Vedi water reservoir to be commissioned ahead of schedule, minister says
20.03.2018,
18:06
The construction of a water reservoir in Armenia’s Vedi will be completed by the end of 2020, ahead of schedule, Armenia’s minister of agriculture, Ignaty Arakelyan said today during a visit to Ararat province.
YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. The construction of a water reservoir in Armenia’s Vedi will be completed by the end of 2020, ahead of schedule, Armenia’s minister of agriculture, Ignaty Arakelyan said today during a visit to Ararat province.
The construction of the reservoir, able to store about 30 million cubic meters of irrigation water and worth 90 million euros started in late March 2017. It will accumulate free streams of two rivers -Vedi and Khosrov. Two dams will be built for the reservoir with a basin area of 120 hectares.
The money for the construction of the reservoir comes form the French Development Agency (75 million euro loan) with the co-financing of the Armenian government. The loan is to be repaid within 20 years. It is provided with a six-year grace period and at an interest rate that can not be higher than 6.25% and less than 0.25%.
The project of the reservoir was developed by the French Artelia Eau & Environment and Belgian Sher Ingenieurs-Conseils in cooperation with Jrtuk LLC. The construction is carried out by the Armenian company Sahakyanshin and the Iranian consortium Pega Construction.
According to the minister, the project when completed will alleviate the problem of water shortage in the Ararat Valley and allow the transition from mechanical to the gravity irrigation system, which, in turn, will result in saving of electricity.
The minister said in the second stage of the program the French Development Agency will provide assistance for switching to the drip irrigation system in the communities located close to the reservoir.
Arakelyan said introduction of the drip irrigation system will not only reduce water consumption by these communities, but also deliver more water to more remote communities.
According to the provincial governor Aramais Grigoryan, the water reservoir in Vedi will allow to create a closed irrigation cycle through 4000 and more water canals.
The construction of the reservoir is an important step in the development of agriculture and ensuring reliable irrigation for some 7,500 hectares of land in the Ararat Valley, he said. -0-.
The construction of the reservoir, able to store about 30 million cubic meters of irrigation water and worth 90 million euros started in late March 2017. It will accumulate free streams of two rivers -Vedi and Khosrov. Two dams will be built for the reservoir with a basin area of 120 hectares.
The money for the construction of the reservoir comes form the French Development Agency (75 million euro loan) with the co-financing of the Armenian government. The loan is to be repaid within 20 years. It is provided with a six-year grace period and at an interest rate that can not be higher than 6.25% and less than 0.25%.
The project of the reservoir was developed by the French Artelia Eau & Environment and Belgian Sher Ingenieurs-Conseils in cooperation with Jrtuk LLC. The construction is carried out by the Armenian company Sahakyanshin and the Iranian consortium Pega Construction.
According to the minister, the project when completed will alleviate the problem of water shortage in the Ararat Valley and allow the transition from mechanical to the gravity irrigation system, which, in turn, will result in saving of electricity.
The minister said in the second stage of the program the French Development Agency will provide assistance for switching to the drip irrigation system in the communities located close to the reservoir.
Arakelyan said introduction of the drip irrigation system will not only reduce water consumption by these communities, but also deliver more water to more remote communities.
According to the provincial governor Aramais Grigoryan, the water reservoir in Vedi will allow to create a closed irrigation cycle through 4000 and more water canals.
The construction of the reservoir is an important step in the development of agriculture and ensuring reliable irrigation for some 7,500 hectares of land in the Ararat Valley, he said. -0-.
