The Azerbaijani Republic The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN, THEIR MANAGEMENT AND BILATERAL AGREEMENTS Matanat Avazova ALMATY, September 10-13, 2012

WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN  Water resources of Azerbaijan comprise surface and ground waters.  Surface waters amount to 28.5÷30.5 km 3, during dry years their area decrease to 22.6 km 3.  Annual average scarcity of water is 3.7 km 3, and 4.75 km 3 during the periods of drought.  Annually km 3 of water is used from the water resources, and only km 3 (id est 65-70% of this volume) is used ✸ for agriculture % ✸ for process water supply % ✸ for domestic water supply - 5%. In general water is used from the underground water sources; the volume of underground water sources is ~ 5 km 3.

WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN  The sources of surface water resources are rivers, lakes, water reservoirs, glaciers and sea waters, which can be used in industry.  The main sources of surface waters are rivers and water reservoirs.  The river network of the Republic consists of over 8,350 rivers. The length of 2 of these rivers is over 500 km, the length of 22 rivers reaches km, the length of 40 rivers is km, the length of 107 rivers is km. The length of 8,179 rivers is up to 25 km so it follows that the length of 7,866 rivers is less than 10 km and these rivers are considered as minor rivers  Notwithstanding the fact that the rivers of the Azerbaijani Republic enter the Caspian Sea basin, they are divided into 3 separate water basins: 1. Kura River basin has its own rivers (left and right streams of Kura River); 2. Araks River basin (left streams of Araks River); 3. Rivers flowing directly to the Caspian Sea.

WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN, MASTER RIVERS Master rivers of Azerbaijan:  Kura (length is 1,515 km, collecting area is 188,000 km 2 );  Araks (length is 1,072 km, 102,000 km 2 ),  Ganikh (Alazan – length is 413 km, 12,080 km 2 ),  Qabirri (Iori – length is 389 km, 4,840 km 2 ),  Samur (216 km, 4,430 km 2 ),  Terter (length is 184 km, 2,650 km 2 ) and others. Except for Terter River, all the remaining rivers are transboundary rivers.

WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN, MAIN WATER RESERVOIRS  135 water reservoirs were constructed in the Republic, total volume of which is 21,5 km 3 The largest water reservoirs are:  Mingachevir reservoir - put in commission in 1953, volume is 15,730 mln.m 3  Shemkir reservoir - put in commission in 1982, volume is 2,677 mln.m 3  Araks reseivoir - put in commission in 1971, volume is 1,254 mln.m 3  Serseng reservoir - put in commission in 1976, volume is 565 mln.m 3

WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN AND THEIR MANAGEMENT  In spite of the scarcity of water in Azerbaijan, there is a high potential of increase in production in agriculture.  The area of the Azerbaijani Republic is 8,641,500 ha, including 12% of forests, 1,7% of water basins, 54,9 % of lands used for agriculture, 30,6% of pasture lands and hay- fields, and 31,4% of lands used for other needs.  The population size of the Republic as of January 01, 2011, was 9,111.1 mln. of people; the density of population is 115 people/km 2.  About 966 m 3 of water resources is per capita I the Republic taking into all ground waters.

NORMATIVE LEGAL DOCUMENTS REGULATING WATER RELATIONS  The Law of the Azerbaijani Republic “On Amelioration and Irrigation” (1996)  Amendments and additions were introduced into this Law on April 30, 2004  Water Code of the Azerbaijani Republic (1997)  The Law of the Azerbaijani Republic “On Water Management Municipalities” (2001)  The Law of the Azerbaijani Republic “Hydrotechnic Plants Safety” (2002)  A range of measures and regulations for the settlement of water relations are under preparation in compliance with the requirements of these Laws

FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH WATER RESOURCES OF AZERBAIJAN : Lack of water resources. Annual average water deficiency is 3.7 km 3, and 4.75 km 3 during the dry years. Within the framework of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change according to the 2 nd National data of the Republic, the reduction of water resources is anticipated in on 23% because of climate change strongly aggravating this problem. Forming of surface waters on account of 65-70% of transboundary rivers (over 21) Inflow of polluted transboundary rivers to the territory of the Republic Uneven distribution of internal rivers on the territory of the Republic and regulation of their streams Frequent floods Management structure is not perfect

ACCESSION OF AZERBAIJAN TO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS IN THE AREA OF WATER RESOURCES The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (March 17, 1992, Helsinki) Accession to the Protocol on Water and Health of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes - London, Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in transboundary context (February 25, 1991, Espo) Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents UN Convention on Environmental Information Gathering, Public Participation in Decision Making and Open Court Process (took place on June 25, 1998, in Arhus, Denmark)

PARTICIPATION OF AZERBAIJAN AMELIORATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS World Water Council (since 1997); Global Water Partnership Organization (since 2002); International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (since 2006)

TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT At present there are measures taken to sign bilateral agreements in order to use water resources at the boundary with Georgia, including Kura and Khram Rivers. On July 27, 1963, according to the agreement signed between the former USSR and Iranian Republic there was formed the Iran- Azerbaijani Committee involved in settling of problems. This Committee conducts annual monitoring of use of water and energy resources of Araks River. There is no Agreement signed between the Republics for equal use of river waters. According to the Protocol signed in 1967 for a joint use of water of Samur River flowing through the North border of the Russian Federation, on September 03, 2010, Azerbaijan and Russia concluded an Agreement on joint use of water of Samur River for provision of population of Baku, Sumgait and Absheron peninsula, as well as for irrigation of lands of this zone.

TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT On December 7, 2011, in Derbent there was the first meeting of the Joint Russian-Azerbaijani Committee on distribution of water resources of Samur transboundary river. “Provision on Joint Russian-Azerbaijani Committee on distribution of water resources of Samur transboundary river” “On creation of working bodies of the Joint Russian- Azerbaijani Committee on distribution of water resources of Samur transboundary river” “On joint management and exploitation of the Samur hydroengineering complex and on fair water apportioning”

TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT “On approval of the Action Plan of the Joint Working Group on effective water apportioning and monitoring of water resources for the interim period (between meetings I and II of the Committee)” “On the date and place of holding of the second meeting of the Joint Russian-Azerbaijani Committee on distribution of water resources of Samur transboundary river” On April 17, 2012, there was the first meeting of the Joint Working Group on effective water apportioning and monitoring of water resources of the Joint Russian- Azerbaijani Committee on distribution of water resources of Samur transboundary river.

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