The Ministry of Agriculture of Kyrgyzstan has commented on the situation regarding the water supply to the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan, 24.kg reports.
"The water allocation with Kazakhstan is carried out according to schedules for water withdrawals, which are developed annually before the beginning of the growing season and are signed with the co-chairs of the Chu-Talas Water Management Commission. However, in 2023, these schedules were only agreed upon and approved in June, taking into account the situation of low water levels in the sources," the statement says.
A meeting between representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan took place in Bishkek on July 17-19, 2023, to discuss water allocation issues for the Chu and Talas rivers. The Kazakh side reported a difficult situation in the Talas River basin, with the provision of irrigation water to users in the Zhambyl region, and requested an increase in water flow from the Kirov Reservoir from July 18 to July 31 of the current year, up to 45 cubic meters per second.
The Ministry clarified that according to the signed schedule, the Kazakh region was supposed to receive 40 cubic meters per second.
The Kyrgyz side informed about a similar difficult situation with irrigation in the Chui and Talas regions, where plans were made to address low water levels, water flow schedules were developed to supply irrigation water to consumers, and the Kazakh side was notified that with a flow rate of 45 cubic meters per second, Kazakhstan's share by August 1 of the current year would be only 3.54 million cubic meters, which would be depleted by August 4, 2023, at a flow rate of 10 cubic meters per second.
"Despite the calculations and arguments presented, the Kazakh side did not withdraw its request. In the meantime, the Kyrgyz side saved its water withdrawal limit by introducing water flow schedules, although Kyrgyz farmers also urgently needed irrigation water. It should be noted that until today, the water levels in the Talas Valley remain very low," the Kyrgyz Ministry of Agriculture stated in its release.
Following the meeting, a protocol was signed stipulating that water supply to the Kazakh side would cease starting from the second decade of August. It was agreed that in the event of an increase in inflow to the Kirov Reservoir, the issue of collecting water for Kazakhstan would be reconsidered.
"Unfortunately, as of today, the water flow into the reservoir is only 1 cubic meter per second, and there is no observed increase in inflow. In 2022, the water inflow was 13.7 cubic meters per second. It should be noted that Kazakhstan has the opportunity to receive water from the Talas River through a collector-drainage network along the state border, ranging from 5 to 8 cubic meters per second," the Kyrgyz Ministry added.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 14, 2023