In 1974, 1979, and again in 1994, dams failed in different parts of Armenia. Even though such accidents could have been avoided if proper surveillance, operation, and maintenance procedures had been in place, no dam in Armenia was reported to have a functioning instrumentation system even as late as the 1990’s. Country-wide, around 460,000 people were at risk from dam failures.
Since 2000, the Dam Safety Project has aimed at protecting the population and socio-economic infrastructure downstream of the dams facing the highest risk of failure. The project supports rehabilitation works on primary irrigation dams and develops Dam Safety Plans for Operations and Maintenance and Emergency Preparedness Plans (EPPs), finances dam safety site installations; strengthens capacity of the Dam Maintenance Enterprise, and also supports safety investigations on all remaining dams in Armenia.
Twenty dams originally included under the project and six additional dams have been rehabilitated, with about 375,000 people living downstream of these dams now protected. EPPs have been developed for all sites, and Emergency Warning Systems have been installed for 156 villages. The Emergency Management Agency continues to conduct awareness-raising campaigns by disseminating information and simulating situations in select communities. Taking advantage of cost savings, rehabilitation works have started on the Marmarik Dam – 162,000 people downstream will be safe after completion of this new activity.
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