Azerbaijan raises alarm at transboundary pollution of Okhchuchay River
The Peninsula
Baku, Azerbaijan: The total length of the Okhchuchay River is up to 83km and it is the left tributary of the Araz River. The river is originating from Gapijiq Mountain (3285M) of the Zangazur range and its bigger part is located within the Syunik region of Armenia. The lower course of the river flows through Zangilan region of Azerbaijan – the recently liberated territory from the occupation and flows to the Araz River. Its flow is formed by snow, rain and groundwater.
In the Republic of Azerbaijan, about 70% of the water resources of the country surface are heavily dependent on the external inflow of waters from neighbouring countries. Okhchuchay River water resources are widely used for irrigation purposes. Being a transboundary river the Okhchuchay has always been severely polluted with industrial disposals in the territory of Armenia, since it was used as a collector for industrial facilities along the river, which made its water resources unusable in the territory of Azerbaijan. Pollution of Okhchuchay River has a direct impact on the quality of water resources of the Araz River which is the second largest river in the South Caucasus. The Araz River is also a shared trans-boundary river with Armenia which is the largest right tributary of the Kura River. It plays a crucial role for irrigation in Azerbaijan. However, given the quality of the water in the river, its use for domestic and agricultural needs can lead to extremely negative consequences.More Related News