CLEAN ENERGY AND WATER PROGRAM Assessment Study of Groundwater Resources of the Ararat Valley FINAL REPORT MARCH 2014 DISCLAIMER This report is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for 1 International Development (USAID). The contents are the sole responsibility of the Mendez England & Associates and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. ASSESSMENT STUDY OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES OF THE ARARAT VALLEY Subcontract Agreement HAYJRNAKHAGITS-23/01/13-1 FINAL REPORT Client: Armenian Branch of Mendez England and Associates Performer: Consortium of Hayjrnakhagits Institute CJSC (Leading Partner) and Mel-Hov LLC March 2014 2 Table of Contents BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................ 4 1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ARARAT ARTESIAN BASIN .............................................. 6 1.1. Hydrogeological conditions ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.2. Natural (recoverable) groundwater resources .......................................................................................... 8 2. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS ASSESSMENTS OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES ................................. 11 2.1. Assessment of groundwater resources and their use in 1966-1984 ....................................................... 11 2.2. Analysis of groundwater springs and wells inventoried in 2006-2007 ............................................... 16 2.3. Analysis of groundwater level fluctuations based on historical and recent monitoring data ................ 18 3. DESCRIPTION OF PAST AND CURRENT TRENDS OF GROUNDWATER USE ............................ 26 3.1. Trends of groundwater abstraction in 1978-2013 .................................................................................. 26 3.2. Analysis of groundwater use in AAB fixed by Water Use Permits....................................................... 29 3.3. Changes in operation of the drainage network ...................................................................................... 34 4. IMPACT OF WATER USE ON GROUNDWATER BALANCE AND RECHARGE OF AQUIFERS ................................................................................................................................................ 36 4.1. Assessment of groundwater inflow and outflow components in Ararat artesian basin ......................... 36 4.2. Impact of development scenarios on groundwater balance and recharge rates ..................................... 39 5. CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 43 6. RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 49 LIST OF REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 52 ANNEX 1. SCHEMATIC HYDROGEOLOGICAL MAP OF ARARAT DEPRESSION ............................. 54 ANNEX 2. GEOLOGICAL-TECHNICAL SECTIONS OF WELLS DRILLED IN FIVE HYDROGEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES OF SECOND ORDER ............................................................ 54 ANNEX 3. LONGITUDINAL GEOLOGICAL-LITHOLOGICAL SECTION OF ARARAT ARTESIAN BASIN ................................................................................................................................... 56 ANNEX 4. WATER DISCHARGE AND WATER LEVEL MEASUREMENT RESULTS IN RANDOMLY SELECTED WELLS OF AAB .......................................................................................... 57 3 BACKGROUND This is the Final Report of the Assessment Study of Groundwater Resources of the Ararat Valley implemented by the Consortium of “Hayjrnakhagits Institute” Closed Joint Stock Company (CJSC) and “Mel-Hov” Limited Liability Company (LLC) from 01.02.2013 thru 15.03.2014. The Assessment Study was supported by the USAID-funded Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP), which is implemented by Mendez England & Associates. The Final Report was prepared under the Subcontract Agreement signed between the Armenian branch of Mendez England & Associates, “Hayjrnakhagits Institute” CJSC and “Mel-Hov” LLC and based on the analysis, correlation and summary of observations of three interim reports. The Final Report includes the following: review of previously conducted assessments (1966 and 1984) of the Ararat Valley groundwater resources; observations and findings of the impacts of current and future water use under various proposed development scenarios based on the balance, depletion and recharge rates of groundwater resources of the Ararat Valley; proposals for future assessment of groundwater resources of the Ararat Valley; proposals for future measures aimed at sustainable management of groundwater resources of the Ararat Valley. The findings and recommendations presented in the Interim and Final Reports are based on the review and analysis of archive materials and reports, as well as documents received from governmental agencies and other stakeholder institutions. These include: Results of hydrogeological exploration works conducted in the Ararat Artesian Basin (AAB) in 1966 and 1984 with estimation of resources; Results of groundwater sources inventory of the Ararat Artesian Basin conducted in 2006- 2007; Results of groundwater monitoring data conducted within Ararat Artesian Basin in 2009- 2012 by “Hydrogeological Monitoring Center” (HMC) State Non-Commercial Organization (SNCO) of the Ministry of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia (MNP); Results of measurements at the benchmark points of the drainage monitoring network Ararat Artesian Basin by conducted in 1997-2013 by “Amelioration/Melioratsia” CJSC of the State 4 Committee of Water Systems (SCWS) of the Ministry of Territorial Administration (MTA) of the RA from; Data on groundwater abstraction within the Ararat Artesian Basin from 1983-2013 according to archive materials and Water Use Permits (WUPs) issued by the MNP of to the various water users; Other archive materials (see list of literature). In order to cross-check some of the existing data and supplement missing information, data was also used from visits made by the Consortium members to the regional authorities and communities of Armavir and Ararat Marzes, as well as from the results of continuous observations conducted in 64 randomly selected wells of Ararat Artesian Basin during the vegetation season: spring (May), summer (August) and autumn (November). The present report does not include re-assessment of volumes of groundwater resources in the Ararat Artesian Basin as this was not required by the Statement of Work. 5 1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ARARAT ARTESIAN BASIN 1.1. Hydrogeological conditions The Ararat Artesian Basin (AAB) is located in the middle stream of Araks River within the Ararat Depression Valley and extends in the north-west and south-east direction for about 120.0 km with a width ranging from 10.0 to 30.0 km (Figure 1). The depression is located at the elevation ranging from 800 m to 1,000 m above the sea level and occupies an area of about 1,300 km2. It is a natural groundwater storage area, and water enters into the storage area from the surrounding Ararat and Aragats mountains and from the Geghama and Armenia Par ridges. Figure 1. Location of Ararat Artesian Basin. 6 Geomorphologically, the Ararat Valley represents an inter-mountain depression associated with the valleys of the Araks River and its tributaries the Akhuryan, Sevjur, Kassakh, Hrazdan, Azat and Vedi. The ancient buried valleys of those rivers covered by the volcanic lava and sub-surface deposits of modern the drainage networks (rivers) serve as the routes through which water enters into Ararat groundwater basin. From a hydrogeological perspective, the Ararat Depression is a typical closed inter-mountain artesian basin with groundwater recharge, storage and discharge areas. AAB has a complex tectonic and geological-hydrogeological structure. The depression represents a superimposed inter-mountain trough of the Araks River’s tectonic zone, divided by the subsequent folding process into the following five sub-structures (structures of second order) in west-to-east direction: Hoktemberyan depression; Sovetashen uplift; Artashat depression; Khor Virap uplift and Arazdayan depression. The above mentioned tectonic structures differ in their geological composition, thickness of water bearing rocks, number of aquifers and impermeable layers and their hydraulic properties. The borders of the structures nearly coincide with administrative boundaries of Armavir and Ararat Marzes of Armenia (Figure 1). The groundwater resources of AAB are developed from precipitation, condensation, discharge of deep artesian inflows, and partially from surface flows within the Araks catchment basin with an area of 31,500 km2, including 14,900 km2 of Armenian territory and 16,600 km2 of Turkish territory. Two groundwater layers (complexes) may be identified in the subsurface of AAB: unconfined aquifer and confined (artesian) water bearing complexes which may be conditionally divided into two aquifers (Annex 3). The unconfined aquifer is found nearly everywhere within the AAB. It is located at a depth of 0.5- 60.0 m. The flow direction coincides with the terrain inclination and