Improving Water Supply and Water Resources Oversight

USAID/Armenia Advanced Science and Partnerships for Integrated Resource Development (ASPIRED) Project

ME&A Storymaps Team

Overview

The ME&A-led USAID/Armenia Advanced Science and Partnerships for Integrated Resource Development (ASPIRED) Project was designed to support sustainable water resource management and sustainable practices of water users at the core of the water-energy nexus through the use of science, technology, innovation, and partnerships approaches. The goal of ASPIRED, running from 2015 to 2021, was to reduce the rate of groundwater extraction in Armenia’s Ararat Valley to sustainable levels.

ASPIRED Achievements

The Ararat Valley has traditionally been the breadbasket of Armenia, producing about 40 percent of the country’s total agricultural output annually. A lush, fertile crescent, it has historically been ideal for farming with ample groundwater; however, the emergence of fish farming as a primary industry in the valley in the early 2000s strained the region’s groundwater supply.

Between 1983 and 2016 the Ararat Valley's artesian zone shrank by about 53 percent (from 42,296 to 22,366 hectares), creating water shortages in more than 30 valley communities and putting them at risk of desertification. Today, about 50 percent more groundwater is pumped annually in the valley than rain waters can replenish. Besides for irrigation, drinking water, and fish farms, the valley's rapidly declining groundwater is also critically needed to cool Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant.

ASPIRED helped the Government of Armenia update its water-use monitoring systems and policies to serve the Ararat Valley's competing water needs, equipped the government with real-time monitoring tools for several of the largest fish farms, and piloted innovations for sustainable fish farming.

Activities and Reach

ASPIRED helped the Government of Armenia address ineffective oversight and management of the country’s water resources and equipped it with the data it needs to make evidence-based, sustainable water allocation decisions. Prior to ASPIRED, the government was using nearly 40 year old data. ASPIRED pilot projects also provided potable water and restored irrigation systems to multiple at-risk communities in the Ararat Valley.

Click on a pin in the map below to learn more about ASPIRED's work in that area.

Reuse of Water from a Fish Farm for Irrigation in Hayanist Village

ASPIRED partnered with the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company Armenia and the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme in Armenia (implemented by UNDP) to make Hayanist the first village in Armenia to pilot an unconventional method of irrigation involving reusing water from a nearby fish farm to meet the community’s irrigation needs. Before the project started, the fish farm's water use permit allowed it to take up to 560 l/s of water from groundwater aquifers (from four artesian wells) with used water dumped into the drainage network.

Sardarapat Village Water Supply Project

ASPIRED completed large-scale improvements to the water infrastructure in the village of Sardarapat. Before the rehabilitation, no capital improvements had been made on the village’s water supply network for decades. The old water system was inefficient, suffered excessive water losses, and its deteriorated pipeline presented high contamination risks. The absence of a water metering system meant significant amounts of water were unaccounted for and wasted.

Yeghegnut Community Water Supply Project

The purpose of this pilot project was to rehabilitate the community's water supply system to provide all 2,200 residents clean running water 24 hours a day. For the past 20 years muddy, unsafe water ran from the taps of community's old rusty system, and villagers had to crowd around water-trucks to buy potable water, which would have been unsafe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pilot, implemented with the cooperation of the PURE Water Project, is saving 308,000 m3 of water and 118 MWh of energy annually. It involved:

Ararat Valley Atlas

ASPIRED released an Atlas of Ararat Valley in partnership with Armenia's Ministry of Environment. The Atlas contains comprehensive data and information about the Ararat Valley's water resources provided by state institutions as well as geospatial data collected and analyzed by ASPIRED. The Atlas includes both cartographic and statistical information and is made up of 48 thematic maps. It is available for downloading from Google Drive at https://bit.ly/3CT4X4o.

Well Optimization in Hovtashat Village

ASPIRED stopped water wastage from a self-emitting artesian well and enabled farmers to resume cultivation of 50 hectares of arable land in the village of Hovtashat. Before the project, the well's output was 82 liters/second dumped into the drainage network. The ASPIRED technical team installed a valve chamber and a booster pump on the well to prevent wastage of water while enabling use for irrigation of the nearby farmlands whenever necessary. Nearly 1.4 mln. cubic meters of water was saved annually due to more efficient use of water.

Irrigation Expansion in Hovtashat Village

This project involved expanding the irrigation system optimized under the ASPIRED project in 2019 to extend the irrigated area and improve access to irrigation water. The project completed construction of two branches not completed in first project. This involved constructing 600m of water pipeline as well as construction of two water outlets.

Upgraded State Water Cadaster Information System Data Warehouse

ASPIRED initiated the upgrading process for the State Water Cadaster Information System (SWCIS), a repository of water related data and information the Ministry of Environment is using to establish a comprehensive and reliable data system to enable data-driven decision-making on water resources management. The upgrade included improving the existing system and constructing a new SWCIS Data Warehouse to maintain the datasets defined under a new Government of Armenia resolution on operation and maintenance of the State Water Cadaster, which was adopted in February 2017.

Energy Efficient Fish Farming in Hovtashat Village

ASPIRED piloted a renewable energy innovation to make water conservation more cost effective for fish farms near Hovtashat village. The pilot involved helping a private fish farm install a 30 KW PV kit to minimize energy consumption.

Arc Hydro Groundwater Tools-Based 3D Modeling

ASPIRED used Arc Hydro Groundwater (AHGW) tools to develop a 3D lithologic model of the Ararat Valley groundwater basin. The model is based on data from the field inventory of groundwater wells ME&A conducted in 2016, including the geographic coordinates of wells, altitude above sea level, stratigraphy (rock structure, thickness, and depth), and geological structure of rocks. It allows determining the water bearing units of the groundwater basin and estimating the total volumes of these units.

Sayat Nova Fish Farm Discharge Water Reuse Project

ASPIRED partnered with the Fund for Armenian Relief, the Partnerships for Rural Prosperity project (funded by USAID and implemented by the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Center of Armenia), and the community of Sayat-Nova to reuse water from a fish farm to irrigate more than 100 hectares of farmlands left idle for the last 15 years. Coca-Cola Hellenic Armenia also participated in the public-private partnership.

Improvement of Water Supply in Aratashen Village

After conducting an assessment of the Aratashen village's existing water supply system, the ASPIRED technical team rehabilitated the village's distribution network with customers' house connections by:

Decommissioning of Artesian Well in Griboyedov Village

ASPIRED sealed an unused artesian well owned by the Griboyedov village community. This self-emitting well was flowing at a rate of 15 liters per second, sending valuable water into a nearby drainage network. The decommissioning project included the following:

Improving Irrigation Efficiency in Khachpar Village

ASPIRED improved the irrigation network in the village of Khachpar to prevent 15 to 20 percent infiltration losses and provide the community with 250 l/s of water to meet their irrigation needs. ASPIRED replaced the existing earth canal with polyethylene pipes and built inlet and outlet chambers and related infrastructure. The latter helped prevent solid waste particles from getting into the pipe and managed water flow. The improvements also included repairing existing roadside canals inside the village and increasing their flow capacity to 250 l/second. ASPIRED completed the project with the cooperation of the PURE Water Project.

Optimization of Irrigation System in Griboyedov Village

The project improved irrigation efficiency on 70 hectares of community land serviced by the Echmiadzin Water User Association. To prevent land degradation, save about 4,400 cubic meters of groundwater annually, and return to cultivation about 6 hectares of arable land, ASPIRED:

Improving Irrigation Efficiency in Mrgashat Village

ASPIRED completed irrigation efficiency improvements benefiting 150 households in the village of Mrgashat. Before the irrigation efficiency improvements, network inefficiencies prevented 30 hectares of farmland from being irrigated for more than 20 years. About 80 percent of the village’s water did not reach these fields and was lost along the way, impacting 150 households who can now irrigate the 30 hectares of farmland and grow crops. Specific improvements included building a new irrigation network with polyethylene pipes to prevent water losses in the system, installation of new pump controls with phase and current protection circuits, and construction of outlets in the fields to distribute the water to the farm plots. These upgrades will result in water and energy savings equivalent to 228,000 m3 of water and 59,280 kWh of energy annually.

Refurbishing Monitoring Well in Dalar Village

ASPIRED refurbished a groundwater monitoring well of the National Groundwater Monitoring Network of Armenia located in the village of Dalar. The well was in poor condition and required complete refurbishment, including cleaning of the wells, restoration of damaged well structures, and replacement of valves and area fencing. The renovation was necessary to improve the quality of the groundwater measurements in the Ararat Valley conducted by the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Armenian Ministry of Environment.

Improving Irrigation Efficiency in Pokr Vedi Village

Pokr Vedi is a small community where fruit orchards represent the primary source of income. The community's deteriorated irrigation network with some 40 percent water losses did not permit proper irrigation of available fields. In 2020, the Pokr Vedi irrigation system was upgraded through a partnership between ASPIRED and the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and the Artashat Water User Association. The concept paper was developed in collaboration with the USAID/Armenia Participatory Utilization and Resource Efficiency in Water (PURE Water) Project. ASPIRED installed the main section of the irrigation pipeline and water outlets, benefiting 400 farmers. The competed project resulted in annual water savings of approximately 936,000 m3, while energy savings totaled 341,640 kWh during the irrigation season. The annual financial benefit from saved energy is around AMD 13.3 million or USD 27,400.

GIS-Based Decision Support System

ASPIRED created a state-of-the-art Decision Support System (DSS) enabling assessment of water availability in natural conditions and analysis of both human and climate change impacts on Armenia's water resources. The DSS is a software tool constructed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Creation of such a GIS-Based DSS for Armenia was developed through the ME&A-implemented USAID-funded Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) in 2015 and adopted by the Government of Armenia in 2018.

MODFLOW Modeling with Groundwater Modeling System

ASPIRED constructed a steady-state numeric groundwater flow model of the Ararat Valley to help increase the efficiency of groundwater resource management. This model, created with Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) and MODFLOW tools, allows assessing the state of aquifers under conditions of groundwater use. MODFLOW (originally called the Modular Three-Dimensional Finite-Difference Ground-Water Flow Model) is a 3D, cell-centered, finite difference, saturated flow model developed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Refurbishing Monitoring Well in Vardanashen Village

ASPIRED refurbished a groundwater monitoring well of the National Groundwater Monitoring Network of Armenia located in the village of Vardanashen. The well was in poor condition and required complete refurbishment, including cleaning of the wells, restoration of damaged well structures, and replacement of valves and area fencing. The renovation was necessary to improve the quality of the groundwater measurements in the Ararat Valley conducted by the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Armenian Ministry of Environment.

Eliminating Well Water Wastage in Sipanik Village

The purpose of this pilot project was to eliminate water wastage from an unused artesian well in the village of Sipanik and redirect the water for irrigation. The well is about 210 meters deep and the discharge is estimated to 30 liters per second. The pilot involved the following steps:

Energy Efficient Municipal Irrigation Project in Vedi Village

The energy efficient municipal irrigation project provided a new irrigation system for the town of Vedi's municipal park and soccer field. The project involved creating a new irrigation system equipped with a diversified pumping system for low and high elevation zones, a new 30 m3 storage reservoir, and new water pipes. The existing irrigation system was also fully renovated to reduce water loss and ensure more efficient irrigation. Moreover, a 19 kW solar power system was installed on the roof of the school located next to the soccer field. The PV kit will help to reduce the cost of pumping for the municipal budget and can be used for heating the school in winter and for powering the pumps in summer.

Closure of Self-Emitting Well Near Sipanik Village

The purpose of this pilot project was to permanently close a self-emitting well near the village of Sipanik to conserve groundwater resources, stop flooding of fields near the well, prevent flood waters from contaminating the local aquifer, and eliminate safety risks to local children and animals from the dilapidated condition of the well. The well was one of 135 non-operational groundwater wells across the Ararat Valley ASPIRED identified in 2016. The village mayor requested ASPIRED permanently close the well, which the community never used, based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Nature Protection. With a water discharge of about 60 liters per second, about 1.9 million cubic meters of water is being saved annually thanks to the well’s proper closure.

Reuse of Water from a Fish Farm for Irrigation in Hayanist Village

ASPIRED partnered with the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company Armenia and the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme in Armenia (implemented by UNDP) to make Hayanist the first village in Armenia to pilot an unconventional method of irrigation involving reusing water from a nearby fish farm to meet the community’s irrigation needs. Before the project started, the fish farm's water use permit allowed it to take up to 560 l/s of water from groundwater aquifers (from four artesian wells) with used water dumped into the drainage network.

While taking no additional water from groundwater aquifers, the new system benefits roughly 120 local households and irrigates 40 hectares of land left idle for two decades due to insufficient water supply. The project did this by: 

1. Building a new pumping station at the fish farm's water discharge point

2. Conducting a quality analysis to ensure the water meets necessary quality standards for irrigation

3. Connecting the fish farm outlet to the irrigation system and installing a new, more efficient irrigation pipe network

4. Installing water meters at the connection point of each field in the new system

5. Providing community training on sustainable farming practices

6. Assisting the community in establishing a public-private partnership with the fish farm to support the more responsible use of groundwater in the Ararat Valley in the years to come

Sardarapat Village Water Supply Project

ASPIRED completed large-scale improvements to the water infrastructure in the village of Sardarapat. Before the rehabilitation, no capital improvements had been made on the village’s water supply network for decades. The old water system was inefficient, suffered excessive water losses, and its deteriorated pipeline presented high contamination risks. The absence of a water metering system meant significant amounts of water were unaccounted for and wasted.

ASPIRED’s rehabilitation of the village’s water supply infrastructure included replacing corroded pipes with new polyethylene pipeline, installing a new pumping station and chlorination station, and installing an inverter on the pump. The village continues installing water meters and signing user agreements with the residents.

These improvements mean every member of the community can access 24-hour water supply, which is vital for the well-being and health of villagers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Network improvements and consumption metering help eliminate water losses and encourage the local population to conserve water. As a result, the community is saving 1.5 mln cubic meters of water and 480 megawatt-hour of energy each year. This savings can be directed to meet other critical community needs.

Yeghegnut Community Water Supply Project

The purpose of this pilot project was to rehabilitate the community's water supply system to provide all 2,200 residents clean running water 24 hours a day. For the past 20 years muddy, unsafe water ran from the taps of community's old rusty system, and villagers had to crowd around water-trucks to buy potable water, which would have been unsafe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pilot, implemented with the cooperation of the PURE Water Project, is saving 308,000 m3 of water and 118 MWh of energy annually. It involved: 

1. Redesigning and reconstructing the distribution system polyethylene pipes.

2. Installing water meters at residents' homes and having residents sign service contracts to pay for the water they use in their homes.

3. Building a new submersible pump and pump controls to allow the direct connection of the pump to the network. This resolved a problem with pressure in the network and eliminated the need to build or repair the water tower.

4. Construction of a chlorination station.

Ararat Valley Atlas

ASPIRED released an Atlas of Ararat Valley in partnership with Armenia's Ministry of Environment. The Atlas contains comprehensive data and information about the Ararat Valley's water resources provided by state institutions as well as geospatial data collected and analyzed by ASPIRED. The Atlas includes both cartographic and statistical information and is made up of 48 thematic maps. It is available for downloading from Google Drive at https://bit.ly/3CT4X4o.

Well Optimization in Hovtashat Village

ASPIRED stopped water wastage from a self-emitting artesian well and enabled farmers to resume cultivation of 50 hectares of arable land in the village of Hovtashat. Before the project, the well's output was 82 liters/second dumped into the drainage network. The ASPIRED technical team installed a valve chamber and a booster pump on the well to prevent wastage of water while enabling use for irrigation of the nearby farmlands whenever necessary. Nearly 1.4 mln. cubic meters of water was saved annually due to more efficient use of water.

Irrigation Expansion in Hovtashat Village

This project involved expanding the irrigation system optimized under the ASPIRED project in 2019 to extend the irrigated area and improve access to irrigation water. The project completed construction of two branches not completed in first project. This involved constructing 600m of water pipeline as well as construction of two water outlets.

Upgraded State Water Cadaster Information System Data Warehouse

ASPIRED initiated the upgrading process for the State Water Cadaster Information System (SWCIS), a repository of water related data and information the Ministry of Environment is using to establish a comprehensive and reliable data system to enable data-driven decision-making on water resources management. The upgrade included improving the existing system and constructing a new SWCIS Data Warehouse to maintain the datasets defined under a new Government of Armenia resolution on operation and maintenance of the State Water Cadaster, which was adopted in February 2017.

Energy Efficient Fish Farming in Hovtashat Village

ASPIRED piloted a renewable energy innovation to make water conservation more cost effective for fish farms near Hovtashat village. The pilot involved helping a private fish farm install a 30 KW PV kit to minimize energy consumption. 

In consultation with the ASPIRED engineering team, the owner of the fish farm had built a water recirculation system, replicating the technologies ASPIRED piloted at the Aquaculture Technologies Transfer Center. The fish farm uses air lift pumps for enriching water with oxygen and passive settlers for sludge removal; however, recirculation technologies consume more energy, making energy costs 15 percent of operating costs. Use of the solar energy is an environmentally friendly alternative to compensate for the higher energy costs of aerators and recirculation pumps. 

The farm produces about 90 tons of fish annually, using only 40 liters of water per second. The production rate is 2.25 tons of fish for the water flow of 1 liter/second which is 2.8 times more fish than the accepted standard of 800 kg. The energy saving is estimated to 46 MWh annually while the total energy consumption of the fishery is about 350 MWh in a year.

Arc Hydro Groundwater Tools-Based 3D Modeling

ASPIRED used Arc Hydro Groundwater (AHGW) tools to develop a 3D lithologic model of the Ararat Valley groundwater basin. The model is based on data from the field inventory of groundwater wells ME&A conducted in 2016, including the geographic coordinates of wells, altitude above sea level, stratigraphy (rock structure, thickness, and depth), and geological structure of rocks. It allows determining the water bearing units of the groundwater basin and estimating the total volumes of these units.

Sayat Nova Fish Farm Discharge Water Reuse Project

ASPIRED partnered with the Fund for Armenian Relief, the Partnerships for Rural Prosperity project (funded by USAID and implemented by the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Center of Armenia), and the community of Sayat-Nova to reuse water from a fish farm to irrigate more than 100 hectares of farmlands left idle for the last 15 years. Coca-Cola Hellenic Armenia also participated in the public-private partnership.

The new system provides more affordable irrigation services and more efficient groundwater use to irrigate 60 hectares of community land by reusing the outlet water from the Masis Dzuk fishery near Sayat-Nova rather than dumping it into the wastewater network. Through the public-private partnership between the community and Masis Dzuk, a new pumping station was built at the outlet section of the fishery and a new irrigation network was installed with durable polyethylene pipes.

Laboratory analysis of the water’s quality proved that the outlet water from the fish farm can be safely used to irrigate crops. In partnership with the Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) Foundation, USAID also trained local beneficiaries on sustainable farming practices to ensure lasting results. More than 250 people from almost 100 households benefit from the project.

Improvement of Water Supply in Aratashen Village

After conducting an assessment of the Aratashen village's existing water supply system, the ASPIRED technical team rehabilitated the village's distribution network with customers' house connections by:

1. Redesigning and reconstructing the network using high quality polyethylene pipes.

2. Replacing and metering subscriber connections. The village then bought and installed water meters with chambers and signed service contracts with area households.

3. Designing, purchasing, and installing a new submersible pump and pump controls to allow the direct connection of the pump to the network. This resolved the issue of pressure in the network. 

4. Designing and building a chlorine station.

Decommissioning of Artesian Well in Griboyedov Village 

ASPIRED sealed an unused artesian well owned by the Griboyedov village community. This self-emitting well was flowing at a rate of 15 liters per second, sending valuable water into a nearby drainage network. The decommissioning project included the following:

1. Site preparation: Cleaning of the area to enable access for heavy equipment.

2. Well cleaning: A rig was deployed to clean all of the well pipe of potential rubble that would create "pockets" and reduce the effectiveness of sealing.

3. Sealing work: Filling of the well with lime and cement. After the flow was stopped and monitoring showed no flow on the outside of the well casing, the upper part of the well was filled with monolith concrete.

Improving Irrigation Efficiency in Khachpar Village

ASPIRED improved the irrigation network in the village of Khachpar to prevent 15 to 20 percent infiltration losses and provide the community with 250 l/s of water to meet their irrigation needs. ASPIRED replaced the existing earth canal with polyethylene pipes and built inlet and outlet chambers and related infrastructure. The latter helped prevent solid waste particles from getting into the pipe and managed water flow. The improvements also included repairing existing roadside canals inside the village and increasing their flow capacity to 250 l/second. ASPIRED completed the project with the cooperation of the PURE Water Project.

Optimization of Irrigation System in Griboyedov Village

The project improved irrigation efficiency on 70 hectares of community land serviced by the Echmiadzin Water User Association. To prevent land degradation, save about 4,400 cubic meters of groundwater annually, and return to cultivation about 6 hectares of arable land, ASPIRED:

1. Reduced infiltration losses from the network by replacing earth canals with concrete or stone canals.

2. Reduced water losses to improve the water flow rate and water availability for the downstream land users.

3. Installed three distribution chambers to improve the water distribution and network management.

Improving Irrigation Efficiency in Mrgashat Village

ASPIRED completed irrigation efficiency improvements benefiting 150 households in the village of Mrgashat. Before the irrigation efficiency improvements, network inefficiencies prevented 30 hectares of farmland from being irrigated for more than 20 years. About 80 percent of the village’s water did not reach these fields and was lost along the way, impacting 150 households who can now irrigate the 30 hectares of farmland and grow crops. Specific improvements included building a new irrigation network with polyethylene pipes to prevent water losses in the system, installation of new pump controls with phase and current protection circuits, and construction of outlets in the fields to distribute the water to the farm plots. These upgrades will result in water and energy savings equivalent to 228,000 m3 of water and 59,280 kWh of energy annually.

Refurbishing Monitoring Well in Dalar Village

ASPIRED refurbished a groundwater monitoring well of the National Groundwater Monitoring Network of Armenia located in the village of Dalar. The well was in poor condition and required complete refurbishment, including cleaning of the wells, restoration of damaged well structures, and replacement of valves and area fencing. The renovation was necessary to improve the quality of the groundwater measurements in the Ararat Valley conducted by the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Armenian Ministry of Environment.

Improving Irrigation Efficiency in Pokr Vedi Village

Pokr Vedi is a small community where fruit orchards represent the primary source of income. The community's deteriorated irrigation network with some 40 percent water losses did not permit proper irrigation of available fields. In 2020, the Pokr Vedi irrigation system was upgraded through a partnership between ASPIRED and the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and the Artashat Water User Association. The concept paper was developed in collaboration with the USAID/Armenia Participatory Utilization and Resource Efficiency in Water (PURE Water) Project. ASPIRED installed the main section of the irrigation pipeline and water outlets, benefiting 400 farmers. The competed project resulted in annual water savings of approximately 936,000 m3, while energy savings totaled 341,640 kWh during the irrigation season. The annual financial benefit from saved energy is around AMD 13.3 million or USD 27,400. 

GIS-Based Decision Support System 

ASPIRED created a state-of-the-art Decision Support System (DSS) enabling assessment of water availability in natural conditions and analysis of both human and climate change impacts on Armenia's water resources. The DSS is a software tool constructed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Creation of such a GIS-Based DSS for Armenia was developed through the ME&A-implemented USAID-funded Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP) in 2015 and adopted by the Government of Armenia in 2018. 

The DSS allows calculating values of the water balance and water supply and demand balance, estimating the ecological flow requirements in the rivers of a study area, assessing the quality of surface water and groundwater resources and their suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes, assessing the trends of climate change in an area, and projecting changes of climatic parameters and water availability in an area long term. The DSS's climate change analysis model enables rigorous analysis of climate change trends and risks to water availability. The model is customized for running climate change forecasts under various scenarios that are used worldwide per recommendation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

MODFLOW Modeling with Groundwater Modeling System

ASPIRED constructed a steady-state numeric groundwater flow model of the Ararat Valley to help increase the efficiency of groundwater resource management. This model, created with Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) and MODFLOW tools, allows assessing the state of aquifers under conditions of groundwater use. MODFLOW (originally called the Modular Three-Dimensional Finite-Difference Ground-Water Flow Model) is a 3D, cell-centered, finite difference, saturated flow model developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. 

Refurbishing Monitoring Well in Vardanashen Village

ASPIRED refurbished a groundwater monitoring well of the National Groundwater Monitoring Network of Armenia located in the village of Vardanashen. The well was in poor condition and required complete refurbishment, including cleaning of the wells, restoration of damaged well structures, and replacement of valves and area fencing. The renovation was necessary to improve the quality of the groundwater measurements in the Ararat Valley conducted by the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Armenian Ministry of Environment.

Eliminating Well Water Wastage in Sipanik Village

The purpose of this pilot project was to eliminate water wastage from an unused artesian well in the village of Sipanik and redirect the water for irrigation. The well is about 210 meters deep and the discharge is estimated to 30 liters per second. The pilot involved the following steps:

1. Preparation of the site: A temporary gravity-flow drain was built to the nearby channel to dry the swampy area around the well and enable access for heavy equipment.

2. Cleaning the inside of the well and eliminating the annular flow: A rig was deployed to clean all the well pipe of potential rubble. Afterwards, the damaged section of the well pipe was repaired to prevent leakage. 

3. Construction of a valve chamber and a simple irrigation network: A small valve chamber was build into the well to direct water from polyethylene pipes to the existing irrigation network's main distribution channels. This significantly reduced water losses and provided irrigation to 20 hectares of farmlands.

Energy Efficient Municipal Irrigation Project in Vedi Village

The energy efficient municipal irrigation project provided a new irrigation system for the town of Vedi's municipal park and soccer field. The project involved creating a new irrigation system equipped with a diversified pumping system for low and high elevation zones, a new 30 m3 storage reservoir, and new water pipes. The existing irrigation system was also fully renovated to reduce water loss and ensure more efficient irrigation. Moreover, a 19 kW solar power system was installed on the roof of the school located next to the soccer field. The PV kit will help to reduce the cost of pumping for the municipal budget and can be used for heating the school in winter and for powering the pumps in summer.

The impact of the project, implemented with the cooperation of the PURE Water Project, includes the following:

1. Annual saving of groundwater: 27,374 cubic meters

2. Electricity saving: 13,193 kWh in comparison with the current level of consumption

3. Annual clean energy generation: About 33,288 kWh

4. Preservation of municipal park area: 3.5 hectares

Closure of Self-Emitting Well Near Sipanik Village 

The purpose of this pilot project was to permanently close a self-emitting well near the village of Sipanik to conserve groundwater resources, stop flooding of fields near the well, prevent flood waters from contaminating the local aquifer, and eliminate safety risks to local children and animals from the dilapidated condition of the well. The well was one of 135 non-operational groundwater wells across the Ararat Valley ASPIRED identified in 2016. The village mayor requested ASPIRED permanently close the well, which the community never used, based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Nature Protection. With a water discharge of about 60 liters per second, about 1.9 million cubic meters of water is being saved annually thanks to the well’s proper closure. 

Training

Classroom training on groundwater modeling for representatives of the Ministry of Environment and academic institutions.

To help ensure ASPIRED's long-term sustainability, ASPIRED delivered classroom, virtual, and on-the-job training in the places it worked across Armenia. This training focused on three areas: the state-of-the-art modeling software, tools, and techniques ASPIRED developed for real-time monitoring of the Ararat Valley's hydrological system; sustaining the innovative technologies ASPIRED piloted; and environmental compliance and safety training, a USAID requirement for local subcontractors.

Most of this training took place in Yerevan, Armenia's capital, and, like the pilot projects, areas where the Ararat Valley's artesian zone shrank the past few decades, putting more than 30 communities at risk of desertification as well as jeopardizing the safety and security of Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant. Communities in the light to medium blue bands in the map below are where water dwindled. The power plant, relying on groundwater for its cooling, is where the red star is in the upper left.

ASPIRED conducted 12 training sessions from Yerevan, Armenia's capital. Most were for government officials on GIS, using the Decision Support System with ArcGIS, MODFLOW, ecological flow, groundwater modeling, groundwater well inventory monitoring, and the method ASPIRED developed for assessing the self-purification capacity of rivers and enforcement mechanisms jointly with the Ministry of Environment. Four were trainings for contractors throughout the Ararat Valley on environmental compliance and safety held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Sayat Nova ASPIRED trained farmers in the best agricultural and sustainable farming practices for reusing fish farm outlet water for irrigation. ASPIRED also trained its contractors on environmental compliance and safety in Sayat Nova.

In Yeghegnut ASPIRED provided training to government officials on using water metering software to manage the water supply system.

In Darakert ASPIRED trained farmers in the best agricultural and sustainable farming practices for reusing fish farm outlet water for irrigation.

In Sipanik ASPIRED trained its contractors on environmental compliance and safety.

In Hayanist ASPIRED trained farmers in the best agricultural and sustainable farming practices for reusing fish farm outlet water for irrigation. 

In Aratashen ASPIRED provided training to government officials on using water metering software to manage the water supply system. ASPIRED also trained its contractors on environmental compliance and safety in Aratashen.

In Hovtasat ASPIRED trained its contractors on environmental compliance and safety.

In Metsamor ASPIRED trained its contractors on environmental compliance and safety. Metsamor is where Armenia’s nuclear power plant is located. Water shortages impact the nuclear plant's safety and security because it relies on artesian water for its cooling system.

“During the training we designed a 3D model of three water-bearing layers of the Ararat Valley artesian basin based on the inventory data of 2016.... In my opinion, the training was highly relevant and effective for the specialists of water sector agencies interested in the creation of similar models. By working with the models, inputting new data, and considering different scenarios, the specialists will be able to make projections on the impact of the groundwater abstraction increase or reduction and the possible positive or negative dynamics of the groundwater resources. I am sure, the application of these models will contribute to a more sustainable management of groundwater resources.”

– Harutyun Yeremyan, Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Environment, sharing his feedback on an ASPIRED course on groundwater modeling

Regulatory Framework Improvements

February 2020 meeting between ASPIRED and Varazdat Karapetyan, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia's  Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture, and Environment.

ASPIRED worked closely with the Government of Armenia in improving policies and regulations for sustainable water management. This included a rigorous analysis of changing water use fees to discourage overuse of groundwater resources, particularly by fish farms in the Ararat Valley. 

The legal team was involved in the Interagency Task Force that developed a program of measures toward effective management of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley approved by the Prime Minister in May 2017. ASPIRED also provided input to the "Strategy for Policy and Regulatory Improvements: a Road Map for Improved Participatory Management of Water Resources" developed under the USAID/Armenia Participatory Utilization and Resource Efficiency in Water (PURE Water) Project as well as assisted the Ministry of Environment in preparing a draft government decree “On Establishing the Requirement for Protection of Water Resources in Recreations Zones of the Ararat Basin Management Area." The latter came into force after the National Assembly passed amendments to the National water Code in November 2019. 

Climate Risk Management 

ASPIRED was a follow-on project to the ME&A-led Armenia Clean Energy and Water Program (CEWP), which USAID/Armenia funded from 2011 to 2015. CEWP aimed to improve water and energy management practices in Armenia as well as help the country to better respond to climate change challenges. Armenia is highly vulnerable to climate change and has experienced hotter, drier summers for the past 60 years. Both CEWP and ASPIRED used a Climate Risk Management (CRM) approach for decision-making – such as CRM actions to develop water vulnerability solutions in partnership with USAID/Armenia – well before USAID’s initiation of its CRM policy in 2016 to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of efforts.

CRM guided ASPIRED's focus on water permit noncompliance and unsustainable over pumping of groundwater as well as development of the state-of-the-art modeling software, tools, and techniques for real-time monitoring of the Ararat Valley's hydrological system. It also guided ASPIRED''s work with the Government of Armenia to strengthen its ability to assess, address, and adaptively manage climate risks. With ASPIRED’s support, the Government of Armenia Ministry of Environment established a cross-sectional working group to coordinate water resource management solutions and assess risks compounded by climate change in the Ararat Valley. This group’s support and input led to the government’s adoption of the “Programme of Measures for Effective Management of Water Resources,” which defines groundwater management targets in the Ararat Valley and identifies measures government agencies are to take to conserve Armenia’s strategic groundwater resources. 

The Decision Support System ASPIRED developed assesses water availability in natural conditions and analyzes both human and climate change impacts on the water resources. The 3D models details the Ararat Valley's hydrogeologic structure and water bearing potential.

Collaboration and Partnerships

Collaboration and partnerships were key to ASPIRED's reach and success. The focus was consolidating and/or efficiently using available resources and avoiding duplication of efforts to achieve better results. ASPIRED partnered with various stakeholders during every phase of pilot projects from research to implementation. 

ASPIRED collaborated with the U.S. Global Development Lab/Center for Data, Analysis, and Research (DAR), the U.S. Geological Survey, and other relevant institutions to pilot innovative technologies for water conservation and fish farms; establish transformational partnerships; and promote evidence- and science-based water resource monitoring, planning and management. 

ASPIRED also worked with the private sector, academia, other USAID-funded projects, and other donors to leverage their resources and expertise in the Armenian water and energy sector. In July 2016, USAID, Coca-Cola Hellenic Armenia, and the Ministry of Nature Protection signed a Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of joint activities aimed at promoting water stewardship in Armenia.

Special thanks to the Armenia Ministry of Environment; Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company; the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund; the Fund for Armenia Relief; the Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Program (implemented by the United Nations Development Programme); the Jefferson Science Fellowship Program; and the USAID-funded PURE Water Project, Partnerships for Rural Prosperity, and Farmer-to-Farmer Program in Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia.

About This Storymap

This storymap was produced by ME&A's Digital Technologies and Research Unit with the support of ME&A's Communications and Knowledge Management team. The information provided in this storymap is not official U.S. Government information and does not necessarily represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.

Cartography

Thomas Gilbert England 

Editing and Design

Monica Jerbi

Classroom training on groundwater modeling for representatives of the Ministry of Environment and academic institutions.

February 2020 meeting between ASPIRED and Varazdat Karapetyan, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia's  Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture, and Environment.

The Decision Support System ASPIRED developed assesses water availability in natural conditions and analyzes both human and climate change impacts on the water resources. The 3D models details the Ararat Valley's hydrogeologic structure and water bearing potential.