On July 1, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced that the water level in the north-eastern part of the Caspian Sea in the Atyrau region, has risen by 119 cm since the beginning of 2024.
The increase is due to the abundant inflow of floodwater, during April-May, from the Zhaiyk River and additional canals laid by the ministry.
During the spring floods, some 7.4 billion cubic meters of water entered the Caspian Sea via the Zhaiyk River, whilst 350 million cubic metres of floodwater were channelled into the sea in Atyrau, via the additional canals.
Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurlan Aldamzharov commented: “A total of 12.4 billion cubic meters of floodwater was sent to reservoirs, estuaries, and water meadows. Since the beginning of the floods, 3.3 billion cubic meters of water have been sent to Lake Balkhash. In addition, active filling of the Northern Aral Sea continues, with an inflow of more than 1.1 billion cubic meters of water since the beginning of the year.”
