Kazakhstan begins developing eight basin plans to improve long-term water management

Kazakhstan has launched the second phase of drafting eight basin plans for the protection and use of water resources as part of efforts to modernize the country’s water management system under the new Water Code. Separate plans are being prepared for each of Kazakhstan’s eight water management basins.

These documents will evaluate water availability, current water consumption, and the condition of water resources and related infrastructure in each basin. They will also outline steps to upgrade water management and hydraulic facilities, create additional water sources, and restore rivers and other water bodies.

The plans will include measures to prevent and respond to droughts, floods and other water-related risks. Officials also plan to use the documents to strengthen the wider system for managing water use and safeguarding available resources.

In the first stage of preparation, experts gathered and analyzed baseline data on water bodies, surface and groundwater resources, natural and climatic conditions, water quality and existing water use patterns. The review also covered the state of water infrastructure, the environmental situation and socio-economic indicators in the areas covered by each basin.

The second stage will rely on the collected data and water balance calculations to identify existing problems and threats and rank them by priority. Specialists will also project changes in water availability and assess risks linked to the harmful effects of water. In later stages, authorities will define the main goals and priorities for each basin before drawing up specific measures for the sustainable use and protection of water resources.

The possible impact of the proposed measures on the economy, society and environment will also be assessed. On the basis of these evaluations, authorities will choose the most effective program and set a schedule for its implementation. All eight basin plans will factor in projected developments in Kazakhstan’s water basins over a 15-year period, including shifts in water availability, infrastructure needs and demand from the population and economy.

First Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurlan Aldamzharov said the plans would reflect the individual characteristics and conditions of each water management basin.

“Basin plans will serve as the foundation for an updated water resources management system in Kazakhstan. They are being developed separately for each of the country’s eight water management basins and will make it possible to take into account the specific characteristics of each territory, including the availability and volume of water resources, the condition and development prospects of water infrastructure, the needs of the population and economy, the characteristics of individual water management areas and the environmental situation,” Aldamzharov said.

According to the first vice minister, the eight basin plans will later form the basis for a General Plan for Integrated Water Resources Management.