Armenian parliament allows additional release of irrigation water from Lake Sevan
29.08.2018,
11:43
By a vote of 80 to 1 and with no abstentions the Armenian parliament has approved today in the second and final reading a government-designed bill, allowing additional release of water form Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes.
YEREVAN, August 29. /ARKA/. By a vote of 80 to 1 and with no abstentions the Armenian parliament has approved today in the second and final reading a government-designed bill, allowing additional release of water form Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes.
The bill approved by the government on August 23 calls for additional release of 40 million cubic meter of irrigation water from Lake Sevan. Earlier this year the parliament had allowed the release of 170 million cubic meters of water. The bill was passed as environmental organizations were protesting against it outside the parliament.
The head of the State Water Committee, Inessa Gabalyan, told the lawmakers on August 29 that the additional release will benefit 55,000 rural households. According to her, irrigation water losses reach 40%. She said in early July irrigation systems had to switch to the enhanced water saving regime as the water shortage was estimated at 120 million cubic meters. Today, the shortage is reduced to 40 million cubic meters and all the opportunities will be used to reduce the use of water to 25 million cubic meters as envisaged for the first stage, she said.
According to official data, some 267 million cubic meters of water were released from Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes in 2017, by 99.622 million cubic meters more than in 2016 and down from the planned 270 million cubic meters.
Lake Sevan is the largest body of water in Armenia and the Caucasus region and is one of the largest freshwater alpine lakes in Eurasia. It is situated in Gegharkunik province at an altitude of 1,900 m above sea level. The lake is fed by 28 rivers and streams. Only 10% of the incoming water is drained by the Hrazdan River, while the remaining 90% evaporates. By 2030, the lake level is to be raised to 1903.5 m above sea level. -0-
The bill approved by the government on August 23 calls for additional release of 40 million cubic meter of irrigation water from Lake Sevan. Earlier this year the parliament had allowed the release of 170 million cubic meters of water. The bill was passed as environmental organizations were protesting against it outside the parliament.
The head of the State Water Committee, Inessa Gabalyan, told the lawmakers on August 29 that the additional release will benefit 55,000 rural households. According to her, irrigation water losses reach 40%. She said in early July irrigation systems had to switch to the enhanced water saving regime as the water shortage was estimated at 120 million cubic meters. Today, the shortage is reduced to 40 million cubic meters and all the opportunities will be used to reduce the use of water to 25 million cubic meters as envisaged for the first stage, she said.
According to official data, some 267 million cubic meters of water were released from Lake Sevan for irrigation purposes in 2017, by 99.622 million cubic meters more than in 2016 and down from the planned 270 million cubic meters.
Lake Sevan is the largest body of water in Armenia and the Caucasus region and is one of the largest freshwater alpine lakes in Eurasia. It is situated in Gegharkunik province at an altitude of 1,900 m above sea level. The lake is fed by 28 rivers and streams. Only 10% of the incoming water is drained by the Hrazdan River, while the remaining 90% evaporates. By 2030, the lake level is to be raised to 1903.5 m above sea level. -0-
