During the government meeting on Tuesday, Minister Nurzhigitov outlined water use limits for regions such as Kyzylorda, Almaty, Zhambyl, Turkestan, and Zhetysu. Given the current situation, the limits for Zhambyl region will be revised and reduced. It is expected that the new data will be communicated to local authorities by March 1.
The minister paid special attention to the Aral-Syrdarya and Shu-Talas basins. According to him, the water level in the Toktogul reservoir is 1.5 cubic kilometers lower than last year. This may result in the reservoir operating in accumulation mode at the beginning of the growing season, which, in turn, will limit water supply through the "Dostyk" canal for the needs of the Maktaaral and Zhetysay districts of Turkestan region.
In light of these circumstances, the minister urged akimats to strictly adhere to the established water intake limits, especially regarding rice crops:
- Turkestan region: exclude rice planting along the "Dostyk" canal; for the Kyzylkum canal – no more than 3,500 hectares.
- Kyzylorda region: no more than 70,000 hectares for rice.
It was also reported that the Shardara reservoir has been switched to accumulation mode.
In the Shu-Talas basin, there are risks of insufficient filling of the Kirov reservoir, which is the main source of drinking and irrigation water for Zhambyl region. Currently, the volume of the reservoir is 314 million cubic meters, which is one and a half times lower than last year. It is forecasted that by April 1, the volume will reach about 400-410 million cubic meters, which will allow Kazakhstan to receive only 285 million cubic meters with a minimum requirement of 400 million cubic meters.
Reservoirs that are filled mainly from internal sources are particularly concerning
the minister emphasized.
The situation with the filling of the Bogen reservoir in Turkestan region is also alarming: its volume is 278 million cubic meters (46 million less compared to last year), and the Badam reservoir is 32 million cubic meters (18 million less). Similar problems are observed in Zhambyl region with the reservoirs of Ters-Ashybulak, Karakonyz, Kakpatas, Zhartas, and Burkitti.
In such conditions, it is necessary to actively implement water-saving technologies and reduce the areas planted with moisture-dependent agricultural crops.
