{"id":18933,"date":"2026-02-04T23:35:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arvak.am\/?p=18933"},"modified":"2026-02-23T15:24:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T11:24:16","slug":"water-security-and-climate-resilient-storage-in-armenia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arvak.am\/en\/water-security-and-climate-resilient-storage-in-armenia\/","title":{"rendered":"Water security and climate-resilient storage in Armenia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Water security and climate-resilient storage in Armenia<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Harutyunyan T.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Armenia is increasingly exposed to climate-induced water stress, characterized by rising temperatures, increasing frequency of droughts, and increasing seasonal and interannual variability in surface water availability [1]. Historically, the country\u2019s water resources management strategy has relied heavily on the construction of reservoirs to accommodate spring snowmelt and regulate irrigation supply during dry periods. While this approach has yielded significant benefits, it faces increasing limitations in the face of changing climate conditions, aging infrastructure, and increasing inefficiencies related to evaporation, sedimentation, and the temporal mismatch between water availability and demand [2].<\/p>\n

Climate change is compounded by regional hydropolitical asymmetries that significantly shape Armenia\u2019s water security environment. Turkey\u2019s position as an upstream actor in the Araks River basin allows it to exercise de facto<\/em> control over the timing and volume of transboundary flows. Large-scale hydraulic infrastructure projects implemented in Turkey directly affect access to shared reservoirs such as the Akhuryan and reduce Armenia\u2019s ability to rely on historical hydrological baselines [3]. Under these circumstances, domestic water policy cannot assume sustainable external inflows, which reinforces the strategic need to increase internal storage, buffer capacity, and temporal flexibility in Armenia\u2019s hydrosystem. Similarly, Armenia\u2019s eastern and southeastern borders impose security-related constraints that are directly related to water resources management. Following the 2020 conflict and subsequent border realignments, several highland catchments and headwaters are now located in territories occupied by Azerbaijan and not controlled by Armenia. Rivers important for national water and energy security, including the Arpa and Vorotan systems, originate in zones where access and ecosystem management are restricted [4]. These realities limit Armenia\u2019s ability to implement snow cover regulation or afforestation in certain regions, necessitating compensatory measures in more secure basins.<\/p>\n

This article argues that Armenia\u2019s future water security depends not only on expanding storage capacity, but more on improving the efficiency of existing and new storage systems through an integrated, systems-level approach. It proposes a combined framework that includes the selective construction of new small and medium-sized reservoirs, the rehabilitation of existing reservoirs, targeted snowmelt timing management in mountain catchments, evaporation reduction through reservoir surface covers, and afforestation in ecologically suitable catchment areas. Rather than presenting these measures as stand-alone solutions, the article emphasizes their synergistic potential when applied at the micro-basin scale and embedded in broader water resources management reforms, including irrigation management, demand management, and institutional coordination. The proposed framework does not aim to provide a comprehensive solution to climate change adaptation or water resources management issues, but rather to analytically contribute to policy discussions by identifying additional measures that can increase systemic resilience in the face of increasing hydrological uncertainty.<\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    Introduction<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In addition to climatic pressures, Armenia\u2019s water system operates in a complex regional environment characterized by shared river basins and asymmetric water governance. In this context, water security is shaped not only by domestic hydrological variability, but also by the water policies and infrastructure strategies of neighboring states. Regional experience shows that upstream control of water resources, particularly through large-scale hydraulic infrastructure, can significantly affect downstream availability during periods of drought and increased demand [5]. As climate change increases scarcity and variability, domestic water storage capacity is increasingly gaining strategic importance as a means of reducing vulnerability and strengthening national water security.<\/p>\n

    Water availability has long been a structural constraint to Armenia\u2019s socio-economic development. The country\u2019s mountainous topography, limited surface water resources, and heavy reliance on irrigated agriculture have historically made seasonal water regulation a strategic priority [6]. During the Soviet period and in the decades that followed, Armenia invested heavily in reservoir construction as a means of capturing spring runoff and redistributing water during the dry summer months. As a result, the country today has a relatively large number of reservoirs relative to its territorial size, with a total storage capacity often quoted as approximately 1.4 billion cubic meters.<\/p>\n

    However, the hydrological assumptions on which much of this infrastructure was designed are increasingly out of step with modern climate realities. Rising temperatures, earlier snowmelt, prolonged dry spells, and greater variability in precipitation are altering both the volume and timing of flows. These changes challenge the efficiency of existing reservoirs and complicate the justification for building new large-scale storage infrastructure.<\/p>\n

    At the same time, Armenia\u2019s financial constraints, military risk, seismic risk, complex mountainous geology, and environmental sensitivity limit the feasibility of large, centralized water infrastructure projects. As a result, current policy discussions increasingly emphasize small, distributed reservoirs, rehabilitation of existing dams, and non-structural measures aimed at improving water use efficiency [7].<\/p>\n

    In this context, the article advances a central analytical proposition: the resilience of Armenia\u2019s water sector will depend not only on how much water can be stored, but also on how effectively water is conserved, scheduled, and maintained in the hydrological system. This reframing shifts the focus from capacity expansion alone to integrated strategies that reduce losses and improve the functional performance of storage systems.<\/p>\n

    The article explores one such integrated strategy by examining the combined potential of five complementary intervention categories:<\/p>\n

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    1. Construction of new small and medium-sized reservoirs.<\/li>\n
    2. Rehabilitation and modernization of existing reservoirs.<\/li>\n
    3. Targeted management of snow and ice melt timing in mountain catchments.<\/li>\n
    4. Reduction of evaporation losses through reservoir surface cover technologies.<\/li>\n
    5. Afforestation of ecologically suitable zones around reservoirs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The article does not address traditional water resources management tools, such as modernization of the irrigation distribution system, water pricing, or demand management. Instead, it places the proposed measures as additional components within a broader framework of water resources management that continues to respond to climatic, ecological, political, and institutional realities.<\/p>\n

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      1. \n

        Literature Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Water security has expanded beyond resource availability to include governance, dependency, and strategic vulnerability. In regions with transboundary river systems, water security is closely linked to upstream-downstream relationships and the ability of states to independently regulate and store water during periods of stress. Regional water governance analyses show that infrastructure development can create asymmetries between neighboring states, particularly where binding agreements are limited. Studies of Turkish water policy emphasize the strategic integration of water management with energy and agriculture, while analyses of Armenia\u2013Azerbaijan relations emphasize the need to ensure the ongoing security of water stories in the face of broader geopolitical tensions [8]. This article identifies domestic storage and loss reduction measures as important tools for strengthening downstream resilience.<\/p>\n

        Existing literature on water security in conflict-prone and semi-closed regions emphasizes the interaction between hydrological stress, political asymmetry, and security risks. However, far less attention is given to how climate adaptation tools can function under conditions where transboundary governance mechanisms are weak or absent. This study contributes to that gap by examining technical vulnerability-reduction measures that remain viable even when broader geopolitical constraints cannot be immediately altered.<\/p>\n

        2.1 Climate change and mountain hydrology<\/strong><\/h4>\n

        Mountain regions are widely recognized as highly sensitive to climate change due to their dependence on snow and ice processes and the role of sources in downstream water systems. Numerous studies document a consistent trend of earlier snowmelt, reduced snowpack stability, and increased streamflow variability in mountain regions around the world. These processes tend to shift peak flow earlier in the year, reducing water availability during periods of highest agricultural and domestic demand [9].<\/p>\n

        In semi-arid and continental climates such as Armenia, this temporal mismatch between water availability and demand is often more important than the absolute reduction in annual precipitation. Even small changes in melt timing can significantly affect irrigation reliability, reservoir recharge cycles, and vulnerability to drought [10].<\/p>\n

        2.2 Reservoirs under climate stress<\/strong><\/h4>\n

        Reservoirs are commonly cited as a key adaptation tool for mitigating hydrological variability. However, the literature increasingly highlights that reservoirs are vulnerable to climate change. The main stressors are:<\/p>\n