WorldWide Drilling Resource

Scientists from South Dakota Aid Ararat Basin During Water Depletion Crisis Adapted from Information Provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Last year, South Dakota-based scien- tists from theU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) traveled to the Ararat Basin of Armenia as part of an effort to help restore a depleted aquifer and build in-country expertise for managing groundwater. Expansion of the country’s aquaculture industry to raise trout, sturgeon, and other coldwater fish has increased withdrawals of crucial groundwater in the Basin over the last 10-15 years. Some wells failed com- pletely while numerous others experienced diminished flow. The USGS partnered with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Armenia and others to create scientific tools for managers of Armenia’s water resources, enabling them to understand and predict consequences of management decisions. “The severity of aquifer depletion in the Ararat Basin is disturbing,” said Mark Anderson, director of the USGS South Dakota Water Science Center. “Our goal for this project is to assist Armenia in the restoration of the aquifer and the move towards more sustainable water uses.” During the expedition, scientists provided training on data collection in an effort to help develop a hydrogeologic plan and ground- water model. “One of the highlights of our recent trip was collecting water level and water quality data with a team of knowledgeable and enthusiastic water professionals from Armenia who are beginning to collect data to help with this study,” said USGS Scientists cont’d on page 82. 81 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® DECEMBER 2017