Water Management in South Caucasus

One of the recovered station in TelaviProject Goal and Objectives

The U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) contracted with Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) for the design and implementation of the “Water Management in the South Caucasus” Project. The goal of the Project is to increase the dialogue for sustainable water management in the South Caucasus countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The general activities include support to the appropriate agencies in each country for:

  • Monitoring and data exchange of hydrological and water quality data in each country,
  • Integrated river basin planning for stakeholder participation in bilateral pilot areas, and
  • Institutional framework for addressing the legislative issues and policies in each country.

Demonstration Projects

Demonstration Projects were developed in each country to begin basic data collection for a monitoring program by the rehabilitation of hydrological stations and meteorological stations and the provision of new equipment, and the rehabilitation of local offices and provision of computer equipment for a revitalized monitoring program.

Data Exchange ad Training

A comprehensive database was developed and implemented in collaboration with hydromet in each country for a data exchange which included the:

  • Provision of computers, software, spatial databases, and GPS receivers;
  • Installation of Water Resources Database Management System and related training:
  • Completion of an extensive training program for the computers, equipment, and instruments provided; and
  • Preparation of a detailed assessment of the data exchange process in all three countries and the development of a website for each Hydromet.

Integrated River Basin Management

Two integrated river basin plans were developed to demonstrate the capacity for basin management in a bilateral setting with extensive participation of stakeholders. These plans included a series of long-term and pilot projects that were prioritized based on the criteria developed in the plan. Two long-term prefeasibility evaluations for water, wastewater, and solid waste are being prepared in:

Alazani River Basin – in Gurjaani, Georgia and in Belokan, Azerbaijan; and
Khrami-Debed River Basin – in Stepanavan, Armenia and Dmanisi, Georgia.
Promote a data exchange program to facilitate water management,
In addition, selected pilot projects were implemented in each basin with Small Grant Program.

Institutional and Policy Issues

The legal framework has provided a forum for local officials to discuss the water management issues in an international setting and address the legal, policy, and institutional issues including: a Seminar on Transboundary Water Management and Workshop on National Priority Issues in the Water Sector in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.