Exploring the role of Integrated Water Resource Management in Lake Sevan, Armenia : a systemic approach

Abstract: Lake Sevan is the biggest and the most important lake in the Republic of Armenia. It is a huge freshwater reserve and has a significant role in Armenia’s socio-economic development. It is a source of low cost electricity and due to its high altitude provides irrigation waters for the lower located Ararat Valley and the agricultural lands in the region. It is also a habitat for both endemic and introduced species of freshwater fish.Mismanagement of the natural resources of Lake Sevan basin threaten the sustainability of the lake ecosystem. In particular, the lowering of the lake level of 19 meters has initiated considerable changes that, if not controlled will become irreversible. Since 1962 measures were applied to raise the water level of the lake, which nevertheless did not result in the improvement of the situation. The situation calls for different approaches to be applied. In addition the new integrated approach towards management of water resources used since the late 1999s has been ineffective for multiple reasons. The study conducted in the Lake Sevan area, aimed to examine the extent to which Integrated Water Resource Management as a management concept has been applied, to understand the complexity of the situation and to propose desirable and feasible actions through the application of Soft Systems Methodology. The study revealed issues that were of high concern among stakeholders involved in the Lake Sevan situation and was important for examining the level to which IWRM as a management concept has been applied. Two concerns were pursued further and desirable and feasible recommendations for improvement were suggested.The study concludes that stakeholders viewed IWRM as a blueprint package and suggests that Soft Systems Methodology is able to support and ease the implementation of IWRM principles.