyan, whose company drafted the design of the reservoir, believes that it has to be constructed with a foundation that can hold 228 million cubic meters in order to be able to increase the volume in the future. He believes that the views on both the Armenian and Japanese sides differ on the matter, though. Harutyunyan wondered where the water would come from to fill a reservoir with such a huge foundation. Javadyan’s answer lies with Lake Sevan. In 2030, the lake’s surface is predicted to reach 1,900 meters, so the runoff water will be much greater in quantity than it is now. The volume of that water would be around 300 million cubic meters, which would flow into the Arax way of the Hrazdan River, so it would then be possible to hold that amount of water in such a reservoir. Nevertheless, Harutyunyan states that the Japanese calculated that a reservoir with a volume of up to 110 million cubic meters could be built instead of the one that exists now.

According to Ghazaryan the reservoir’s completion is estimated to cost $140 million. Vedi Reservoir

This reservoir will have to be built in the vicinity of Goravan in the Ararat region. According to Ghazaryan, the plans for the reservoir were drafted in 1991 with the aim of irrigating 4,000 hectares of land in the Ararat valley. Water for 2,800 hectares would be pumped out, which would spend 12 million kWh a year. Hamlet Harutyunyan revealed that the Armenian nuclear power plant was intended to be constructed on that site but after geological surveys were taken the decision was made to build it in Metsamor. The reservoir will hold a volume of 20 million cubic meters with a 70 meter-high dam.

On November 25, 2013 the Armenian government signed an agreement with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to finance the reservoir’s construction and conduct an irrigation system feasibility study as well as draft a preliminary design of the reservoir. The agreement was for an 18-month period, set to expire in May 2015. The Armenian State Committee of Water Economy announced that the preliminary design estimates will be presented in 2015 and construction will get underway.

Harutyunyan along with the French experts concur that the optimal volume for the Vedi Reservoir would be 29 million cubic meters. The reservoir is estimated to cost between $35-45 million.

It’s safe to say that, when looking at the big picture, all four dams will solve a lot of important problems. Kaps and Selav-Mastara reservoirs will assist the Akhuryan and the 35 million cubic meters of water from Aragats’s rivers will be more efficiently used in irrigating lands in Shirak and Armavir, and even Aragatsotn in the future. Vedi and especially Yeghvard will lighten Sevan’s load by reducing the lake’s water supply of 110-140 million cubic meters. The reservoirs will also contribute to an increase in land irrigation and water levels.

Reservoirs are traditionally broken up into three groups: pond reservoirs (up to 1 million m³), small reservoirs (1-10 million m³) and large reservoirs (10 million m³and greater). Large reservoirs have been built since Armenia’s independence, and only Marmarik Reservoir (24.2 million m³) reached completion, having started operations in 2012. Besides the four reservoirs previously mentioned, there are 14 reservoirs in Armenia with volumes greater than 10 million cubic meters— Akhuryan, Spandaryan, Lake Arpi, Tolors, Aparan, Azat, Djoghaz, Herher, Marmarik, Karnut, Kechut, Geghi, Shamb and Hakhum.



Spandaryan, Armenia’s Largest Electricity Generating Reservoir (257 million m³)

When taking into consideration Turkey’s tendency to build large reservoirs along the Arax River and the lower elevation of Azerbaijan, towards where Armenia’s rivers are flowing, reservoir construction is not only solving Armenia’s internal problems. Armenia’s fresh waters, against the backdrop of decreasing water resources, can become a strategic playing card in regional relations, with Armenia caught in between unfriendly neighbors.

Top photo caption: Aparan Reservoir

[Vrej1915]

Pools of Wealth (Part 2): Armenia Begins to Dam the Waters Flowing to Azerbaijan

Vahe Sarukhanyan

15:49, January 16, 2015

Part 1

As was previously reported, Armenia has 80 water reservoirs holding a total volume of around 1.4 billion cubic meters.

What reservoirs are seismically vulnerable and pose operational risks?

We asked the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations to identify which reservoirs in Armenia were seismically vulnerable and posed operational hazards. The ministry listed 24 reservoirs that were a priority (overall conditions, the dam structure, socio-economic conditions downstream of the dam).

From this list, the reservoirs posing high, medium and low operational risks, respectively, are the following:

• Azat, Aparan, Akhuryan, Spandaryan, Marmarik, Tolors
• Lake Arpi, Mantash, Karnut, Djoghaz, Vardakar, Sarnaghbyur, Lake Yerevan, Hakhum, Kechut, Tavush
• Geghi, Herher, Aygedzor, Zangakatun, Davit Bek, Tavshut, Halavar, Sevaberd

The eight most seismically vulnerable dams include Azat, Tolors, Mantash, Sevaberd, Davit Bek, Karnut, Vardakar and Sarnaghbyur. The nine dams that are moderately vulnerable are found in Kechut, Akhuryan, Lake Arpi, Spandaryan, Herher, Tavush, Lake Yerevan, Geghi and Marmarik. Seven dams that are considered having low vulnerability include Aparan, Djoghaz, Hakhum, Halavar, Aygedzor, Tavshut and Zangakatun.

There isn’t a reservoir in Armenia whose operations has been stopped due to high seismic vulnerability.

According to figures provided to us by the National Water Council’s Hydraulic Engineer Hamlet Harutyunyan, there are 85 reservoirs in Armenia whose operations have been turned over to different companies. The map below shows the reservoirs (irrigation and electricity generating) with their overall amounts. The 79 irrigation reservoirs are operated by the companies Sevan-Hrazdanyan-Jrar and Akhuryan-Arax-Jrar and other companies operating using water. The six electricity generatingreservoirs fall within the Sevan-Hrazdan and Vorotan grouping of cascades.



Artzvashen, one of Armenia’s reservoirs, is now situated within Azerbaijani territory.

Armenia has 18 Priority Reservoirs Subject to Construction

In Armenia, besides the constructed reservoirs, there are also 1) partially constructed reservoirs 2) drafted reservoirs 3) planned or surveyed reservoirs and 4) planned but unstudied reservoirs.

Although the total volume of water in the constructed reservoirs amounts to 1.4 billion cubic meters, only 1 billion cubic meters of water are being utilized (see part 1 of this series). If all of the four above-mentioned types of reservoirs were constructed, Armenia could increase its total capacity of reservoir water by 1.4 billion cubic meters, to total 2.8 billion cubic meters (Armenia has the possibility of using 7.3 billion cubic meters of water annually from rivers and underground sources but only takes advantage of a maximum of 2.3 billion cubic meters of water). Doubling the reservoir water volume is of course theoretical. However, what’s real is that Armenia has eight partially constructed reservoirs (Apna, Geghadir, Karmir Gyugh, Paghjur, Getik, Yeghvard, Artik, and Kaps) but completing their construction has been problematic.

Reservoir construction is considered a priority in Armenia and 18 damns have been given priority status. The table below lists statistics related to these 18 reservoirs, out of which a few have been changed for reasons to be sited below (table provided by Hamlet Harutyunyan).



Out of the listed 18 reservoirs construction of four reservoirs is under way: Kaps, Vedi, Yeghvard and Selav-Mastara. The Kaps and Yeghvard reservoirs are partially complete, while for the other two preliminary plans exist, which were drafted during the Soviet era. All the work is in the preparation stage. We’ll look at each one separately. Kaps Reservoir

This partially completed reservoir is located in the Shirak region nearby the village of Kaps on the Akhuran riverbed. Construction began in 1985 but work slowed down after the 1988 earthquake. Work on the reservoir was suspended in 1993. While the work was being performed various components of the reservoir were constructed and cement was poured. Only 20 out 73 meters of the dam’s planned height was completed. The reservoir was supposed to have had a total volume of 90 million cubic meters but that was later reduced to 60 million.


Kaps Reservoir

The initiative to restart construction on the Kaps Reservoir only just recently went underway. On August 8, 2013 the Armenian government approved an agreement with the German government-owned development bank KfW to finance the reservoir project’s completion.The bank showed its readiness in completing the dam’s construction and acall for bids on the design went out. The program was to cost 18.5 million euro, the financing of which was approved by both parties. KfW also showed its willingness to grant 350,000 euro for an initial study before the first phase was complete.

According to Adibek Ghazaryan, former Director of "Water Sector Projects Implementation Unit", the winner of the international tender (CES Consulting Engineer Saizgitter GmbH, ANT Group AG Management & Engineering, and Yerevan State Engineering and Construction University Association) was obligated by a treaty signed on October 17, 2013 to provide consultative services for a feasibility study of the reservoir and gravity fed system and preliminary estimates system. KfW bank financed the project.

Harutyunyan stated that at the time the goal was to have a reservoir that could hold 60 million cubic meters but contain only 6 million. He believes that the project would naturally have been cheaper in this case, and it would have been easier to drain the excessive water. The proper infrastructure would have to be in place to collect 60 million cubic meters, which doesn’t exist today. He also stated that the irrigation season starts early to the south of Kaps in the vicinities of Talin (Aragatsotn) and Baghramyan (Armavir), and having that reservoir would have been helpful to those areas. However, if the pumping station in Aragatsotn was non-functional, it would be pointless to accumulate 60 million cubic meters of water and then let the Akhuran River flow again from there to the Arax River. There are now plans to construct a 25 million cubic meter reservoir in Kaps.

According to Ghazaryan’s preliminary calculations, a 25 million cubic meter reservoir would have the potential for increasing the area for irrigation by 5,000 hectares or increase the volume of irrigation. That, along with the envisioned gravity-fed pipeline, would make it possible to save the electricity used for eight pumping stations, amounting to 1.3 million kWh per year. In order to maintain a 60 million cubic meter reservoir, a gravity-fed pipeline would reach the Talin vicinity in Aragatsotn to safely irrigate around 20,500 hectares of land. Out of this, around 3,500 hectares now irrigated mechanically would receive gravity-fed water, guaranteeing water to16, 000 hectares would improve, and irrigated lands would increase by 952 hectares.

On December 19, 2014 the Armenian Ministry of Finance, the State Committee of Water Economy and KfW signed the “IWRM/ Akhuryan River, Phase 1” contract, with a 50 million euro cost of credit and 2 million euro worth of grant agreements. These funds are to be used to restore Kaps Reservoir and upgrade its infrastructure. According to the official press release, the funds will be used exclusively for agricultural irrigation purposes—rehabilitating the Kaps Reservoir along the Akhuryan River, completing construction, improving water management and other relevant services. The repayment period on the loan will be 15 years according to the credit agreement, of which five will be concessional. Selav-Mastara Reservoir

This reservoir was intended to be constructed in the area around the village of Myasnikyan in the Armavir region. It would be filled by waters flowing down the slopes of Mt. Aragats, picking up the runoff water from the Selav-Mastara stream and Akhuryan Reservoir and the free-flowing waters from the Talin canal. According to Harutyunyan, the initial plans for the reservoir were devised in 1978. The intended volume of the reservoir was to be 10.2 million cubic meters with a 30 meter high dam. That would have ensured the safe watering of the 4,383 hectares of land of the six communities in that area.

Representatives from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development expressed interest in the project and met with the Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations Armen Gevorkyan in March of 2013. Subsequently thereafter the fund was given the green light to perform a feasibility study for realizing the project. Negotiations are underway between the fund and the Armenian government. According to preliminary estimates the Selav-Mastara Reservoir project would cost $27.8 million.

[Vrej1915]

Why Does Armenia Put so Much Hope on Sevan Given its Reservoirs?

Knarik Hovhannisyan doesn’t share the opinion that there was a dry spell last summer.

“I wouldn’t say Armenia was suffering from a drought,” she said. “It may have been a little dry, but it wasn’t drought, and that was no reason to empty Sevan.”

She believes that the reservoir waters would have been enough, despite that the levels were low this year. And that was due to mismanagement, not bad weather. The real issue lay with the rivers that flow out of the reservoirs from which water is appropriated to village residents. Business for the water plants is very profitable since return on investment is quick.

Yuri Javadyan said that building a plant on a river exiting a reservoir on a spot where an irrigation line is located is permissible. However, it’s not yet possible to determine how long that standard will be implemented.

“Water from Sevan has supposedly reached the planting fields, but I’ve spoken to many village residents who have told me that they use artisan wells for irrigation,” Hovhannisyan said. “I’m convinced that this year’s exchange premium was the reason.”

Hovhannisyan believes there are many reasons for needing to increase Sevan’s water supply limit. First, the lake’s water level rose at a higher rate than the relevant authorities had originally predicted. The authorities were concerned that their coastal homes would be submerged under water as a result. Second, roads and telecommunications lines caught under water would result in high expenses, while this year only 140 million cubic meters of drinking water passed through the Vorotan-Arpa-Sevan tunnel from the Arpa River into the lake instead of the expected 400 million.

“The biggest reason is so that parliamentarians and oligarchs can line their pockets with the pure profit made from draining the water,” she said.

Reservoir Water Levels Dip Below Dead Storage Line

Not only were reservoir levels lower this year, customers began to consume water from reservoir dead storage.

As a rule, reservoir water is divided into two parts: active or live storage, which is safe to use, and dead or inactive storage, which is not intended for use. Water in dead storage, found in the bottom portion of the reservoir, is designated unsuitable for use since sediment, stones and sand that travels with inflowing water settles there.

According to Hovhannisyan, this year the water levels in many reservoirs dipped past the dead storage mark, which troubles her. She claims that happened as a result of running water off for irrigation. This past year the water volume of the Aparan Reservoir—which holds 91 million cubic meters of water (81 in active storage, 10 in dead storage) — fell down to between 5-7 million cubic meters.

Nevertheless Hamlet Harutyunyan doesn’t see the tragedy here. He stresses that the reservoirs are designed to ensure 75 percent stability. In other words, if a reservoir is intended to be in use for 100 years, 25 of those years will likely see problems related to water replenishment. He doesn’t agree with Hovhannisyan’s assessment that this year Armenia’s reservoirs were only filled to 30 percent capacity. “Monitored levels have shown that it hasn’t been that low. Akhuryan Reservoir was down, containing 220 million cubic meters of water rather than 525 million.”

“We use water from dead storage since the water hasn’t run out,” he explained. “We have special equipment that’s used at Aparan and Azat to handle that water for irrigation purposes. There’s nothing dangerous in using it, and we use as much as possible. For instance, we use water from Aparan so that we don’t drain Lake Sevan. That water is used primarily in autumn sowing and when burying grape vines, which need watering so that the vines will bud.” Fish Are Unlawfully Kept in Reservoirs

Harutyunyan stresses that fish cannot be raised in reservoirs for obvious reasons, since the water is used for irrigation purposes or producing electricity, and especially because the fish would die out in cases where the water levels dip below the dead storage mark. Furthermore, in order to catch the fish people would have to go to the water surface, which would be unacceptable.


Geghi Reservoir

Nevertheless, Maksim Hakobyan, General Manager of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), told us in April of this year that 300,000 fish had been deposited into the Geghi Reservoir, which all perished in 2009 due to an accident. He said that he had future plans for fish farming there, which is an example of how the reservoir profit regulations are broken.

According to Harutyunyan the Armhydroenergyproject Institute had designed Geghi Reservoir for use in energy production, but now the water is used to irrigate lands in and around Kapan. But it’s not a coincidence that local residents call it the ZCMC reservoir. The company gets its electricity from water that runs off from there. Ler-Eks LLC combine operates the Hankasar mine in the same canyon, far up from the reservoir. ZCMC holds 100 percent of the shares in the company. Until recently discharges from Ler-Eks were flowing directly into Geghi Reservoir, the water from which was used for irrigation. To prevent the outflow ZCMC installed a pipeline in the canyon to carry water from Ler-Eks to ZCMC’s tailing, and from there on to the Artzvanik tailing. The owner of this enterprise also operates the Geghi Water Plant, utilizing the water running down from the Geghi Reservoir.

To be continued

Top photo: Kechut Reservoir’s "Margaritka" Spillway

[Vrej1915]

Pools of Wealth: Armenia’s Reservoirs

Vahe Sarukhanyan

23:27, December 17, 2014

Armenia is known for its sources of pleasant-tasting water, which include Lake Sevan, more than 100 small lakes, around 9480 rivers, at least 80 reservoirs and underground springs.

However, the country is the only one in the region where surface waters flow out, due to the high inclination (the waters from the Arax and Akhuri rivers and tributaries flowing into Armenia don’t remain in the country). Water deposits from the Arax and Kuri rivers lie in unfriendly territories to the east and west.

According to the Armenian Ministry of Nature Protection, on average 19.7 billion cubic meters of water enter the country per year (from precipitation, bordering and underground waters and other sources). Out of the 19.7 billion cubic meters of water that also flow out of the country, at least 6 billion leaves Armenia via rivers that originate from some of the local sources and underground springs. Waters that flow into the country does not remain. The remaining water from underground sources is extracted solely for human consumption.

Table 1:

Inflowing		Outflowing
Components per million m3 annually		Components per million m3 annually
Entering	17.600	Exiting	11.475
Inflowing rivers	-	Outflowing rivers (from Armenia)	6.250
Bordering waters	940	Bordering waters	940
Inflowing underground waters	1.193	Outflowing underground waters	1.068
Total	19.733	Total	19.733

Armenia’s supply of underground waters amounts to a bit more than 4 billion cubic meters. Most of the surface water originates from Lake Sevan, which has a volume of around 33 billion cubic meters. Damns Best Control Flowing Water

According to the table above, apart from bordering waters and water flowing out of the country, Armenia can utilize 7.3 billion cubic meters of water annually (from rivers and underground sources). However, some experts such as engineer Gevork Gevorkyan and Director of Hayjrnakhagits Institute CJSC Yuri Javadyan state that Armenia can only take advantage of between 2 and 2.3 billion cubic meters of water per year. The rest flows away.

Since the Soviet era Armenia has implemented reservoirs as the most advantageous method for properly utilizing Lake Sevan and other bodies of water. That volume currently amounts to around 1.4 billion cubic meters.

But reservoir construction actually started more recently. According to the Soviet Encyclopedia dams have been built in Armenia since the 4th millennium BC. There are three dams around Ejmiadzin that measure 2-3 meters high and 150-300 meters in length. The remains of a dam built near Abovyan on the Kizil-Chai tributary of the Goght River between 336-343 AD have been discovered, measuring 9 meters in height and 560 meters long. What’s interesting is that this dam is still in use. It is located to the east of Geghard monastery along Lake Vishap or Lake Vank, also known as Geghard Reservoir.


Geghard Reservoir (Lake Vishap)

Experts differ on the number of reservoirs that are found in Armenia, with estimates ranging from 72 to 87. At least 80 were found while the country was being mapped out (constructed and unfinished reservoirs will be reviewed in a separate article). Six of them—Spandaryan, Tolors, Angeghakot, Shamb, Akhpara and Argel— are used for generating energy. The first four are in use at Vorotan Falls, while the Akhpara and Argel operate on the Sevan-Hrazdan cascade. Others are used for irrigation purposes.

Table 2:

Armenia’s Top Ten Largest Reservoirs

	Name of reservoir	Region	Volume (per million m3)	Volume in Use (per million m3)	Spillway Height (m)
1.	Akhuryan	Shirak	525	510	59.1
2.	Spandaryan	Syunik	257	218	83
3.	Lake Arpi	Shirak	105	102	15
4.	Tolors	Syunik	96.8	80	69
5.	Aparan	Aragatsotn	91	81	52.6
6.	Azat	Ararat	70	60.8	76
7.	Djoghaz	Tavush	45	43.8	60
8.	Herher	Vayots Dzor	26	23	74
9.	Marmarik	Kotayk	24.2	23	55.5
10.	Karnut	Shirak	23.9	23.1	34.6

The total volume of reservoir water in Armenia—1.4 billion cubic meters—is a doubtful figure when considering the usage of Akhuryan, which is the country’s largest reservoir. Built in 1973 by the USSR with Turkey’s consent, both Armenia and Turkey share Akhuryan’s water supply equally. In other words, each country uses 262.5 million cubic meters. About 10 large reservoirs in Armenia with a volume of at least 10 million cubic meters each are nonoperational for various reasons.


Akhuryan Reservoir

Tavush’s Djoghaz reservoir, located adjacent to the village of Berkaber, was used in the past to irrigate land in the vicinities of Ijevan and Noyemberyan and also Azerbaijan. But now the reservoir is under protection due to enemy conflict. A pumping station is used to extract the water due to its elevation. According to the National Water Council’s Hydraulic Engineer Hamlet Harutyunyan, the installation of a hydraulic machine would increase total water output by 10 percent, which is necessary since many villages around Ijevan are in poor shape. About 4800 hectares of land in the region are in need of irrigation water.



Berkaber Alongside Djoghaz Reservoir, with Azerbaijan’s Mezem Community in the Distance

Some of the water flowing into Djoghaz needs to be conserved. The reservoir in Karmir village, located 18 km away from Voskepar, was designed to hold water from Djoghaz along the Voskepar River. According to Harutyunyan the water channels are in place and the area for the reservoir, which would hold 8.5 million cubic meters of water, has been cleared. Only 6 meters of the 54 meter-long dam that was originally designed has been constructed, which Harutyunyan is convinced will fall apart.

“After the earthquake new seismic codes and measures have been implemented, and the cost for a 6 meter dam is peanuts by comparison,” Harutyunyan explained. “I’ve said many times that all we need is only 10 million cubic meters of water here, which would allow us to water all the land in Noyemberyan.”

Harutyunyan believes that it would also be possible to build a dam along the Kirants (Karahan) River, which also flows into Djoghaz, although the area’s ecology has to be considered since it is forested. But he’s convinced there’s no other option. For instance, the Aygedzor Reservoir, more famously known as Tzili-Dzov, was built in the forest.

Paghjur Reservoir, which would be used to irrigate the lands around Ijevan, is designed to hold 14 million cubic meters of water. Although the area has been cleared construction has yet to go underway.

“That reservoir, once built, would allow for gravity-fed irrigation for Ijevan,” Harutyunyan said. “Right now, those lands are mechanically irrigated, so the cost of 1 cubic meter of water can run 100 dram, while the same amount of gravity-fed irrigation would cost 7 or 10 dram, maximum. That’s a huge difference.”

Some of Armenia’s reservoirs, especially Halavar Reservoir in Aragatsotn, which can hold 5.5 million cubic meters, are not in use. Due to unfavorable geological conditions, a huge amount of water is wasted, and as a result Harutyunyan decided to let the water flow from the Kasagh River to Aparan Reservoir. Gevork Gevorkyan, an engineer working for the government’s Rural Areas Economic Development Programme, stated in an article published by Armef News that the 26 million cubic meters of water from the Herher Reservoir flows away to Nakhichevan via the Arpi River because the pumping station is not operational. According to him, an investment of $25-30 million in a new 29-kilometer water line would provide gravity-fed irrigation for 2700 hectares of land in the Yeghegnadzor area. Experts Say Armenia’s Irrigation Network Is Deplorable

Technical sciences and water expert Knarik Hovhannisyan believes that Armenia’s water main network is in deplorable condition, stressing that the water loss is great.

“During the Soviet era Armenia’s water works was functional, drinking water cost next to nothing and we were able to irrigate twice as much surface area,” Hovhannisyan said.

According to Gevorkyan 25-30 years ago Armenia used 4 billion cubic meters of water, but today about half that quantity is utilized.

“Today due to lack of irrigation we have soil that is highly salinized and the Ararat valley is looking more like a desert, with the topsoil exposed,” Hovhannisyan said. “That’s not only due to the reservoirs, it’s also due to neglect of the irrigation network, which results in all that water loss.”

The reservoirs also have problems. Water is escaping from basins formed from cracks and holes. Hovhannisyan and Harutyunyan are pointing first and foremost to Aparan Reservoir. Vardakar (Horom) and Karnut Reservoirs also have similar issues. Hovhannisyan believes that the cement necessary to fix the cavities should be sold.


Aparan Reservoir

Work has been underway to do such repairs using concrete and stones for the stoppage to prevent losses in profit. Funds are set aside in the budget for repair work. The reservoirs and other water networks are the property of the government and fall under the control of the State Committee of Water Economy of the Ministry of Agriculture. Nevertheless, they are allocated to profiteers without compensation. Companies such as Sevan-Hrazdanyan-Jrar and Akhuryan-Arax-Jrar fall within the committee’s jurisdiction.

“Ask any water company how many hectares of land they irrigate, how much capital repair work they performed and they’ll all tell you [they don’t have enough funds], which only means the profiteer doesn’t comprehend the work that needs to be done,” Gevorkyantold Armef news. “They think that opening the valve not only means that water will flow, but also that money will come in. You can’t develop the rural economy this way. As a result of that, we’re using between 1-1.5 billion less cubic meters of water.” Sevan’s Fixed Water Supply Limit Changed Four Times

Lake Sevan provides much of the water for irrigation in Armenia, especially the Ararat valley. It’s impossible to imagine irrigation in the country without Sevan’s resources.

The maximum amount of water that can be drained from Lake Sevan is defined by law, called the “Law on Lake Sevan’s Ecosystem Restoration, Conservation, Reproduction, and Annual Terms of Use and Authorization of Extensive Programs.” The law was passed in 2001 and went into effect on January 1, 2002. By law, the water drainage limit from Lake Sevan is capped at 170 million cubic meters. The law also states that the Armenian National Assembly can pass a measure to change the limit whenever deemed absolutely necessary.


Lake Sevan

Since 2002 the water drainage limit has changed four times. In June 2008 the limit was increased to 240 million cubic meters. That August after thorough deliberations were made, the National Assembly increased the limit further to 360 million cubic meters by year’s end. Then in 2012, due to another water shortage, the limit was increased to 320 million cubic meters. The latest change to the limit was made last June, then set at 270 million cubic meters, 30 million more than had been originally proposed. Director of Sevan-Hrazdanyan-Jrar Director Samvel Hovhannisyan told Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe that the company pushed for the increase as it was made evident during the third reading of the bill that the water limit proposed wasn’t enough for irrigation.

But that wasn’t the main reason. Along with Sevan, there was a water shortage in the Hrazdan rivers and Aparan and Azat reservoirs, and as a consequence of fallen underground water levels many wells and springs are no longer free flowing. The shortage in water caused problems in canals and pumping stations. There was also a problem at the Sevan-Hrazdan Hydro Power Plant. Environmental activists were sounding the alarm that 80 percent of the water from Sevan never made it to village residents due to a worn-out irrigation system, while Samvel Hovhannisyan claimed it was only 30-40 percent (out of 270 million cubic meters), in other words 81-108 million cubic meters of water.

[Vrej1915]

[Vrej1915]

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