Environmental Protection of International River Basins Project This project is funded by The European Union DRAFT BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR AKHURYAN RIVER BASIN DISTRICT March 2016 Acknowledgements The development of River Basin Management Plans for selected river basins/sub-river basins according to the requirements of the WFD is one of two specific objectives under the EU funded project “Environmental Protection of International River Basins” (Service Contract Nr. ENPI/2011/279-666, EuropeAid/131360/C/SER/Multi) implemented by Hulla & Co. Human Dynamics KG in consortium with the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC), CES Consulting Engineers Salzgitter GmbH, H.P. Gauff Ingenieure GmbH & Co. KG – JBG, Crimean Republic Association "Ekologiya I Mir" (CRAEM) and Ukrainian National Environmental NGO "Mama-86", for a period of 57 months from 30th January 2012 to 29th October 2016. For the preparation of this River Basin Management Plan for Akhuryan River Basin District of Armenia Specific acknowledgement is given to: − EPRIB" Project" team:" Mr." Timothy" Turner," Mr." Zurab" Jincharadze," Mr." Bernardas" Paukstys," Ms." Birgit" Vogel,"" Mr."Peter"Roncak,"Mr."Paul"Bujis,"Ms."Romina"Alvarez,"Mr."Vahagn"Tonoyan" − “Geoinfo”"LLC;"“Resource"Management”"LLC;"“NHRS”"LLC;" − Ministry"of"Nature"Protection"of"Armenia,"and"its"Water"Resources"Management"Agency,"Akhuryan"Water"Basin" Management"Authority,"Environmental"Impact"Monitoring"Centre,"Hydrogeological"Monitoring"Centre;" − Ministry"of"Emergency"Situations,"and"its"Armenian"State"Hydrometoerological"and"Monitoring"Service;" − Shirak"Regional"Administration;"Armavir"Regional"Administration;"Aragatsotn"Regional"Administration."" Specific contributions and support for the elaboration of the document have been provided by: − Mr." Aram" Gevorgyan" (Data" Management" and" GIS" Expert)," Mr." Vilik" Sargsyan" (Hydrologist)," Mr." Levon" Martirosyan"(Geographer),"Mr."Levon"Chilingaryan"(Water"Economist),"Mr."Boris"Mnatzakanyan"(Hydrologist);" − Mr." Vahan" Davtyan," Mr." Artyom" Mkhitaryan," Ms." Lusine" Taslakyan," Mr." Harutyun" Harutyunyan,"" Mr."Alfred"Nersisyan,"Mr."Stepan"Grigoryan,"Mr."Hrant"Zakaryan,"Ms."Gayane"Hovsepyan,"Mr."Norayr"Vardanyan," Mr."Davit"Grigoryan,"Mr."Ashot"Abgaryan,"Mr."Ararat"Vardanyan""(Water"Resources"Management"Agency"and" Akhuryan"Water"Basin"Management"Authority);" − Mr."Levon"Vardanyan,"Mr."Hamlet"Melkonyan,"Mr."Levon"Azizyan,"Mr."Edgar"Misakyan,"Mr."Hermes"Tadevosyan" (Armenian"State"Hydrometoerological"and"Monitoring"Service);" − Mr."Sasun"Sahakyan,"Ms."Gayane"Shahnazaryan,"Ms."Alina"Zurnachyan,"Mr."Artur"Gevorgyan,"Mr."Vardan"Karyan," Mr."Seyran"Minasyan,"Ms."Liana"Margaryan,"Mr."Levon"Ghukasyan,"Mr."Vahagn"Petrosyan"(Environmental"Impact" Monitoring"Centre);" − Mr." Karlen" Hakobyan," Mr." Hovik" Aghinyan," Mr." Harutyun" Yeremyan," Ms." Armine" Hakobyan," Mr." Khachatur" Gharabaghtzyan,"Mr."Karen"Papoyan,"Mr."Vahe"Sargsyan,"Mr."Gegham"Muradyan"(Hydrogeological"Monitoring" Centre);" − Mr."Artur"Baghdasaryan,"Mr."Volodya"Narimanyan,"Mr."Harutyun"Khachatryan"(Ministry"of"Agriculture);" − Mr." Sanasar" Baghdasaryan," Mr." Gor" Melikyan," Mr." Yura" Azatyan," Mr." Hamlet" Gasparyan" (Armavir," Aragatsotn" and" Shirak"Regional"Administrations);" − Mr."Gevorg"Torosyan"(Ministry"of"Energy"and"Natural"Resources);" − Mr."Aida"Petikyan"(Ministry"of"Health);" − Mr."Vahe"Asryan"(Ministry"of"Finance)." " This%document%has%been%produced%with%the%assistance%of%the%European%Union.% The%contents%of%this%report%are%the%sole%responsibility%of%the%Human%Dynamics% Consortium%and%can%in%no%way%be%taken%to%reflect%the%views%% of%the%European%Union.% " " 2" Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................... 7 1.1. Introduction to the Draft Akhuryan River Basin District Management Plan ............................................ 7 1.2. Akhuryan River Basin District.................................................................................................................... 8 1.3. Structure and Content of this Draft River Basin District Management Plan .......................................... 10 1.4. Approaches and Methodologies............................................................................................................. 10 2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE RIVER BASIN DISTRICT ............................................................................ 11 2.1. Natural Conditions in the River Basin District......................................................................................... 11 2.1.1. Geographic Overview .................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.2. Climate and Vegetation................................................................................................................. 12 2.1.3. Geology.......................................................................................................................................... 14 2.1.4. Mudflows, Landslides, Floods........................................................................................................ 15 2.2. Population and Demography .................................................................................................................. 16 2.3. Hydrological Characteristics of the Akhuryan RBD................................................................................. 17 2.3.1. Typology of Surface Water Bodies ................................................................................................ 17 2.3.2. Rivers ............................................................................................................................................. 18 2.3.3. Lakes and Reservoirs ..................................................................................................................... 21 2.4. Groundwater Resources ......................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.1. Characteristics of Hydrogeological Units....................................................................................... 23 2.4.2. Chemical Composition of Groundwater Resources ...................................................................... 24 2.4.3. Protection of Groundwater Resources.......................................................................................... 25 2.4.4. Regime of Groundwater Resources............................................................................................... 26 2.4.5. Interaction of Groundwater and Surface Water Resources.......................................................... 26 3. SIGNIFICANT PRESSURES AND POSSIBLE IMPACTS ON WATER STATUS.................................................... 28 3.1. Drivers..................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.1.1. Agriculture..................................................................................................................................... 28 3.1.2. Fish Farming .................................................................................................................................. 29 3.1.3. Hydropower................................................................................................................................... 30 3.1.4. Water Abstraction and Services .................................................................................................... 31 3.1.4.1. Water Abstraction for Drinking‐household Purposes.......................................................... 34 3.1.4.2. Water Abstraction for Irrigation .......................................................................................... 36 3.1.4.3. Industrial Water Abstraction ............................................................................................... 39 3.1.4.4. Water Abstraction for Hydropower Generation.................................................................. 39 3.1.4.5. Water Abstraction for Fish Farming..................................................................................... 39 3.1.4.6. Municipal Wastewater......................................................................................................... 39 3.1.4.7. Summary of Water Use........................................................................................................ 39 3.1.5. Industry.......................................................................................................................................... 39 3.1.6. Tourism.......................................................................................................................................... 42 3.1.7. Solid Waste Landfills...................................................................................................................... 42 3.1.8. Transport ....................................................................................................................................... 43 3.1.9. Future Infrastructure Development .............................................................................................. 44 3.2. Types of Pressures .................................................................................................................................. 44 3.2.1. Point Source Pollution ..................................................................................................................