The Kyrgyz Ministry of Agriculture explained why the supply of irrigation water to Kazakhstan has been stopped, Zakon.kz reported.
Water distribution between the Republic of Kazakhstan is typically carried out based on extraction schedules devised annually before the start of the growing season and endorsed by co-chairs of the Chu-Talas Water Management Commission. However, in 2023, these schedules were only finalized in June, accounting for the situation of low water levels in sources.
From July 17 to 19, 2023, a meeting was held in Bishkek between representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to address water distribution issues along the Chu and Talas rivers. Kazakhstan informed about the challenging conditions in the Talas River basin regarding irrigation water supply to users in the Zhambyl region.
They requested an increase in supply from the Kirov Reservoir from July 18 to July 31, 2023, from 18.0 to 45.0 cubic meters per second. This deviated from the signed schedule that allotted 40.0 cubic meters per second to the Kazakh region.
Kyrgyzstan conveyed a similar plight in the Chui and Talas regions, creating action plans due to low water levels. They notified Kazakhstan that, with a flow rate of 45.0 cubic meters per second, Kazakhstan's share by August 1 would only be 3.54 mn cubic meters, exhausting by August 4, 2023, if flowing at 10.0 cubic meters per second.
"Despite the presented calculations and arguments, the Kazakh side did not withdraw its request. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan economized its water usage by introducing circulation schedules, even though Kyrgyzstan's farmers also required irrigation water. It's noteworthy that the water levels in the Talas Valley remain very low."
As a result of the meeting, a protocol was signed indicating that water supply to Kazakhstan would cease from the second decade of August. The possibility of resuming supply from Kazakhstan was discussed based on an increase in inflow to the Kirov Reservoir.
"Unfortunately, the current water flow into the reservoir is merely 1.0 cubic meter per second, without observable increases. In 2022, the water inflow was 13.7 cubic meters per second. It's important to note that Kazakhstan has the option of receiving water from the Talas River through a collector-drainage network along the state border, ranging from 5 to 8 cubic meters per second," the department added.
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, as of August 9, the volume of the Kirov Reservoir in the Talas River basin was 32.48 mn cubic meters, which is 144.8 mn cubic meters less than the same period last year (177.28 mn cubic meters).
"Along the Talas River, based on the 2022 schedule, Kazakhstan's demand for August is 45 cubic meters per second, but in reality, no water is supplied—0 cubic meters per second. Currently, negotiations are ongoing with Kyrgyzstan's Talas Regional Water Management Authority regarding water supply from the reservoir at a rate of at least 5 cubic meters per second to sustain the operations of the T.I Baturov Zhambyl Thermal Power Plant and to maintain ecological water discharge in the Talas River," the statement says.
According to the department, several districts in the southern region of Kazakhstan are experiencing a deficit of irrigation water, and "around 4,000 hectares of onions and sugar beets are at risk due to the lack of water supply from the Kirov Reservoir."
Deputy Minister Galidulla Azidullin is currently in the Zhambyl region to address the arising challenges.
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