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Water Management: A Critical Environmental Challenge in Central Asia

Water Management: A Critical Environmental Challenge in Central Asia. Peter Thomson World Bank. 13 March 2009. Astana, Kazakhstan. Discussion topics. Water, energy, agriculture challenges Links to land degradation Links to hydro-meteorological system strengthening

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Water Management: A Critical Environmental Challenge in Central Asia

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  1. Water Management: A Critical Environmental Challenge in Central Asia Peter Thomson World Bank 13 March 2009 Astana, Kazakhstan

  2. Discussion topics • Water, energy, agriculture challenges • Links to land degradation • Links to hydro-meteorological system strengthening • Significance of climate change • Links to environmental pollution management • Summary points

  3. Water management overview

  4. Water-energy-agriculture links Syr Darya Riparians Kyrgyz – upstream – power Tajik- midstream – power/irrigation Uzbekistan- downstream- irrigation Kazakhstan – downstream - irrigation Amu Darya Riparians Tajikistan– upstream – power Turkmenistan- downstream- irrigation Uzbekistan – downstream - irrigation

  5. Key development issues • Water sector • Energy and irrigation tradeoffs; upstream/downstream • High irrigation inefficiencies; example of 50% losses for Karakum irrigation canal (at 1375 km, world’s longest) • Water pricing and management • Land degradation and salinization • Poor data availability and reliability (quantity and quality) • Cross-sector vulnerabilities • Impacts from climate change mostly negative • Food and energy security • Natural and human-influenced disasters (floods, droughts…) • Need for enhanced regional cooperation

  6. The Aral Sea: Water Management Disaster • Aral Sea was fourth largest lake on earth, fed by Amu Darya and Syr Darya • Decline started in the 1960s with large-scale development of irrigation • From 1960-2004 surface area shrank by almost 70% and level dropped by 15 meters • In 1990, split into a Large Southern Aral Sea (LAS) and small Northern Aral Sea (NAS) • Fresh fish production virtually disappeared • Salinity and pollution levels rose dramatically • Tens of thousands of jobs were lost • Dust and salt storms increased • Drinking water supplies became polluted • Human health problems increased sharply.

  7. Success story; restoration of Northern Aral Sea • Hydraulic Improvements along Syr Darya upstream delivers more water • Placement of Kok Aral Dike allows filling of NAS Kok Aral

  8. Success story; restoration of Northern Aral Sea Kok Aral Dike and Spillway

  9. Success story; restoration of Northern Aral Sea (NAS) • From 2006 to 2008 full supply capacity was reached with estimated inflow into the NAS during these years of around 7 billion cubic meters • The water surface area has reached about 3,300 square kilometers, 50 percent more than its lowest level • Reduction in salinity levels; inflow of freshwater has more than halved salinity levels to less than 10 grams per liter • BUT replication to larger Southern Aral Sea complicated by greater water management and technical challenges

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