ASTANA — Kazakhstan will receive 11 billion cubic meters of water by April, following agreements with Central Asian countries, as Kazakh Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov agreed at the 88th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia on Jan. 29 in Dushanbe.
Photo credit: Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan
According to the ministry’s press service, the water will flow into the Shardara Reservoir in the Turkistan Region via the Syr Darya River. Of this, 1.6 billion cubic meters will be sent to the Aral Sea.
Nurzhigitov highlighted that southern regions have a higher demand for irrigation in summer, unlike the west and north, which experience floods rather than water shortages. As a result, Kazakhstan prioritizes water diplomacy in the south, ensuring sustainable water management.
Digitization
Kazakhstan plans to develop an information system for water resources by the end of 2025, incorporating 17,736 rivers and 2,949 small lakes, the boundaries of the Caspian and Aral Seas, eight water management basins and 77 water management areas, 377 main canals, 56 ponds, 297 reservoirs, and 548 dams.
The system will create a single digital platform for water accounting and management, increase transparency and efficiency, and provide better forecasts to prevent emergencies. The Information and Analytical Center for Water Resources, a ministry subordinate organization, was involved in this work.
