Kazakhstan plans to direct an additional 1.6 billion cubic meters of water to the Aral Sea by April 2025, announced Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation. This initiative builds on efforts from October 2023 to April 2024, during which 1.3 billion cubic meters were allocated, bringing the total water volume in the Northern Aral Sea to 22 billion cubic meters as of early 2024.
Minister Nurzhigitov emphasized that adopting water-saving technologies is essential for restoring the region’s water balance. In 2024, farmers in the Kyzylorda region conserved 200 million cubic meters of water, enabling additional flow into the Northern Aral. These technologies also facilitated the allocation of 1 billion cubic meters to the Aral Sea during the 2024 irrigation season, a threefold increase compared to the previous year.
The preservation of the Aral Sea is a national priority, addressed through regional collaboration and strategic planning. At the 87th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (ICWC) in Turkmenistan, agreements were made to channel 11 billion cubic meters of water to the Shardara reservoir by April 1, 2025. This move aims to ensure sufficient irrigation for southern Kazakhstan’s 2025 growing season.
