Download - Cooperation between Iran and Armenia
Cooperation between Iran and Cooperation between Iran and ArmeniaArmenia
lessons learned and possible next stepslessons learned and possible next steps
AlirezaAlireza NajafiNajafiExpert of Expert of TransboundaryTransboundary Rivers Rivers
and Share Water Resources Bureauand Share Water Resources Bureau
88--10 December 2009 10 December 2009 –– Tbilisi, GeorgiaTbilisi, Georgia
1- International Transboundary Waters conditions
2- Examples of Water Resources Environmental damages in Asia
3- A brief review of water resources of Iran
4- Caucasus region
5- Aras River, Iran and Armenia Cooperation
a) River Training and Flood Controlb) Hydropower Development c) River pollution monitoring
6- Next Steps
7- suggestions
contentscontents
International Workshop on International Workshop on TransboundaryTransboundary Water Resources Management Water Resources Management in the Caucasusin the Caucasus
Tbilisi, Georgia 8Tbilisi, Georgia 8--10 December 200910 December 2009
From Potential Conflict
to Co-operation Potential
Water for Peacea contribution to
World Water Assessment Programme
1950
1995
20251000 m3
1-2 2-55-1010-20>20
<1
World water stresses 1950World water stresses 1950 --2025 2025
1-Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)
� White Nile River origins from Victoria Lake in Central Africa and flows trough Uganda to Sudan and joints to Blue Nile River and reaches to Etiopia.
� The Nile River, after connection of White and Blue Nile Rivers, flows to Egypt and enters to Mediterranean Sea.
� Nile River length from Victoria Lake to Mediterranean Sea is 5584 Km.
� Nile River length from the farthest origin point in Rwanda is 6671 Km.
� Area of Nile Basin is 3.349.000 Km2.
Some examples of transboundary waters cooperation
2- ICPDR - International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River
� 22 rivers with 815.000 area basin locate in Danube River Basin� Danube River is 27 longest river of the world ( 2850 Km).� Basin area is 0.2 % of Earth area.� Volume of precipitation is equal to 550 BCM.� Mean rainfall 680 mm.� Runoff 280 BCM.� Average discharge 6400 m3/s� Human Water demand 20 BCM.
3-Integrated and Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources in the
Amazon River Basin
� Amazon River flows trough 6 countries� Basin area is 7.050.000 Km 2.
Changes in Kara-Bogaz-Gol – a lagoon of the Caspian sea, Turkmenistan
Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world
• 1988: KBG is the large shallow lagoon of the Caspian sea
• 2000: Caspian Sea levels are higher than 1978 levels and water flows freely into salty waters of KBG
Death of the world’s fourth largest inland sea: Aral Sea, Kazakhstan
• 1973: The surface of the sea once measured 66 100 km2
• 1987: 60% of the volume had been lost
• 1999-2004: The sea is now quarter of the size it was 50 years ago
Alarming drop in Lake Balkhash’s water level, Kazakhstan
Images show alarming drop in lake’s water levels
• 1975-1979: Excessive use and waste of lake water are causes of the drop
• 2001: Smaller neighbouring lakes appear to be drying up
Changes in water levels on Lake Hamoun, Iran
• 1976: The amount of water in the lake is relatively high
• 1999-2001: The lake dried up and disappeared
1004112531001 622 751Total
210226344 165Qara-Qum
3313716651824 356Central Plateau
3111076103 169Hamoun Lake
187442311175 051Caspian Sea
518347351 801Orumie Lake
3916138026424 209Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman Sea
As % of total rainfall
Rainfall (km³/year)
Rainfall (mm/year)
As % of total area
Total area (km²)
Basin
Annual Precipitation (mm) in sub – basins and total Period (1963-2000)
5Aras River,Iran and Armenia Cooperationa) River Training and Flood Controlb) Hydropower Development
c) River pollution monitoring
IIntegrated ntegrated WWater ater RResources esources MManagementanagement
How does it works?How does it works?
Water Resources under pressure:
-During the 20th century, the World population has increased by a factor of
3, whereas Water withdrawals has increased by a factor of7.
-Currently one third of the world’s population live in countries that
experience medium to high water stress. This ratio is expected to grow to
two thirds by 2025.
-A fifth of the world’s population is without access to safe drinking water.
-Half of the world’s population is without access to adequate sanitation.
-Over the next 25 yearsfood will be required for another 2-3 billion people.
Dublin Principles (1992):
1- Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resources, essential to sustain life, development, and the environment.
2- Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners, and policy-makers at all levels.
3- Women play a central partin the provision, management and safeguarding of water.
4- Water has an economic valuein all its competing users and should be recognized as an economic good.
Definition of IWRM
IWRM is a processwhich promotes the co-ordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.
Spatial planning
water quality
monitor ing
Basin wide
water allocation
Sea wate
r
desalin
izatio
n
Par ticipationapproach Integ
rated
modeli
ng
Water law
Water pr icing
Aw
areness
building
Water saving ir r igation
soil and water
conservation
Urban water
demand
management
environmental
minimum flow
Institutional
capacity
building
Water
r ight
Wate
r
market
Ecosystem
restorationSt
rate
gy
plan
ing
Flood forecasting
Combined
regulation
SW/GW
How dose IWRM work?
Water right
Flood forecast
Urban water demand management
water qualitymonitor ing
Water pr icing
Ecosystem restoration
Water saving irrigation
soil and water conservation
Awareness building
Integrated modeling
Participation approach
Strategy planing
Water law
environmental minimum flow
Ecosystem restoration
Spatial planning
Institutional capacity building
Water market
Basin wide water allocation
SW/GW regulation
Eth
ical
app
roac
hes
Scientific and technical approaches
The Art of IWRM is picking up water Resources Management elements to achieve Maximum and also Optimum results
a) River Training and Flood Control• Iran and Armenia has 48 km boundary along Aras Rive r.
• According to previous and new agreements and protocols, two Countries review the other side rive r training and flood control plan characteristics an d compare with the Boundary protocol map.
• There is similar method of surveying River training and Flood control plans in Aras River between Iran and Azerbaijan.
• Then They inform the other side about implementatio n or modification of the river training and Flood con trol plan along the Aras River.
• The new river training and flood control plan has executed in Noordoz-Meghri customhouse since 2007.
River training, Flood control and passing Gas pipe through Aras River from Iran to Armenia 2007-2008
b) Hydropower development
• Aras Transboundary River is a good source for Energy production by Hydro powers.
• Iran and Armenia are studying possibility for construction common hydropower in Aras river (Meghri-Ghare chilar).
C) River pollution monitoring
• Transboundary river basins, as a common heritage, be long to riparian countries and should maintain carefully, o perate principally and deliver to next generations.
• The Aras River Basin, is the most important water r esources for potable, agricultural, fishery and industrial usage s of Turkey, Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Unfortunately this vital ve ssel of basinhas been exposed to several types of threatening po llutions.
• It is estimated about 8 millions people live in riv er banks. Its unique environment is habitats of several types of animals and fishes. Also some unique wetlands locate adjacent this rive r.
Aras River polluted factors
Rural:Garbages, rubbish, …
Agricultural:Peat, chemical fertilizers, saline drainage, …
Effects
Natural:Flood debris, types of sediment, …
Industrial:Chemical, physical, heavy metals, …
highMedium low
Type
• In 1998, as a result of increasing pollution in Ara s River, Iranian Ministry of Energy and University of Tabriz and Water Co. Authority of East Azarbaijan studied and measured pollution in Aras River water quality from Turkey to Azerbaijan.
• Results showed high pollutions in water quality spe cially heavy metals pollution after entrance of some Aras River tributaries from Armeni a.
• Some of results presented in following tables.
Aras River Riparian countriespollution portion
418.342Iran
3 *14.55.8Azerbaijan
-100100Total
14311.2Armenia
224.241Turkey
Pollution rank
River Discharge (%)
River length (%)
Country
* The rank is for both Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan
Copper mining in Armenia
�Armenia incomes desponds on Copper mining.
�The copper mining industry in Armenia is old and worn out.
�Environment criteria and standards in Armenia should be promoted to prevent more pollution of Aras River.
A view of Tailing Dams in Armenia
• Copper productions need water flows.
• Tailing Dam is place of deposition of Copper produc tion waste materials which consists of deposited sheets in slope of a valley.
• Waste water through deposited sheets flow toward sl ope to Aras River and moves material such as Mercury, Copper, Molybdenum and etc to river which are harmf ul for people and environment in downstream countries.
According to previous Earthquakes, The results of a ny new earthquake or any probable landslides on Tailin g Dams, adjacent Aras River, are not clear and maybe occur an environmental tragic event for people and enviro nment downstream of Aras River.
Iran and Armenia implementation for monitoring of p ollution
� Iran is identifying its pollution factors in Aras R iver water quality.
� Most of pollutions produced by farmers and discharge d drainage water to Aras River, contained peat and chemical fertilizers.
� According Environmental Standards, Iran continuousl y monitors pollution factors and discharging pollution sources (agricultural, indust rial and rural), directly to Aras River, will change and a recycle system of water usages in future will be constructed.
� Since 2005, Iran and Armenia have participated seve ral sessions for investigation of monitoring of pollution in Aras River.
� They had also several common visiting of Armenian T ailing dams in Agarak.
� Two countries decided having common measurements of pollution factors in 6 stations in Armenia and 8 stations in Iran.
� Last year an agreement signed by Deputies of Armeni an and Iranian Minister of Energy. In Article 7 of this agreement two countrie s insisted for field visiting and continuous monitoring, prevention and control of Ar as River water quality and pollutions.
Sessions in Sessions in TabrizTabriz -- IranIran Sessions in Yerevan Sessions in Yerevan –– ArmeniaArmenia
Remarks � Iran has several Copper mines such as: Sarcheshmeh, Midook and
Khatoonabad in Kerman Province and Songon in East Aza rbaijanProvince.
� As Sracheshmeh Copper mine had serious pollutions to water resources of region, Iranian Department of Environm ent (DOE), with regards Environmental Standards, forced owners of C opper mining to build an environmental closed water recycle syst em in their factory with new technologies.
� The permanent monitoring of water resources of regi on shows pollutions due to waste water has been decreased ve ry much (at standard range) and Sarcheshmeh Copper mines conside rs as a Green manufacturer.
� Now, DOE forces all of Copper mining owners to obey DOE Environmental Standards for promoting or building t heir old and new Copper mining factories and conserve water reso urces.
The Protocol on Civil Liability and Compensation fo r Damage Caused by the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents on Tra nsboundary Waters
� The Protocol was formally adopted and signed by 22 countries at the Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" in Kiev, Ukraine, on 21 May 2003.
� The Protocol will give individuals affected by the transboundary impact of industrial accidents on international watercourses (e.g. fishermen or operators of downstream waterworks) a legal claim f or adequate and prompt compensation.
� Companies will be liable for accidents at industria l installations, including tailing dams , as well as during transport via pipelines.
� Physical damage, damage to property, loss of income , the cost ofreinstatement and response measures will be covered by the Protocol.
� …
Common benefits of using water Convention Principals and UNECE Protocols
Next StepsNext Steps•• Moving toward Integrated Water Resources Moving toward Integrated Water Resources
Management (IWRM) in Aras River Basin Management (IWRM) in Aras River Basin
•• Establishment of an Early Warning Regional Establishment of an Early Warning Regional Center For Natural and Manmade DisastersCenter For Natural and Manmade Disasters
•• More cooperation of Iran, Armenia and More cooperation of Iran, Armenia and international organization (UNECE, UNEP, international organization (UNECE, UNEP, ……) ) for managing and Decreasing Aras River for managing and Decreasing Aras River pollutionpollution
Aras River Basin has a unique role for the Environment and people living of riparian countries and Caspian Sea, but its Environmenthas been damaged in recent decades.
Iran is ready to transfer its experiences of using environmental standards in Copper mining andwater resources management to Armenia .
Iran is ready to define an international project with Armenia and International organization (UNECE, UNEP, …) for monitoring, evaluation, control of pollution, and rehabilitation in Aras River as a pilot project for the whole of Aras-Kura River Basin .
An Early Warning Regional Center for Naturaland Manmade Disasters should establish in Aras-Kura River Basin by assistance of international organization ( technical and financial ) .
The Riparian countries of Aras-Kura River Basin (Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Iran) should promote their environmental current management and consider environmental criteria and standards in their developing programs.
International organizations could help countries of the basin specially new independent countries to accelerate rehabilitation of Aras-Kura River Basin .
Special thanks to:Special thanks to:
Dr. Dr. AnnukkaAnnukka LiponnenLiponnen
Environmental Affairs OfficerEnvironmental Affairs OfficerConvention on the Protection and Use of Convention on the Protection and Use of TransboundaryTransboundary
Watercourses and International LakesWatercourses and International LakesEnvironment, Housing and Land Management DivisionEnvironment, Housing and Land Management Division
Economic Commission for EuropeEconomic Commission for Europe
Mrs. Mrs. EkaEka GagiaGagiaREC CaucasusREC Caucasus