Development of Draft River Basin Management Plan for Alazani/Iori River Basin in Georgia

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Development of Draft River Basin Management Plan for Alazani/Iori River Basin in Georgia European Union Water Initiative Plus for Eastern Partnership Countries (EUWI+): Results 2 and 3 ENI/2016/372-403 DEVELOPMENT OF DRAFT RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ALAZANI/IORI RIVER BASIN IN GEORGIA THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART I CHARACTERISATION January, 2019 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN Responsible EU member state consortium project leader Josiane Mongellaz; Office International de l’Eau (FR) EUWI+ country representative in Georgia Zurab Jincharadze (GE) Responsible international thematic lead expert Yannick Pochon (FR) Responsible Georgian thematic lead expert Prepared by: Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus Authors Prepared by: Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus Sophiko Akhobadze, Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus Disclaimer: The EU-funded program European Union Water Initiative Plus for Eastern Partnership Countries (EUWI+ 4 EaP) is implemented by the UNECE, OECD, responsible for the implementation of Result 1 and an EU member state consortium of Austria, managed by the lead coordinator Umweltbundesamt, and of France, managed by the International Office for Water, responsible for the implementation of Result 2 and 3. This document was produced by the EU member state consortium with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union or the Governments of the Eastern Partnership Countries. This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of, or sovereignty over, any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries, and to the name of any territory, city or area. Imprint Owner and Editor: EU Member State Consortium Umweltbundesamt GmbH Office International de’l Eau (IOW) Spittelauer Lände 5 21/23 rue de Madrid 1090 Vienna, Austria 75008 Paris, FRANCE Responsible IOW Communication officer: Yunona Videnina [email protected] January 2019 Page | 2 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN CONTENTS 1. river basin district Characterisation ..................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Alazani-Iori river basin’s socio-economic conditions .................................................................... 5 1.2 Impact of Human Activities ......................................................................................................... 14 1.3 Status of water bodies and delineation ...................................................................................... 16 1.4. Governance ............................................................................................................................... 19 2. Main issues ........................................................................................................................................ 21 2.1 Deterioration of water quality and significant pressure on water resources from point and diffuse sources .......................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Disturbance of ecological FLOW AND geo-morphological modifications ................................. 21 2.3 Flashfood , Flooding and other disasters ................................................................................... 22 2.4 Water governance ...................................................................................................................... 22 3. Timetable and work plan UNtil the adoption of the draft rbmp .......................................................... 23 4. Technical reports ............................................................................................................................... 24 5. Glossary ............................................................................................................................................. 25 Page | 3 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN List of Maps Map 1 Land Cover of the Alazani-Iori River Basin ..................................................................................... 7 Map 2 Hydrological Network of the Alazani-Iori River Basin .................................................................... 10 Map 3 preliminary risk assessment against diffuse agricultural (crop production) pressure.................... 15 Map 4 River and lake typology in the Alazani-Iori river basin .................................................................. 17 Map 5 Hydromorphological alteration in the Alazani-Iori river basin ........................................................ 18 List of Tables Table 1 Land cover in Alazani-Iori River Basin .......................................................................................... 6 Table 2 Hydromorphological features of the rivers in the Alazani basin ................................................... 9 Table 3 HPPs operating in the Alazani and Iori river basins .................................................................... 12 Page | 4 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN 1. RIVER BASIN DISTRICT CHARACTERISATION 1.1 Alazani-Iori river basin’s socio-economic conditions 1.1.1 Geographic Overview The Alazani-Iori river basin fully covers the territory of Kakheti region, as well as territory of Tianeti Municipality of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region. Total catchment area of the Alazani and Iori river basins is 12,052 km2. Both rivers originate from the southern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range at an altitude of 2,600-2,800m above sea level (a.s.l.) and joins the Mingachevir Reservoir. 1.1.2 Climate The average annual precipitation in the Alazani river basin varies from 400 mm (Dedoplistskaro) to 1800 mm (Lagodekhi). The average annual air temperature is between +11°C and +14°C. The minimum temperature is -16°C, maximum is 43°C. In upstream areas of the Iori river basin, where river takes its origin, average annual atmospheric precipitation is 1300-1400 mm, while at lower parts it is 400-500 mm. Average annual air temperature in lower parts is +10 – +11°C and at highlands is within the range of 0 – +8°C. 1.2.3 Vegetation Alazani and Iori River basins covers a wide range of landscapes as it stretches from the Greater Caucasus Mountains of Tusheti in the north down to the Alazani valley to the steppes and semi-arid lowlands of Vashlovani in the southeast. Floodplain forests are spread on Alazani river banks, while on Iori river banks light woodlands are presented. 1.2.4 Ichthyofauna 26 fish species are distributed in Alazani – Iori river basin, such as: Lizard Barbel (Barbus lacerta), The Bulatmai Barbell (Barbus capito), Mursa (Luciobarbus mursa), Caucasian Scraper (Capoeta capoeta), Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), Gudgeon (Gobio gobio), Common Bleak (Alburnus alburnus), Caspian Shemaya (Alburnus chalcoides), Caucasian Bream (Acanthobrama microlepis), Caspian Roach (Rutilus caspicus), Common Chub (Squalius cephalus). Here are also found species listed and protected by the Red-List of Georgia, such as: Golden Spined Loach (Sabanejewia aurata) and Brown Trout (Salmo fario). 1.2.5 Land Cover 31% of Alazani-Iori river basin is covered with forest, 22% consists of arable land and only 15.6% is meadows and steppes, which are used as hay-pastures. In the table below is given data on land cover in Alazani-Iori river basin. Page | 5 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN Table 1 Land cover in Alazani-Iori River Basin Land Cover Type Area, კkm Percentage, % Land 7295.1 60.5 Forest 3766.9 31.2 Bushland 259.4 2.1 Vineyard 361.1 2.9 Settlement 22.9 1.8 Orchard 30.7 0.25 Glacier 13.0 0.10 Big Rivers 31.6 0.26 Water Reservoir 17.0 0.14 Wetland 4.9 0.04 Page | 6 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN Map 1 Land Cover of the Alazani-Iori River Basin Page | 7 EUWI+: THEMATIC SUMMARY – PART 1 CHARACTERISATION - ALAZANI-IORI RIVER BASIN 1.2.6 Disaster Risks The Alazani-Iori river basin is the most vulnerable territory of Georgia in terms of the mudflow occurrence, frequency of recurrence, economic damage and potential risk of danger. All the geomorphological units are damaged by mudslide processes or are in danger area except territories of flat relief. Sagarejo, Telavi, Kvareli, Sighnaghi, Lagodekhi and Gurjaani are included in the high risk areas of mudflows. The extreme processes of mudflows are always followed by flooding large areas of agricultural lands, washing river banks, and damaging / destroying houses in the surrounding. The catastrophic–disastrous processes occur to the rivers Duruji, Papriskhevi, Chermiskhevi, Intsoba, Orvili. 1.2.7 Hydrographic Network Total length of rivers in the Alazani-Iori river basin amounts to 4137,8, including Tushetis Alazani. The density of the river network is 0.45 km per km2. The total length of Alazani is 351 km, average elevation is 850 m, average fall – 745 m and average gradient – 2.12‰. The river has more thThere are more than 500 rivers in the basin, total lengts of which is 1770 km. The important tributary rivers are: Ilto (43 km), Khodasheniskhevi (31 km), Stori (38 km), Turdo (28 km), Lopota (33 km), Chelti (28 km), Kisiskhevi (37 km), Duruji (26 km), Tchermiskhevi (35 km) and so on. Total length of Iori is 320 km, total fall – 2,520m, average slope – 78.7‰. The main tributaries of the Iori are the rivers of Khashrula (12 km), Sagome
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