$37 MILLION WORTH PROGRAM TO MODERNIZE ARMENIA’S IRRIGATION SYSTEM COMMENCES

YEREVAN, January 14. / ARKA /. A program designed to modernize
Armenia’s irrigation systems, worth $37.5 million, was launched,
Adibek Ghazarian, head of an office in charge of implementation
of irrigation and related programs of the State Committee of Water
Resources said to a news conference today.

He said some $30 million is a loan of the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, repayable in 25 years, and $7.5
million is allocated by the government of Armenia.

According to Ghazarian, the four-year program will enable to shift
from mechanical to gravity irrigation systems on around 2000 hectares
of land, to expand the size of irrigated land by 1,660 hectares as
well as to significantly reduce the amount of water losses.

Under this program, four irrigation pump systems will be replaced
by gravity systems in Meghri, Gegardalich, Akhurian-Norakete and
Kakhtsrashen.

The program includes also rehabilitation of 13 of the 29 existing
channelouts -52 km long – in order to reduce the loss of irrigation
water’s high cost.

He said as a result it will be possible to save 20 million cubic
meters of water annually.

Besides, SCADA (Supervisory for Control And Data Acquisition) systems
will be established at 71 observations points at water mains and
water intakes. -0-

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress