Officials report high water levels in Armenia’s reservoirs after abundant precipitation

Due to abundant precipitation recorded in 2025 and 2026, high storage levels have been observed in all major reservoirs in Armenia, creating favorable conditions for water resource management, according to officials.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan briefed lawmakers on the matter during a joint committee session on the 2025 budget report.

“Due to precipitation in 2025 and 2026, all major reservoirs in the republic have reached near-full capacity. In some places, we have already carried out water releases due to overflow beyond capacity,” the minister said.

The minister also spoke about the Vedi Reservoir, noting that preparatory works for its operation are ongoing. He said that the processes of filling and water release of the reservoir are being carried out in stages to ensure the necessary strength of the dam and reservoir bed.

The Vedi Reservoir is the largest in Armenia, and its construction was completed in early 2025. The first phase of filling began officially in April 2025.

“We are managing this process of phased filling and emptying so that the dam and the reservoir bed can reach the required level of strength needed for full-capacity filling,” Khudatyan said, adding that the process is a routine technological requirement.

Referring to the Kaps Reservoir construction project, the minister said that development works are continuing. Following the termination of the contract with the Chinese contractor, a new design is being developed that envisions a reservoir capacity approximately 2.5 times larger than the previous version.

Construction of the Kaps Reservoir on the Akhuryan River in Shirak Province is currently suspended, as in December 2025 the Armenian government initiated the process of terminating the contract with the Chinese company Shanxi Construction Investment Group due to failure to fulfill contractual obligations and delays in work execution.

Meteorologists previously said that following heavy rainfall on June 11, the Aparan Reservoir reached 100% capacity, and the water level of Lake Sevan rose by 2 cm within a few hours.