WATER SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS PIU Public Disclosure Authorized Environmental Management Plan Public Disclosure Authorized Rehabilitation of Primary Canals of Arzni- Shamiram Irrigation Scheme: Arzni-Shamiram stage 1 canal, DM105+35 – DM281-50 Arzni-Shamiram stage 2 canal, DM179+60 – DM447-91 Arzni branch canal, DM20+00 – DM124+00 Public Disclosure Authorized Right-side Kassakh canal, DM9-14 – DM35+27 Left-side Kassakh canal, DM34-09 – DM65+00 30 September 2008 Revised – 9 August 2011 Public Disclosure Authorized WSDII PIU 75/44 Baghramyan Street Yerevan 033, Armenia Tel +374 10 277943 Rehabilitation of primary canals of Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4 2 Project Description ............................................................................................................... 4 3 Description of Existing Conditions ...................................................................................... 6 4 Environmental and Social Impacts ..................................................................................... 11 5 Mitigation and Enhancement Measures .............................................................................. 12 6 Institutional Responsibilities, Reporting and Budget ......................................................... 14 6.1 Institutional Responsibilities ........................................................................................ 14 6.2 Reporting Format and Schedule .................................................................................. 15 6.3 Budget ........................................................................................................................... 15 7 Public Consultations ........................................................................................................... 16 8 Environmentally Sound Clauses for Civil Works Contracts .............................................. 17 9 Main Findings ..................................................................................................................... 18 Annexes ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Annex A: Environmental Management Plan: Mitigation Measures .......................................... 19 Annex B: Monitoring Plan ......................................................................................................... 25 Annex C: Incident Report Form ................................................................................................. 27 Annex D: Check List of Potential Environmental and Social Impacts ...................................... 28 Annex E: Environmental Clauses for Contracts ......................................................................... 41 Annex F. Minutes of Public Consultation Meetings Held in Communities and WUAs ............ 48 i Rehabilitation of primary canals of Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme Glossary AMD Armenian Dram ARD Armenian Road Directorate DM Distance Marker (or “Picket Number”) EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan Environmental Expertise State Environmental Expertise SNCO of the MNP ESAOC Environmental and Social Assessment and Oversight Consultant ESIO Environmental and Social Impact Officer, MCA-Armenia FS/FD Consultant Feasibility Study/Final Design Consultant GIS Geographic Information System GoA Government of Armenia ICID International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage ICOLD International Commission on Large Dams Irrigation PIU Water Sector Development and Institutional Improvements PIU IREP Irrigation Rehabilitation Emergency Project MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation MCA-Armenia Millennium Challenge Account - Armenia State SNCO MNP Ministry of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia NGO Non-Governmental Organization RAP Resettlement Action Plan RA Republic of Armenia RPF Resettlement Policy Framework SCWS State Committee on Water Systems USD United States of America Dollars WB World Bank WSA Water Supply Agency WUA Water User Association ii Rehabilitation of primary canals of Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme Executive Summary Rehabilitation of primary canals of Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme is envisaged under the Additional Financing for the Irrigation Rehabilitation Emergency Project (AF IREP). The rehabilitation of Arzni-Shamiram main canal was planned under the MCA- Armenia program. For this purposes Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was prepared under the MCA-Armenia, however because of the limited time and resources these rehabilitation works were not carried out under the MCA-Armenia program. This Environmental Management Plan (EMP) has been developed for the rehabilitation of the following primary canals of Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme: • Arzni-Shamiram stage 1 canal; • Arzni-Shamiram stage 2 canal; • Arzni branch canal; • Kassakh right side canal; and • Kassakh left side canal. The rehabilitation works are expected to start in winter 2011 and end in early spring 2013 covering two off-irrigation seasons. The overall objective of the EMP is to bring the project into compliance with the environmental and social requirements set by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia and World Bank’s environmental and social policies. The EMP links the mitigation measures into a comprehensive implementation scheme, designed to ensure action. It describes institutional responsibilities, compliance monitoring and reporting requirements, and cost for implementing the EMP, all in order to answer the “who?”, “how?” and “how much?” questions. The Arzni-Shamiram main canal is one of the major irrigation systems of Armenia. The feasibility study and final design for the Arzni-Shamiram Primary canals was prepared by “Hayjrnakhagits” CJSC under the contract IA-06/003 for Design and Construction Supervision for Rehabilitation of Six Primary canals. The project proposed under AF IREP is expected to cover the rehabilitation of nearly 23,7 km of degraded canal structures out of a total canal length of about 107 km. Rehabilitation will include monolithic concrete lining 12 cm thick, off-takes, other minor components of rehabilitation, including the construction of monitoring sites. About 110,000 people live within the Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme’s overall command area and about one quarter of these are directly benefiting from irrigation water deliveries, comprising 38 beneficiary communities whose lands are located within the sections of canals subject to rehabilitation. In addition, numerous small farmers located adjacent to the canal but not part of the irrigation system use the canal water for household gardens, including both subsistence farmers as well as those engaged in growing fruits and crops for the market. The primary canals are operated and 1 Rehabilitation of primary canals of Arzni-Shamiram irrigation scheme maintained by Sevan-Hrazdan Water Supply Agency (WSA) and the secondary and tertiary canals – by Kassakh, Ashtarak, Parpi, Shamiram, and Yegvard WUAs. The overall objective of the rehabilitation is to improve the technical state of the primary canals in order to reduce seepage losses, restore the reliability of water command and delivery to irrigated lands, restore under-utilized or unutilized irrigated lands and, where feasible and if water supplies are available, to expand irrigated lands. It is expected that the results of the canal rehabilitation program will be an increase in crop yield and in the incomes of the water users. The proposed rehabilitation works will have insignificant, short-term and localized environmental impacts during implementation of rehabilitation works and further operation and maintenance of the canal systems. The impacts during the construction period are expected to be mainly caused by the need for removal of degraded concrete slabs lining canals under rehabilitation; removal of outtake fixtures and piping prior to replacement; extensive dredging of canals under rehabilitation; upgrading of service roads; and earthworks as required. All debris, spillage and construction waste, including silt taken from canals must be properly removed and disposed of at approved landfills/dump sites that do not encroach upon areas inhabited by local residents. Contractors shall agree with the relevant local/regional authorities the sites for disposal of excavated materials and construction wastes. Earth borrowing and mining of local aggregates and spoils disposal sites will have a temporary negative impact on the environment. Clearing of vegetation and excavations may also take place for some parts of the access roads. Base camps with storage of oil, chemicals and other pollutants will be removed. Following rehabilitation, canal embankments will be planted with ground cover and steep slopes strengthened with vegetation, grass and plants or gabions. Dust and smoke arising from construction machines can have negative impact on the ambient air quality. Such effects are expected to be minimal and transient.