The draft governmental decision "On Approving Management Plan of Sevan Basin Management Area for 2022-2027" has been put into circulation on www.e-draft.am website designed for publishing draft legal acts.
The main purpose of the document is to balance the interrelated relations between water users and the environment.
"The core of basin management plan is the action plan aimed at achieving 'good' ecological status of surface and groundwater resources and their related ecosystems," the document says.
In Sevan basin management area, water intake is carried out for drinking-household, irrigation, industry, hydropower and fish farming.
According to surface water supply forecasts, it will make up 671-674 million cubic meters in 25 rivers, and according to groundwater supply forecasts, it will make 258-259 million cubic meters in 17 rivers in 2022-2027.
The greatest water demand falls on the fishery sector at 69-73 million cubic meters. Next is the drinking-household sector at 40-50 million cubic meters, irrigation - 12-13 million cubic meters, industry - 0.1 million cubic meters.
According to the document, hydropower is considered a non-consumer water user, so its volume is not reflected in the calculations of total water supply and water demand. It is also mentioned that the construction of new hydroelectric power stations on the rivers flowing into Lake Sevan is prohibited.
Lake Sevan basin is also negatively affected by the communal domestic wastewater that fills the lake. Untreated domestic wastewater is a major source of organic pollution.
In particular, the draft law proposes rehabilitation of mining waste area, provision of safety of hydraulic structures and rehabilitation, technical measures to achieve ecological goals, construction of wastewater treatment plants, installation of SCADA system for main water users, improvement of drinking water supply network, improvement of water supply network 9 million cubic meters and construction of a 1-1.5 million cubic meter reservoir on the Astghadzor River.
June 16, 2022 at 17:39