Water Economy PIU Director Felix Melikyan
In the article published by hetq.am on 17 August 2015 “Not Enough Water in Azad River to Build World Bank Financed Irrigation Project” the author insists,
(1) there is no sufficient water to meet the water demands of the project and therefore, the project is not substantiated and (2) the project implementation will affect on the neighboring monuments of culture and nature. We would like to cover these two concerns as they contain factual uncertainties.
First of all, this summer was the hottest one in the last 172 years in our meteorological history. According to Arm State Hydrometereological Service, temperature in June – August fluctuated from 38-39 C degrees for 20 days and from 40 to 41 degrees for 15 days. June had extremely dry climate conditions and the average precipitation was lower than the standard by 50%. Dry and extremely hot weather continued till 21 August including and no precipitation was recorded in this period. This circumstance factually led to low-water condition in certain areas of the republic, which is taken into consideration in Qaghtsrashen gravity irrigation system project.
September 09, 2015 at 11:30