transboundary water - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kazakhstan’s Southern Region Receives Full Irrigation Water Supply from Kyrgyzstan

This year, five districts in Kazakhstan’s southern Zhambyl region—Kordai, Merke, Baizak, Zhambyl, and Talas—were fully supplied with irrigation water from the transboundary Shu and Talas rivers, which flow from neighboring Kyrgyzstan. The announcement was made by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. In April, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan agreed on a joint water intake schedule for the 2024 irrigation season. As part of this agreement, Kazakhstan received 418 million cubic meters of water from the Talas River, exceeding the planned 380 million cubic meters and surpassing last year’s allocation by 94.2 million cubic meters. Additionally, along the Shu River (called Chu in Kyrgyzstan), Kazakhstan was allocated 165.3 million cubic meters, 29.7 million cubic meters more than in 2023. “Farmers in the Zhambyl region were fully provided with irrigation water according to their needs,” stated Kairat Amanov, director of the Zhambyl branch of Kazvodkhoz. In total, 533.3 million cubic meters of water were delivered, irrigating 90,100 hectares of farmland. Kazvodkhoz, a division of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, is responsible for managing the nation’s irrigation infrastructure, including canals and reservoirs. Kazakhstan’s agriculture, especially in its arid southern regions, relies heavily on irrigation water from Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, Kyrgyzstan faces its water management challenges. The water level of Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s largest lake, has been declining, partly due to the diversion of feeder rivers for local irrigation and to meet downstream agricultural needs in Kazakhstan. Although the Shu River does not directly feed Lake Issyk-Kul, it originates in the Issyk-Kul region and could have been utilized to irrigate nearby farmland. Instead, it plays a critical role in supporting Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region. This allocation highlights Kyrgyzstan’s significant role in Central Asia’s water policies and its ongoing efforts to maintain cooperative relations with neighboring countries on key water and energy issues.

Geopolitics Afghanistan International Relations Water Disputes transboundary water USA Environmental Awareness Water Management

Harnessing Diplomacy: Qosh Tepa Canal as a Bridge to U.S. Influence in Central Asia

The Center for the National Interest, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, has released a report titled Afghanistan’s Qosh Tepa Canal and Water Security in Central Asia. The report outlines how U.S. support for the Qosh Tepa Canal project could provide an opportunity for the incoming Trump administration to strengthen its influence in the region. Project Overview Currently under construction in northern Afghanistan, the Qosh Tepa Canal aims to divert water from the Amu Darya River to support agriculture and economic growth. The canal will stretch 287 kilometers, with a depth of 8.5 meters and an average width of 100 meters. Once completed, it will irrigate more than 1.2 million acres of farmland and generate approximately 200,000 jobs in northern Afghanistan. While the Taliban has championed the project as a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s development, the canal poses significant challenges for downstream countries reliant on the Amu Darya, particularly Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Concerns include potential water scarcity, environmental degradation, and heightened regional tensions. Implications for Central Asia The report highlights that the canal could exacerbate existing disputes over water allocation in a region already plagued by scarcity. Unlike its Central Asian neighbors, Afghanistan is excluded from water-sharing agreements rooted in the Soviet era. The poorly designed Soviet canals along the Amu Darya continue to undermine water security in the region decades after their construction, a fate experts hope to avoid with Qosh Tepa. Recommendations for U.S. Engagement The report urges the United States to seize this opportunity to engage Afghanistan and the broader region diplomatically and technically: 1. Support for a Well-Engineered Canal The United States should advocate for a well designed canal that prioritizes water-use efficiency. By offering technical assistance and backing the project in principle, the U.S. could pave the way for multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank, to provide financial and technical support. 2. Promote Regional Water Diplomacy Washington should encourage negotiations for a regional water-sharing agreement among Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 3. Assist Downstream States Additional investments in modernizing irrigation systems in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan could mitigate the canal's impact on downstream water availability. Strategic Context The report underscores the geostrategic importance of Afghanistan and Central Asia, which border three of Washington’s primary global competitors: China, Russia, and Iran. By supporting the Qosh Tepa Canal project and fostering regional water-sharing cooperation, the U.S. could counterbalance the growing influence of Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran in the region. A Watershed Moment As construction progresses into its second phase, involving thousands of workers and heavy machinery, the Qosh Tepa Canal stands at the nexus of development and diplomacy. The report concludes that U.S. involvement in this critical project could serve not only to address Central Asia’s pressing water security challenges but also to reinforce Washington’s strategic position in one of the world’s most complex geopolitical arenas.

Water Security Government Water Access Regional threats Water Disputes transboundary water

Kyrgyzstan Tackles Decreasing Water Levels in Lake Issyk-Kul

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, with support from the World Bank, hosted a National Water Forum on November 29 to address the country’s water resource challenges. The forum focused on the impacts of climate change and strategies to preserve Lake Issyk-Kul, the country’s largest lake and a key tourist destination. Lake Issyk-Kul is under significant threat due to climate change, overuse of natural resources, and ecosystem degradation. The most urgent issue is the declining water level, largely caused by the diversion of water from rivers that feed the lake. These rivers are heavily utilized for local irrigation and redirected to support agricultural needs in downstream Central Asian countries. Government Action Plan At the forum, Bakyt Torobaev, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, urged collective action to safeguard Issyk-Kul. “Climate change, growing water shortages, preserving the unique ecosystem of Issyk-Kul – all this requires us to make urgent and coordinated decisions,” Torobaev stated. To address the issue, the Kyrgyz government has committed $392 million to stabilize the lake’s water level. Key measures include: • Allocating $200 million to implement modern water-saving irrigation technologies on 100,000 hectares of farmland in the Issyk-Kul region. This initiative aims to reduce water losses and redirect water from local rivers back to the lake. • Modernizing existing irrigation systems. • Installing 2,200 automatic sensors to monitor and control water consumption. These efforts are expected to redirect up to 200 million cubic meters of water to Lake Issyk-Kul. Regional Cooperation Torobaev highlighted Kyrgyzstan’s critical role in Central Asia’s water policy. “Kyrgyzstan plays a central role in Central Asia's water policy, providing water and energy to neighboring countries. To maintain stability in the region, it is necessary to develop effective management of our waters, modernize infrastructure, and strengthen international cooperation,” he said. He stressed that water should unite the region rather than divide it, emphasizing the need for cooperation based on mutual respect, equality, and recognition of each country’s role. Torobaev also pointed to the joint construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan as an example of regional collaboration. This project aims to address shared water and energy challenges, paving the way for further cooperative initiatives in Central Asia.

Lake Balkhash Water Security transboundary water Water Conservation China

Kazakhstan’s Lake Balkhash Receives 13.5 billion Cubic Meters of Water in 2024

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan announced on November 8 that 13.5 billion cubic meters of water had been sent to Lake Balkhash via the Ili River from the Kapchagay Reservoir this year, raising the lake’s average water level to 341.6 meters above sea level. The trans-boundary Ili River, originating in China, supplies about 70% of Lake Balkhash’s water. According to the ministry, this year’s average water flow at the Kazakhstan-China border was 384 cubic meters per second, a 17% increase from last year. Lake Balkhash, located 280 kilometers northwest of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, is the world’s fifteenth-largest lake. In May, reports indicated that Balkhash’s water level had risen by 23 centimeters since the start of the year, largely due to increased rainfall and snowmelt-related floods this past spring. Earlier this month, The Times of Central Asia reported that Kazakhstan and China have initiated negotiations on the joint management and allocation of water from shared rivers. A key goal for Kazakhstan in these talks is to maintain optimal water levels in Lake Balkhash. Three major rivers in Kazakhstan — the Irtysh, Ili, and Emel — originate in China, making trans-boundary water management critical for the country. In late August, The Times of Central Asia also reported that the Kapchagay Reservoir near Almaty had filled to capacity for the first time in a decade. The reservoir collects water from the Ili River and regulates its flow to Lake Balkhash.

Water resources transboundary water International Cooperation Diplomacy China

Kazakhstan and China Begin Negotiations on Joint Use of Transboundary Rivers

On November 1, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov met with Zhang Xiao, the Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan, to discuss bilateral water cooperation and the joint use and distribution of water from transboundary rivers. Three large rivers in Kazakhstan — the Ertis, the Ile, and the Emel — originate in China. The two countries established a special working group of experts to negotiate the provision of water to the Ile-Balkhash basin and develop fisheries and tourism in the region. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan intends to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources of China shortly. The Kazakh minister and Chinese ambassador discussed joint modernization and automation of Kazakhstan's water infrastructure, production and use of water-saving technologies, and advanced training of Kazakhstani water specialists in China. Late in August, The Times of Central Asia reported that the Kapchagay reservoir outside Almaty was full for the first time in ten years. The reservoir collects water from the Ile (or Ili) River, which originates in China and is meant to regulate the river's flow on its way to Kazakhstan’s largest lake, Balkhash.

China Lake Balkhash water saving Environment Balkhash transboundary water Water Access Water Security

Kazakhstan and China in Talks on Feeding Lake Balkhash

The Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced on August 19 that Kazakhstan and China are drafting an agreement on dividing trans-boundary river waters between the two countries. The main objective of the agreement is to ensure that the water in Kazakhstan’s Lake Balkhash remains at an optimal level. Located 280km northwest of the country’s largest city, Almaty, Lake Balkhash is the fifteenth largest lake in the world. It is fed by several trans-boundary rivers flowing from China, the largest of which is the Ili River, which provides about 80% of the lake's water. [caption id="attachment_21931" align="aligncenter" width="1056"] Image: Wikimapia[/caption] Environmentalists in Kazakhstan have been concerned about Lake Balkhash's shallowing. Balkhash has been gradually drying up in recent years, including due to the decline in water volumes in the Ili River. Upstream China has extensively diverted the river over the past half century to produce hydroelectric power and agricultural crops on irrigated land. According to research, as of 2021 China was blocking 40% of the river’s inflow. Moldir Abdualieva, a spokesperson of the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, said that the ministry has been paying great attention to providing Lake Balkhash with the necessary volume of water. “Since the beginning of this year, more than 12 billion cubic meters of water have been sent to the lake," she said. In May, it was reported that the water level in Balkhash had risen by 23cm since the beginning of the year due to increased rainfall and floods caused by snow melt this past spring.