On June 15, 2023 the first consultation workshop for the development of a quantitative water resources management plan for the Kasakh sub-basin took place in Antarut, Aragatsotn marz. The Ministry of Environment of Armenia and the EU4Environment Water and Data programme organised the consultation.
The workshop was attended by 52 representatives of the beneficiary organisations, regional administrations, local self-governance authorities, local subcontractor, water users, water sector experts, as well as representatives of the EU Delegation to Armenia and of the EU4Environment Water and Data programme.
Discussions on sustainable water resources sharing among water users
For this workshop, the first results of the water balance calculations were presented. It includes the quantification of available water resources, the quantification of environmental water needs and the quantification of water uses by sector. Participants shared their knowledge of current and projected water use by sector and made proposals on how to structure the water balance calculations. The working group sessions were facilitated by the representatives of the Ministry of Environment, the Statistical Committee, and the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Centre.
Participants stressed the importance of assessing available water resources properly, developing allocation mechanisms, and maintaining a minimum environmental flow.
Given the structural water scarcity and drought conditions the sub-basin is facing, many participants stressed the importance of such dialogues with local stakeholders.
The quantitative water resources management plan
The EU4Environment Water and Data programme supports the development of a pilot quantitative water resources management plan for the Kasakh sub-basin. It is the first such plan to be developed in the Eastern Partner Countries. It is based on similar management plans developed in France for several years.
The Kasakh water quantity management plan aims to ensure a sufficient amount of water for different users, e.g. agriculture, industry, drinking water and aquatic ecosystems, at the scale of the sub-basin. The consultation process aims to set collective management rules, to develop water-saving measures and to adopt monitoring tools.