Water Conservation - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kazakhstan and World Bank Partner on Water Conservation at One Water Summit

A memorandum of understanding has been signed to enhance water resource management and environmental conditions, including in the North Aral Sea and its surrounding basin, between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the World Bank. As climate change continues to significantly impact water resources in Central Asia, exacerbating water scarcity and management challenges, this agreement underscores a shared commitment to ensuring sustainable and equitable water resource management for future generations. The memorandum was formalized following a meeting between Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and World Bank Group President Ajay Banga during the One Water Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 3. Co-organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, Tokayev, and World Bank Group President Banga, in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, the summit sought to accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) and discuss innovative solutions ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference. During the summit, Tokayev stressed the importance of bolstering reservoir capacity, preserving glaciers, and adopting advanced irrigation systems to secure stable water access. Tokayev proposed creating a global partnership to unite research centers focused on glacier preservation. “Glaciers are integral to the global water cycle, sustaining rivers and lakes that supply water to nearly two billion people worldwide. Collaborative research and unified policies are essential to mitigate glacier loss and support water management strategies in vulnerable regions,” he said. He warned that water scarcity poses risks to food security, energy production, and industrial growth, adding that investments in water-efficient agriculture and renewable energy can enhance economic resilience while alleviating environmental pressures. “Water knows no borders; it binds communities and ecosystems,” Tokayev remarked. As Chair of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, he emphasized Kazakhstan’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and joint action. “It is vital for countries at the forefront of combating climate change to strengthen dialogue, build international partnerships, and pool resources to implement water projects. Kazakhstan is proud to join the One Water Vision coalition, uniting stakeholders to address the global water crisis and promote integrated water resource management. As part of these efforts, with United Nations support, Kazakhstan will host a Regional Climate Conference in 2026,” Tokayev concluded.

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 Water Security Aral Sea Ecology Water Management Water Conservation

Water Supply Plan to the Aral Sea is Almost 100% Complete

This year, the Aral Sea received 977 million cubic meters of water, which allowed it to fulfill the water supply plan by almost 100% during the irrigation period. This is the first time in the last five years it has got close to 100%. Deputy Head of Aral-Syrdarya Basin Inspection Zeinollah Kaztoganov noted that this year, the volume of water flowing into the Northern Aral increased to 60-70 cubic meters per second, ten times more than in previous years when the figure was 7-10 cubic meters per second. Now, the total volume of water in the Northern Aral is about 22 billion cubic meters. Additionally, more than 45 million cubic meters of water were directed to Akshatau, Sorgak, and Kamystybas lakes, which positively impacted fishing and tourism: water salinity decreased, and fish populations increased. If the catches of local fishermen earlier were only 400 tons a year, this year they reached over 7,500 tons. Kuntugan Turganbayev, a 76-year-old fisherman from the village of Karateren who has been fishing all his life, said that with the inflow of water into the Aral Sea, there is a prospect for the development of fisheries. He noted that this year, there are more fish than last year, and if the current water level in the Aral Sea is maintained, the fishery will continue to grow. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the World Bank are developing the second phase of a program to conserve the Northern Aral Sea. This program is aimed at improving water supply, construction, and modernization of water infrastructure. The main objective is to support sustainable water use, which includes the development of agriculture, tourism, and fisheries in the region. The project also provides for the establishment of an automated water management system, which will help control water flows effectively and ensure stable water levels in the Northern Aral Sea.

EDB Finance Politics Water Conservation Water Management Access to Clean Water Drinking Water water saving ABD

Ecological Limit: Five Year Countdown to Water Scarcity in Central Asia

Combating climate change requires collective action by all or a sufficient majority of the world's players supporting global initiatives. Otherwise, it may soon be too late to take any action. To address the issue, the Eurasian Development Bank, the CAREC Think Tank, and the Asian Development Bank organized a two-day forum entitled “The Climate Challenge: Thinking Beyond Borders for Collective Action,” in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Focusing on means of achieving genuine regional cooperation on Asian climate action, the eighth CAREC Think Tank Development Forum was attended by policymakers, experts, and opinion leaders from more than 30 countries. The extensive two-day dialog, consisting of eight sessions, opened with a discussion on the effectiveness of current global initiatives related to climate change: the Paris Agreement, the Global Environment Facility, and the Green Climate Fund. Attention then turned to deepening cooperation among as many stakeholders as possible through multilateral platforms such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Asia's role in the global fight against climate change, and the difficult balancing act between economic growth and decarbonization efforts were discussed at length. Simply put, the rapid growth of the Asian economy is inevitably accompanied by an increasing consumption of energy, the generation of which leads to increased emissions and pollution. Climate damage due to human impact can be halted and even reversed. However, because this can only be achieved with technological intervention, it poses problems for developing economies unable to afford advanced technologies. Hence, establishing a framework and mechanisms for global technology transfer were key to discussions. Water and finance were also high on the agenda and the subject of a paper presented by Arman Ahunbaev, Head of the Center for Infrastructure and Industrial Research of the Eurasian Development Bank on “Ways to close the investment gap in the drinking water supply and wastewater sector in Central Asia." Ahunbaev reported that 10 million people, or 14% of the population in Central Asia, do not have access to safe drinking water and warned that without intervention, the situation would reach the point of no return in the coming years. To prevent this from happening, he stressed the urgent need for solutions to four problems. The first problem is a twofold increase in the volume of water intake for municipal and domestic needs, based on past figures which showed a growth from 4.2 cubic kilometers in 1994 to 8.6 cubic kilometers in 2020. The second problem is the severe deterioration of water supply infrastructure and treatment equipment, and the third, technological and commercial water losses in distribution networks. The fourth problem is related to the demographic boom and, consequently, the rapid urbanization of Central Asia's population. Cities are expanding and their infrastructure needs to develop accordingly. According to experts, in 2023, urbanization in Central Asian countries will reach 49%, and by 2050, 61%. By 2030, the urban population will exceed that in rural areas. Ahunbaev noted the need for improvement in financing the water supply and sanitation sector in Central Asia since according to rough...

reservoirs Floodwater Use Water Conservation

Water Levels of Kazakhstan’s Reservoirs Continue to Rise

On June 3, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced that to date, the country's reservoirs have collected 75 billion cubic meters of water, 15 billion cubic meters more than last year. Over 12 billion cubic meters of the accumulated water is flood water. The statement updates statistics cited in an earlier report by Times CA In total, Kazakhstan's reservoirs can hold 89 billion cubic meters of water. Last year the country's agricultural sector used 14 billion cubic meters of water, and 24.4 billion cubic meters of water were used by other sectors across the country. Welcoming the news, representative of the ministry Moldir Abdualieva said, “The collection of flood water continues. Since the beginning of the flood situation, 3.3 billion cubic meters of water have been sent to Lake Balkhash, and about 6 billion cubic meters of water have been directed to the Caspian Sea”

Climate Change Agriculture Water Conservation Environmental Awareness Ecology

New Measures to Boost Agriculture in Uzbekistan

On May 10, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was presented with proposed adaptations in agricultural practice and the more efficient use of land in the light of climate change. In Uzbekistan, 3 million hectares of pastural and agricultural land have been now degraded, and approximately 2 million hectares, salinized. According to experts, by 2030, water resources in the region are at risk of diminishing by almost 6 percent as a direct result of climate change. In response, Uzbekistan has developed a national program, for which over $294 million is anticipated in grant funding, to adapt agriculture to climate change and mitigate its impact. The initiative aims to improve the condition of 1 million hectares of agro-ecological landscape and degraded pastures in the Aral Sea region. Protective forest belts will be created in Karakalpakstan, as well as in Khorezm, Bukhara, and Kashkadarya regions and drought-resistant plants such as licorice, rose hips, and sesame, cultivated in areas where water is scarce. A center will be established to analyze and forecast climate change, and agrometeorological stations installed in five regions of the country. In cooperation with Italy, a further center with a nursery will be built for intensive seed cultivation alongside a farm for plants resistant to drought and salinity. Since the need to preserve water is particularly acute in areas surrounding the lower reaches of the river Amu Darya, subsidies are to be allocated for laser-leveling land in Karakalpakstan. Grain and rice producers will be reimbursed up to 100 percent of the fuel costs required to level land using a laser level, in a move to increase yields and reduce water consumption by 15-20 percent. The program also encourages farmers to build more greenhouses. In recent years, the spread of greenhouses has increased 2.6-fold, and the volume of produce grown in such, has more than tripled. The greenhouse sector currently provides 80,000 thousand permanent jobs and a further 70,000 seasonal posts. To increase the efficiency of greenhouse farms, the program proposes to reimburse greenhouse owners 50 percent of the costs of hiring qualified foreign agronomists, as well as up to 20 percent of the costs of coal heaters.