YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: The major Vorotan-Arpa tunnel will start operating in the middle of the year taking another 160 million cubic meters of water to Armenia’s biggest reservoir of fresh water, Lake Sevan. Another 250 million cubic meters of water flow into the lake from other rivers and the existing Arpa-Sevan Tunnel.
Speaking to reporters after Thursday govenrment session, chairman of the state-run Water Committee Gagik Martirosian said the Armenian government will obtain $15 million in loans and grants from the World Bank and other donors in addition to 320 million Drams from the govenrment to repair the existing Arpa-Sevan tunnel, built still under the Soviets. The repair will be coordinated by an 11-member prime-minister appointed commission.
Lake Sevan, located in Gegharkunik province, provides water to a chain of hydro-electric power plants and irrigation water to Ararat valley. Martirosian said last year the level of the lake went up by 41 cm due to reduction in the volume of water taken from the lake for irrigation and rainy weather last summer. The government has designed an ambitious plan of raising its level by 6.5 meters in the next 20 years.
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