EcoLur
In the framework of the project entitled “Support to the Reforms of SHPPs through a Dialogue between the Public and The Ministry of Nature Protection of the RA for the Purpose of River Ecosystem Use” the expert group visited “ Kurtan” SHPP. “ Kurtan” SHPP is located in the administrative area of Kurtan community, Lori Region. The SHPP is constructed on the Gargar River (length –28 km). It’s operated by “Tirakal” LLC.
As a result of the monitoring, the expert group found out:
- The SHPP has been operating since 2006.
- There is a dam constructed of 15 meters long and 2.6 meters high in the head section, which complies with the project solutions in its sizes.
- There is a stair-like fish passway of 16.20 meters long and around one meter wide in the head section. There are 7 stairs separated from each other with concrete baffles. Each baffle has a slot with the following sizes: 0.35X0.35մ meters. The constructed fish passway complies with the project in its sizes and number of stairs. There is metallic construction in the upper part of the fish passway, which allows blocking the water flowing in the fish passway, if needed.
- At the moment of observation relevan slopes in the water intake dam and the fish passway were visible, which ensure the passage of the environmental flow into the river without any obstacles.
- Because of the dam near the fish passway, there a lake-like pond in the head section of the Gargar River, which results in essential difference in water temperature from the water temperature flowing in the river, which doesn’t promote natural life of the fish in the river.
- There are four garbage-collection bars, where the distance between slots is 2.6-3.5 cm. Such bars can’t prevent 8-10-centimeter-long fish from appearing in the pressure pipeline. You can meet the following fish species in the Gargar River – brown trout, Kura barbell and the South Caucasus sprilin.
- According to the water usage permit data, the SHPP can take 34260.64 cum water ensuring the environmental flow of 0.1 m3/s in the river. The water usage permit doesn’t allow water intake in January, February, March and December.
- According to “Computation Center” CJSC data, in 2014 “Katnarat” SHPP operated for 12 months and produced 7342703 kW electricity.
- There are 5 turbines of local production installed in the station, which ensure 60-65% of the electricity production laid down in the project.
- The length and diameter of the pressure pipeline comply with the project indicators. The diameter of the pipeline is 1.2 meters, while its length is 3086 meters. The material of the pipeline is still, it’s closed for 1 km and open in the remaining sections.
- The station area is improved: a tree planting has been carried out.
- Transformer substation is fenced with a metallic fence.
- There are two transformers installed in the transformer substation.
- There is a toilet constructed for sewage discharge into the river.
- There is no water-meter sealed by a relevant environmental body in the water intake.
- There is a shield of electric protection installed in the station.
- There is no automatic management system of water level in the water intake.
Proposals
1.To ensure automatic management of the environmental flow in the head section.
2.To install a water-meter in the water intake and to ensure online control
3.To find technical solutions to install a fish-protecting net.
4.To reclaim the pipeline.
5.To review the environmental flow limit, which is small. When setting the limit it should be taken into consideration that the river flows through Kurtan Village after the water intake and the village sewage flows into the Gargar River. The hydrochemical composition can become of very poor quality because of drastic decrease in the river flow.
6.To install a water-proof well or a biotoilet for sewage discharge.
The material was developed in the frames of “Supporting reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable use of river ecosystems” supported by UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme".
October 28, 2015 at 17:30