Author: Elene Mindiashvili

After the August 2008 war, following Russia's occupation of the Tskhinvali region, relations between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali were practically cut off in all directions. Despite the tense relations between the parties, based on the interests of population living on both sides of the occupation line, an agreement was reached on some humanitarian issues, one example of which is the Zonkari Reservoir.

What Happened?

The parties met at a working meeting which took place a few days before the 114th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (held on September 12, 2023). The Georgian side was chaired by Irakli Antadze, the Deputy Head of the Analytical Department of the State Security Service of Georgia, and the Ossetian side – by Igor Kochiev, the “Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President on Post-conflict Regulation Issues.” The parties agreed to supply water from the Zonkari Reservoir and activate the Tiriponi irrigation system.

The agreement provides for uninterrupted supply of irrigation water to residents of villages located on both sides of the occupation line effective September of this year. Solving the water problem allows local residents to grow both annual and perennial crops.

Specifics of the Irrigation System and Its Importance

The Tiriponi irrigation system is the only system in Georgia that is located both on the Georgian-controlled and the occupied territory. A canal with a 6-8 cubic meters per second throughput capacity follows the occupation line and crosses it in ten places.

The Little Liakhvi River plays an important role in the system. The river originates in the occupied part of Georgia, crosses the occupation line and flows on the territory controlled by the central government of Georgia. Its damming creates the Zonkari Reservoir with a capacity of 40 million cubic meters, which at the same time is the first chain of the Tiriponi irrigation system. The reservoir was closed after the 2008 war. The Ossetian side attributed this to the war damaging the reservoir while the Georgian side suggested that it was intentionally closed.

The system works as follows: water from the Little Liakhvi River is collected in the Zonkari Reservoir, the river continues in a powerful flow to the south, passes through the village of Karbi (Gori municipality) and runs into the Tiriponi Canal. From the Canal water flows in two directions – to the village of Tergvisi (Gori municipality) to the east and the villages of Tsinagari and Orchosani to the west. The river passes many villages on both sides of the occupation line.

Tiriponi Canal Near the Village of Plavismani, the Gori Municipality

A relatively small-scale section was later added to the Tiriponi Canal which originates from the Nadarbazevi Reservoir. The reservoir gets water from the Khurvaleti section of the main Tiriponi Canal. In Khurvaleti, the canal is divided into two directions: the central line crosses the occupation line to the village of Orchosani (occupied Akhalgori municipality) where the central line of the canal ends; The second, additional line connects to the Nadarbazevi Reservoir. This line fills the Nadarbazevi reservoir, and then flows through the villages located to the east of the Gori municipality (the main line of the canal could not technically pass through these villages without changing the water flow route) to the Kaspi municipality, crosses the occupation line and creates the possibility of irrigating neighboring Ossetian villages of the same municipality.

Additional Channel

Negotiation Process and International Support

Since business and service sectors in villages adjacent to the occupation line are less developed, the main activities of the population are agriculture (both annual grain crops and perennial fruit trees) and cattle breeding (mainly cattle). The cessation of irrigation water supply left the population living on both sides of the occupation line without a source of livelihood.

After the closure of the Zonkari Reservoir, it became almost impossible to grow grain; Perennial fruit trees and pastures began to wither. Thus, after 2008, the humanitarian situation in the buffer zone became particularly difficult. The situation worsened until the Georgian Municipal Development Fund, financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), restored the Saltvisi-Tiriponi irrigation system in 2014. The functioning of the canal was partially restored. The decision was supported by the occupation regime as well. However, the mentioned agreement implied the cleaning of the part of the canal passing through the territory controlled by the occupation regime and the restoration of infrastructure, and an agreement on the opening of the Zonkari reservoir was not reached with the Ossetian side. Thus, the need arose to create an alternative to the Zonkari Reservoir. For this purpose a dam was built on the Big Liakhvi River, in the village of Nikozi (Gori municipality) from which water flowed through an additional, relatively small canal into the Tiriponi Canal. At the same time, water collector was installed in the village of Karbi which increased the power of the water flow.

Nikozi Dam and the Karbi Water Collector

The project was carried out in 2012-2013, and its cost totaled GEL 13 million 365 thousand. As a result of the rehabilitation of the Tiriponi irrigation system, water is supplied to 8500 hectares of land through 14 villages of the Gori municipality. After the rehabilitation of the Saltvisi irrigation system, up to 9700 hectares of land in 16 villages of the Gori and Kareli municipalities get water. The population of the villages located in the occupied part of the country benefited from the mentioned project as well.

Note: The Saltvisi irrigation system provides irrigation water to villages located in the south-east of Shida Kartli in the opposite direction of the Tiriponi Canal and does not cross the occupation line.

Each year, before the start of the irrigation season, the parties hold technical workshops in the IPRM format. The opening of the Tiriponi Canal was one of the main issues discussed at each such meeting, although negotiations were not always successful. As mentioned, the parties reached an agreement in 2012. The negotiations were successful again in 2016, and then in 2020, when the process of arranging the second, relatively small-scale section of the Tiriponi Canal began and irrigation became possible in several additional villages of Gori, Kaspi and the occupied Akhalgori.

A relatively different, but important situation for demonstrating the successful practice of cooperation in humanitarian issues was observed in 2011 when the Zonkari Reservoir overflowed. As its dam was damaged and the water could not circulate properly due malfunctioning protective shields, there was a serious danger of flooding Shida Kartli, especially the Gori municipality. After assessing the severity of the situation, despite the fact that Georgian specialists could no longer inspect the reservoir after 2008, with the direct involvement of the OSCE and the agreement of the parties, the occupation regime allowed Georgian and international specialists to inspect the dam. As a result, the dam was repaired and the danger of flooding was eliminated.

Zonkari Reservoir

Two main problems prevented the parties from reaching a full-fledged agreement on irrigation water and opening the Zonkari Reservoir, namely: mutual distrust and fundamental disagreement on other issues. Negotiations often broke down for various reasons. For example, one of these reasons was the abduction, torture and murder of a Georgian citizen, an ex-serviceman Archil Tatunashvili, as well as the so-called Chorchana-Tsnelisi crisis which followed to the establishment of a Georgian police checkpoint.

Final Agreement and Its Importance  

As mentioned, the Georgian-Ossetian side reached an agreement on the opening of the Tiriponi Canal several times after 2008, however, the parties finally agreed on the opening of the Zonkari Reservoir on the 15th anniversary of the end of the war.

The reservoir is vital for the population living on both sides of the occupation line. The efforts to create alternative means of collecting irrigation water resources through the Nikozi Dam, the Nadarbazevi Reservoir, and the Zerti water collector, were still not enough. Over the years, some villages went without irrigation water for years, and on the rare occasions when the canal was opened, the flow of irrigation water was so low that a schedule was set for its use.

The parties reached a final agreement in September 2023, when technical negotiations in the IPRM format entered a crucial phase. According to representatives of the parties, the agreement reached provided for the complete opening of the Zonkari Reservoir by the Ossetian side. Both sides took full responsibility for cleaning and repairing the part located on their own controlled territory.

The said decision was positively assessed from both sides of the occupation line. From the Ossetian side, Igor Kochiev and Temur Tskhurbati, a “Deputy of the Parliament of the 1st convocation” of the so-called Republic of South Ossetia, spoke with the media about the agreement. According to Kochiev, this decision is beneficial for both parties. The Ossetian side monitors the supply of water to the occupied territory. As he mentioned to journalists, water flow was significantly low on the first day of supply restoration, although he hoped the situation would improve. Speaking to the media, Tskhurbati said that the agreement is very important for the population. He emphasized that increasing the quality and intensity of cooperation between the Georgian and Ossetian sides “will contribute to the process of Georgia's perception of South Ossetia as a partner.”

In addition to the peace process, this decision is of great importance from the economic and demographic point of view.

Guaranteeing uninterrupted and regular supply of irrigation water means new trade and business opportunities for the population of villages near the occupation line. One of the most painful problems for the people living in this area was that they could neither do business nor trade. Since the quality and quantity of the crop they grew depended only on the weather, they could not deliver the grown products to chain stores on the basis of a pre-signed contract, and also could not properly use the opportunities of grant programs of international organizations.

Over the past 15 years, agreements reached on the use of the Zonkari Reservoir and the Tiriponi Canal are rare issues which have benefited people on both sides of the occupation line. These agreements are the result of years of negotiations:

• In 2011, the threat of natural disaster was eliminated through joint efforts;
• In 2012, a total of 18 villages were irrigated and additional infrastructure was built to provide an alternative way of supplying irrigation water;
• In 2016, the Tiriponi Canal was cleaned;
• In 2022, an additional line of the Tirifon Canal was organized;
• In 2023, the Zonkari Reservoir was opened.