抖阴旅行射 Boulder water quality expertise goes international in Armenia
Above: Carlo Salvinelli and Kat Demaree reviewing equipment with a representative from Armenia.
Header Photo: The 抖阴旅行射 Boulder Team and Armenian representatives on the shore of Lake Sevan.
Program Goals/Objectives
The five-year USAID 鈥淎rmenia Improved Water Management for Sustainable Economic Growth鈥 Program is implemented by "Deloitte Consulting" jointly with the the Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development, the University of Colorado Boulder and REC Caucasus.
The Program seeks to transform Armenia鈥檚 approach to water management to improve the equity of access to water while maintaining environmental flow and water quality for the protection of freshwater resources.
It involves the development and dissemination of improved approaches and tools to support sustainable and secure water management; advancing improved water governance; and spreading best practices and innovative approaches in water conservation and use.
The Program鈥檚 technical activities encompass the following objectives:
- Apply advanced technologies and tools to support sustainable and secure water management
- Improve water governance
- Promote and scale best practices and innovative approaches in water conservation and use to increase equitable access to water resources
- Prepare for regional cooperation with neighboring countries
- Improve access to water
University of Colorado Boulder researchers are advancing water resource management in the South Caucasus through a partnership with Deloitte Consulting.
The professional services firm is implementing a US Agency for International Development Armenia activity titled Armenia Improved Water Management for Sustainable Economic Growth program and is tapping 抖阴旅行射 Boulder鈥檚 environmental engineering technical expertise to improve river, lake, and groundwater management in the former Soviet Bloc country.
has a longstanding relationship with 抖阴旅行射 Boulder that includes the joint Climate Innovation Collaboratory, founded last year. On the Armenia activity, Deloitte issued to 抖阴旅行射 Boulder researchers a five-year, $641,000 subcontract.
鈥淲e鈥檙e making recommendations on technology and methods that can improve Armenia鈥檚 water resources,鈥 said Evan Thomas, an associate professor, director of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience and the principal investigator on the contract.
At Deloitte, their Chief of Party Armen Varosyan said the overall project represents a major opportunity for Armenia.
鈥淲e are excited for the potential to bring innovative international technology solutions to Armenia鈥檚 water sector,鈥 Varosyan said.
Much of Armenia鈥檚 current water infrastructure dates back to its time as part of the Soviet Union. Thomas and a team of 抖阴旅行射 Boulder researchers recently returned from a 10-day trip to the country, where they met stakeholders and visited key sites, including Lake Sevan, the largest body of water in Armenia.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a gorgeous country. It鈥檚 not dissimilar from Colorado, with mountainous areas and a lot of agriculture,鈥 said Kat Demaree, a project manager and 抖阴旅行射 Boulder environmental engineering PhD student who was part of the delegation.
Outflow from Lake Sevan is a key source of hydroelectric power and water for agriculture in the country, and was one focus of the visit.
鈥淭he lake water level has declined significantly because of overuse,鈥 Demaree said. 鈥淗istorically there鈥檚 not a ton of monitoring of water sources there. They want to better understand how much water they have, where it鈥檚 going, who is using it, and how it鈥檚 being used.鈥
Those are important questions familiar to water resource managers all over the world. Demaree said emerging technology makes finding the answers much easier than before.
鈥淭hey have similar issues that we do here in Colorado 鈥 overpumping, overuse. We have software now to help people make decisions and look into the impact of building new infrastructure, new reservoirs, new diversions. We can model the effects of regulations. In Armenia we did a training on Riverware, a modeling program developed at 抖阴旅行射 Boulder,鈥 she said.
In addition to leveraging engineering expertise, the team is also hoping to boost engineering education in Armenia. They met with faculty at multiple universities there to discuss potential collaborations.
鈥淲e want to help build classroom modules and credits specific to the needs of students there, things like water management in agriculture,鈥 Demaree said.
The ultimate goal is to expand the country鈥檚 homegrown population of engineers.
As the program progresses, the team will be working to develop relationships with experts in the country, map out official recommendations, and implement infrastructure pilot projects.
鈥淭here are a lot of different technology options and solutions, and everything has advantages and disadvantages,鈥 Thomas said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really working to build partnerships, to build those connections in Armenia to offer the right solutions that will work for them.
Additional 抖阴旅行射 Boulder faculty researchers involved in the project include Karl Linden,Amy Javernick-Will, and Carlo Salvinelli, all from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering.