EcoLur
On December 1, 2015 at 12 o'clock in Jermuk municipality, RA Vayots Dzor region, public discussions will take place on the preliminary assessment application of the influence of "Arpa 2" SHPP construction on nature presented by "Jinj Arpa" LLC.
The water intake unit of this SHPP is planned to be constructed on the River Kenger, stream of Arpa, and the station is planned to be constructed on the River Arpa. The water in Kenger will be moved into the River Arpa through a pressure pipeline of 800 mm diameters and 4600 m length. Besides, the water coming from the SHPP should directly go into the water intake unit of "Jermuk HPP-2" built on the River Arpa which in its turn takes the River Arpa into pipeline in an area of 3484 m length.
The company "Jinj Arpa" also builds "Arpa 3" SHPP on the River Arpa (the length of the pipeline is 2650 m, the diameter is 1420 mm). The water intake unit of this SHPP is situated on the Kenger River after interflowing with Arpa. After "Arpa 2" SHPP construction the whole water will not flow into Arpa, but only the environmental flow will go there. Consequently, "Arpa 3" SHPP will have to reconsider its water and economical calculations and accordingly define the power of the SHPP, which means to deviate from the project.
As a result of exploiting "Arpa 2" and "Arpa 3", "Jermuk HPP-2" SHPPs the Arpa River together with its stream will appear under load of SHPPs on an area of 10734 m especially if we take into account the fact that we don't control the environmental flow (The amount of environmental flow for "Arpa 2" makes up 0.24 m3/s, for "Arpa 3" it is 0.42 m3/s, and for "Jermuk HPP 2" no environmenatl flow is mentioned in water use permit).
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"Arpa 2" SHPP project was made without studying the water regime of the Kenger River. "All the hydrological criteria were determined by analog. As an analog Arpa-Jermuk hydrological station was chosen", it is stated in the application.
Red-listed species
According to the application of "Arpa 2" SHPP in the area designed for construction there is one animal spicies registered in the RA "Red Book" (2010), Lutra lutra L.
In this region there are also bird species registered in the RA Red Book (2010). Of the mammals the brown bear registered in the RA Red Book is met in this area.
The fish
It is mentioned in the application of "Arpa 2" SHPP that fish researches have never been done in the Kenger River. The data of fish researches done in the Arpa River were taken as a base according to which the ichthyofauna is presented by two fish species as follows Alburnoides eichwaldii and Leuciscus cephalus.
According to ichthyologist Samvel Pipoyan there are 13-14 fish species in the Arpa River. Not only Alburnoides eichwaldii and Leuciscus cephalus can be met there but also Barbus, trout and Sevan Capoeta which are registered in the RA Red Book of animals.
According to point B of Article 18 of the RA Law on "Fauna" "Any activity that will result in decrease of the quantity of animal species registered in the Red Book of the Republic of Armenia or will spoil their habitat is prohibited".
It is planned to construct fish passway and install fish-protecting structure.
Deforestation is planned but it is not mentioned how much.
According to the application tree planting is planned to do in the places where the station and pipeline were built.
It is planned to operate "Arpa 2" SHPP in 2018, it will produce 9.47 million kWh of electricity.
The material was developed in the frames of “Supporting reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable use of river ecosystems” supported by UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme".
November 18, 2015 at 16:48