Building science-based groundwater tools and capacity in Armenia for the Ararat Basin

Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) began a study in 2016 to help build science-based groundwater tools and capacity for the Ararat Basin in Armenia. The growth of aquaculture and other uses in the Ararat Basin has been accompanied by increased withdrawals of groundwater, which has resulted in a reduction of artesian conditions (decreased springflow, well discharges, and water levels) including loss of flowing wells in many places (Armenia Branch of Mendez England and Associates, 2014; Yu and others, 2015). This study is in partnership with USAID/Armenia in the implementation of its Science, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (STIP) effort through the Advanced Science and Partnerships for Integrated Resource Development (ASPIRED) program and associated partners, including the Government of Armenia, Armenia’s Hydrogeological Monitoring Center, and the USAID Global Development Lab and its GeoCenter. Scientific tools will be developed through this study that groundwater-resource managers, such as those in the Ministry of Nature Protection, in Armenia can use to understand and predict the consequences of their resource management decisions.