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The Second Aral Sea Basin Program

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The Second Aral Sea Basin Program Aral Sea Basin 1. LARGE-SCALE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LANDS 2. CONFLICT OF HUMAN AND NATURE 3. ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS INCREASED LEVEL OF WATER MINERALIZATION SOIL SALINITY DECREASED PRODUCTIVITY OF LANDS DESERTIFICATION CHANGES OF FLORA AND FAUNA (decline of biodiversity) etc. 4. SOCIAL PROBLEMS DECREASE OF THE POPULATION LIVING STANDARD WORSENING OF THE HEALTH CONDITIONS WORSENING OF THE DRINKING WATER QUALITY , etc. Large-scale development of new lands The full-scale development of new lands in the region for cultivation of cotton and rice was initiated after March (1965) and May (1966) Plenums of the Committee of Soviet Communistic Party and the Soviet Republics Council of Ministers, where the decisions on the development of agriculture and irrigated agriculture were made. The Aral Sea has started to dry due to excessive abstraction of water for irrigation for newly developed lands in its basin. From 1966 to 1990 the irrigated area increased from 4.3 mln. ha to 8.04 mln. ha., as the result water withdrawals for irrigation was doubled. So, by 1990 the water level in the Aral Sea decreased to more than 20 meters and water area declined by more than threefold. Water and land resources of the region as of 2012 Runoff km3 / year Irrigated Population, State Syrdarya Amudarya Total lands, th. ha mln. Kazakhstan 4,5 - 4,5 560,5 3,1* Kyrgyzstan 27,4 1,9 29,3 422,0 2,52* Tajikistan 1,1 62,9 64,0 719,0 7,6 Turkmenistan - 2,78 2,78 1735,0 6,7 Uzbekistan 4,14 4,7 8,84 4233,0 29,0 Всего 37,14 72,28 109,42 7669,5 48,92 * The share of population in the Aral Sea basin. Dynamics of the Aral sea degradation 2000 1973 1989 2000 2011 Water volume, km3 1 200 1 000 800 600 –90% 400 200 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 SOURCE: NASA; Uzglavhydromet; mass-media materials Aral sea: affluent and degraded 1960 2015 Consequences of the ecological crisis: Significant growth of infectious diseases, cancer and other diseases, in those areas where Syrdarya water is used for the drinking water purposes. First of all the crisis affects the most vulnerable groups - women and children. The infant mortality rate was 26.3 per 1 thousand people. Source: compulenta.computerra.ru Source: dw.de 1. In 1992 the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed the Heads of Central Asian states to join their efforts to mitigate the negative impact of the Aral Sea drying on the environment and people of the region. 2. In February 1992 water authorities of Central Asian states signed the "Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on cooperation in the joint management of use and protection of transboundary water resources“. 3. Signing of the heads of Central Asian states on March, 26 1993 "Agreement on joint action on addressing the crisis in the Aral Sea" and the establishment of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) with the branches in the states of Central Asia. THE FIRST ARAL SEA BASIN PROGRAM – ASBP-1 In January 1994, in Nukus there was adopted the first program of concrete actions to improve the environmental situation in the Aral Sea basin, which later became known as the ASBP-1. UNDP, UNEP, World Bank, GEF, EBRD, ADB, TACIS, the German bank KfW, Kuwait Fund ERA, USAID and others were actively participating in its preparatory process. The following aims were defined as the main: Stabilization of the environment in the Aral Sea basin; Restoration of disturbed ecology in the Aral Sea region; Improved methods of managing land and water resources of the basin; Creating administrative structures at all levels for planning and implementation of the Program. THE SECOND ARAL SEA BASIN PROGRAM – ASBP-2 On October 6, 2002 in Dushanbe it was approved the Program of concrete actions to improve the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea basin for the period of 2003-2010 (ASBP-2), which was approved by the IFAS Board on August 28, 2003. It included 14 priority directions, joined into 4 groups: Water economical; Social-economic; Environmental; Environmental monitoring. THE THIRD ARAL SEA BASIN PROGRAM – ASPB-3 In April 2009, in Almaty, it was decided to develop the next action program to assist countries in the Aral Sea basin for the period 2011-2015 (ASBP-3). This program was approved on May 15, 2012 by the decision of the Board of the Fund. The program insludes four directions: Integrated use of water resources; Environmental protection; Socio-economic development; Improving institutional and legal instruments. First phase of the project «Regulation of Syrdarya river flow and preservation of the Northern Aral sea» Kokaral dam Kyzylorda hydro facility “Aklak” hydro facility” Shardara reservoir Kazalynsk hydro facility Arnasay dam “Aitek” hydro facility “Karaozek” construction Data from the “Kazgiprovodkhoz” institute N Northern Aral sea in 2007 – 41,78 m Aral S Small Aral sea Aral Aral seaSea Kazali Syrdarya in 1961 – 53,31 m in 1980 – 45,76 m in 1985 – 41,95 m in 1992 (North AS) – 39.0 м Data from the “Kazgiprovodkhoz” institute Kokaral dam View from channel downstream of the wasteway facility Building dike of Kokaral dam Working wasteway facility Dynamics of changes of the main parameters of the northern part of the Aral Sea (Small Aral) Units of Before the project After implementing first Main parameters measure implementation phase of the project Watermark level m, by Baltic 38,8 42,0 system Water surface area km2 2414 3288 Water volume km3 15,6 27,1 Water g/l 23 17-10 mineralization Industrial fishing th. tones 0,4 5 The complex of “Aitek” hydro facility Reconstruction of Kyzylorda and Kazalinsk hydroworks facility View from the channel upstream View from the channel downstream Reconstruction of Shardara reservoir facilities View from the channel downstream of Shardara HPP Dike of Arnasay dam Tower water outlet into the Kyzylkum trunk In the zone of ecological disaster in Kazakhstan: around 1148 km of water pipelines and 1428 km intra-water networks were put into operation. 96 settlements were provided with centralized water supply. projects on creating local water systems in the delta of the Syr Darya, the social support of the population, creating jobs, improving the quality of medical service were implemented. Position of Kazakhstan in the field of water resources management on transboundary rivers Kazakhstan adheres to the state policy in the field of joint water use and protection of transboundary rivers, based on international water law. The development of bilateral relations with the international legal norms relating not only to the quantitative distribution of water, but also covering issues of quality. Seeking for the optimal balance between irrigation and hydropower. Ensuring equal conditions of water management on transboundary rivers for Central Asian states. Strengthening regional cooperation on the basis of international conventions. The second phase of the project «Regulation of Syrdarya river flow and preservation of the Northern Aral sea» Reconstruction of the North part of the Aral North Aral sea Aralsk Sea (two options are considered) Restoring the Kamishlibash and Akshatau lake systems Construction of protection dikes in Kazaly Kazalinsk and Karmakshi districts Zhosaly Karaozek Kyzylorda Telikol Shiyely Aral sea Reconstruction and expansion of the ponds in the area of Tastak in Kamyslybas Turkistan fish hatchery in Aral district of Kyzylorda region Aris Construction of a road bridge in Kazaly district Koksaray Rectification of Syrdarya riverbed in areas of Korgansha and Turymbet Shardara Shardara Restoration of the left-bank gateway controller Arnasay of Kyzylorda waterworks Айдаркөл Data from the “Kazgiprovodkhoz” institute Option of two-level sea Data from the “Kazgiprovodkhoz” institute Option of one-level sea Data from the “Kazgiprovodkhoz” institute Ecological monitoring of the wetlands in the delta of Syrdarya and their inclusion into the Ramsar list Sustainable flooding of delta (2011-2012); Syrdarya delta wetlands with the area of 330 thousand hectares were included into the list, protected by the Ramsar Convention (end of 2012); The natural-scientific justification (2011) of the reserve territory expending was prepared Executive Board of the International Fund for saving the Aral sea in Kazakhstan Ramsar sites in the delta of Syr Darya river Thank you for attention ARAL SEA.
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