ASTANA – The volume of the Northern Aral Sea is planned to increase to 34 cubic kilometers over 4-5 years, and a 191.7 billion tenge (US$377.4 million) hydropower project is being implemented, said Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov at a Jan. 21 government meeting.
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According to him, established water diplomacy and the signing of an agreement with Uzbekistan ensured a stable water flow even during low-water periods. The volume of the Northern Aral Sea has increased from 18.4 billion cubic meters at the beginning of 2023 to 23 billion cubic meters currently.
Kazakhstan has completed a legal framework for transboundary waters with all neighboring states. The second phase of the sea conservation project, which includes the reconstruction of the Kokaral Dam and raising the water level to 44 meters, is nearing completion. This will increase the surface area to 3,913 square kilometers. Funding is expected to be secured by the end of this year.
“The preservation and restoration of the Northern Aral Sea remains not only an environmental but also a social and strategic objective for us. Redirecting some of the saved water resources to maintaining ecosystems is a contribution to the region’s sustainability, the health of the population, and the future of future generations,” said Nurzhigitov.
Irrigation systems are also being modernized, with 167 projects under development in the Turkistan and Kyzylorda Regions. The implementation of water-saving technologies across an area of 143,100 hectares has already saved approximately 500 million cubic meters of water, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
In the hydropower sector, documentation is underway for the construction of a water pipeline and a cascade of hydroelectric power plants on the Ugam River under a public-private partnership. The project cost is 191.7 billion tenge (US$377.4 million). It will supply 110 million cubic meters of drinking water and generate 72 megawatt-hours of electricity. In addition, five hydroelectric power plants in the East Kazakhstan and Zhetysu Regions (on the Malaya Ulba, Kalzhyr, Koksu, Tentek, and Lepsi rivers) with a total capacity of over 1,000 megawatts will be included in the list of strategic facilities. Twenty-nine hydraulic structures have also been selected for the deployment of small hydroelectric power plants.
Preserving ecosystems and safeguarding water resources are among the eight key topics to be discussed at the upcoming Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 this April.
