“Gurjistan” Left Behind River Alazani

Lela Khechoshvili

Kakheti Information Center

The river Alazani flooded as a result of raining and snow melting in the mountains. As the farmers of Sighnaghi Region informed Kakheti Information Center, the flooded river took away approximately 1 hectare of land. According to them, the river creates particular danger for one of the meanders which covers approximately 15 hectare land. If the meander gets ruptured, this territory will stay on the side of Azerbaijan.

“Every year Alazani floods and takes away territories, especially in the spring when it rains intensively. It takes away almost 25-30 meter land a day. Five years ago, Alazani was flowing at the spot where there is a forest now. When we built the farm, we were 300 meters afar from the river. Now, only 80 meters remain. For example, there is a bay in the territory of the village Anaga the width of which was 180 meter. Now, it is just 30 meters. Two bays have been ruptured by Alazani and more than 70 hectare territory was left behind the river. We, the farmers cannot go there. Georgian border police cannot either. That territory is used by Azerbaijanis and is controlled by their border police. Alazani intensively floods the shores on Georgian side. It has created danger for one more meander (bay),” – states farmer Nino Pkhovelishvili.

According to her, the river damages the shores on the side of Azerbaijani as well. However, the neighboring country conducts the shore strengthening works. “They throw in the blocks and stones and give direction to the river-bed. They may empty hundred cars full of stones in a day. The fact is that they intensively strengthen the territories. Approximately 6 years ago, one of the bays at the Azerbaijani side was under serious threat. Azerbaijani government strengthened the shores and preserved about 70 hectare territory. During the same period, Alazani created danger for one more bay at Azerbaijani side. The river ruptured the meander and left 45 hectare behind the river-bed, on Georgian side. Unlike Georgian government, Azerbaijani side managed to preserve this island. They built the bridge and by this bridge Azerbaijani border police controls the territories left behind the river Alazani today.”

River Alazani has been flooding and destroying shores on Georgian side for several years. According to the data of Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN), as a result of the erosion, the land area at the shore of Alazani has significantly decreased. Not too long ago, the Kakheti Information Center disseminated the report of CENN according to which the territorial loss of Georgia amounted to approximately 293 hectare. Besides, after the visual inspection of the river, the specialists think that after conducting thorough field research, this area might increase.

National Environment Agency states that the problem of erosion is observed in several tens of km of Alazani and it is unbelievable to eradicate this problem in the frameworks of the existing budget.

“In the corresponding shores of the river Alazani the shore strengthening works have not been conducted in 2010. Considering the financial possibilities, the priority was put on the protection of the shores of the river in the inhabited places. Currently, it is most important to preserve the sustainability of the gorge of the meanders. This will avoid the tearing away of the meanders from the right shore and the uncertainty in the issue of the border determination. Besides, there is a problem with Jumaskure which is situated at the territory of Dedoplistskaro region. It is necessary to cover the narrow entrances with rigid cover and fill the pseudokarst holes with the special solutions,” – states the representative of national environmental agency Nikoloz Alkhazashvili.

According to the representative of the Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) Rezo Getiashvili, the natural monument situated in the Dedoplistskaro region Kakliskure is also under the danger. According to him, the gorge of the meander has become extremely narrow. It might tear apart this spring and the territory the area of which is 180 hectare might fall behind the river Alazani.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection states that the monitoring on the corresponding is under constant monitoring. According to the information of the national agency of environment, the shore strengthening works have not been planned for 2011.