Kazakhstan has agreed with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on the release of 11.1 cubic kilometers of water into the Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions by April 1, 2024, said the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Ritmeurasia.ru reports.
Discussions took place in Tashkent at the 85th meeting of the Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC), during which four countries signed a protocol on the forecast mode of operation of a cascade of reservoirs in the Syrdarya and Amu Darya river basins, and also approved water intake limits for the non-growing season 2023-2024 years.
Thus, by April 1, the supply of 11.1 cubic meters is predicted. kilometers of water into the Shardara reservoir, and the expected water intake through the Dostyk interstate canal is 487 million cubic meters. This will allow accumulating the necessary volume of water for the growing season of 2024 in the Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions, as well as supplying 1.6 billion cubic meters of water to the Aral Sea.
“We managed to quickly resolve issues that were very important for the entire region. For example, agree on the volumes of water intake from the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers. Only through joint efforts will we be able to ensure the reasonable use and saving of water resources in Central Asia,” noted N. Nurzhigitov.
The next, 86th meeting of the ICWC will be held in Kazakhstan early next year.
CentralAsianLIGHT.org
November 3, 2023