The Kazakhstan government has announced intentions to construct twenty new reservoirs as a strategy to decrease the amount of water purchased from external sources
Kazakhstan is aiming to build 20 additional reservoirs in the near future to decrease reliance on water imports from neighboring nations by approximately 25%. This initiative was highlighted by Kazakh Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov during a government meeting on December 11, presided over by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, as reported by the Prime Minister’s press service.
The upcoming construction of new reservoirs, with a total capacity of 2.4 cubic kilometers, is set to take place across Kazakhstan's nine regions between 2024 and 2026. This strategic development aims to expand irrigated land by 250,000 hectares, providing protection for 70 rural settlements accommodating 137,000 residents against potential flooding.
Minister Nurzhigitov highlighted that Kazakhstan possesses a total water volume of 102.3 cubic kilometers, with 54% originating within its borders and the remaining 46% sourced from neighboring countries. The country's annual water consumption in various sectors, including agriculture and industry, amounts to nearly 25 cubic kilometers.
An inventory assessment revealed that Kazakhstan is endowed with 17,736 rivers and temporary watercourses, 4,024 lakes, 4,540 groundwater deposits, and 13,175 water management structures.
"We aim to implement water-saving technologies on 150,000 hectares of irrigated areas annually. Currently, we cover around 40,000-50,000 hectares per year. However, in the southern regions, which experience the most significant water shortage, the implementation volume is the lowest. It is crucial to devise specific mechanisms to incentivize the adoption of water-saving technologies by the year-end," stated Prime Minister Smailov. (Source:astanatimes)
