Alarm-Response by Meloratsia CJSC on Catastrophic Situation in Ararat Artesian Basin

Alarm-Response by Meloratsia CJSC on Catastrophic Situation in Ararat Artesian Basin

During 1983-2016, the output of Sevjur-Aknalich springs in Ararat Artesian Basin (AAB) decreased 65 times from 823.1 million cubic meters/year to 12.61 million cubic meters/year.

During 2021, a significant decrease in groundwater levels from 1.5 meters to 3.2 meters was documented in Ararat Valley.

If the current scenario of water use in Ararat valley continues without maintaining the average annual water intake (34.7 km/s) set with the boreholes in 1984, the lowering of groundwater levels will continue in the next 3-5 years from the central part of the AAB to the west and northwest, together with the decrease in water discharges, increase in demand for irrigation of irrigated lands, degradation of landscapes, decrease in positive pressure area, and decrease in natural spring outputs.

It is expected that as a result of the drop in positive hydrostatic pressure, the group of Sevjur-Aknalich springs, through which the cooling of the RA nuclear power plant is carried out and the already reduced irrigated land areas are supplied water with, will almost cease to function. This will lead to even more serious socio-economic problems in Ararat valley.

In order to get out of the created situation, to increase the efficiency of the use of underground water in Ararat Artesian basin, to use the resources sparingly, to restore the balance of the water resources, it is proposed to limit the total water intake currently carried out by boreholes in the AAB bringing it up to  the permissible 34.7 cubic meters per second set by the State Resources Commission in 1984 or 1094.3 million cubic meters/year of water volume.

This is specifically mentioned in the letter by "Meloratsia" CJSC, which was provided to EcoLur by Water Committee of RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure in response to our inquiry.

July 13, 2022 at 17:23