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

1

International transboundarywaters conditions

From Potential Conflict

to Co-operation Potential

Water for Peacea contribution to

World Water Assessment Programme

48Europe

40Asia

36South America

34North And Central America

57Africa

Numbers of Trb-basinsContinent

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.

2

Examples Environmental damages of Tranboundary Water Resources in Asia

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

3

A brief review in climate and water resources of Iran

Climate mapEvaporation map

Precipitation mapMajor basins map

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)

4

Caucasus Region Condition

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?

Hydrological Cycle

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

Flood Control Dyke constructed in Noordoz– Meghri Customhouse, 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

Cu changes in Aras River (2006-2008)

06

07

08

Stations

Mn changes in Aras River (2006-2008)

06

07

08

Stations

Fe changes in Aras River (2006-2008)

06

07

08

Stations

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.

Main Copper Mines of Armenia

AgarakCopper mining

and Tailing Dams

Tailing Dams adjacent to Aras River

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.

Iranian and Armenian experts

in the site (Agarak Copper trailing dam)

Iranian and Armenian responses agreement for monitoring of Aras River

water quality

Sessions in Sessions in TabrizTabriz -- IranIran Sessions in Yerevan Sessions in Yerevan –– ArmeniaArmenia

A sample table of Armenia monitoring Aras river sen t to Iran

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

6Next StepsContinuous Cooperation of Iran and Armenia in Aras River Basin

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

7

Suggestions

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

Thanks for your attentionThanks for your attentionand Hope for Continuous and Hope for Continuous Cooperation in Caucasus Cooperation in Caucasus

and Arasand Aras--KuraKura BasinBasin