THE ARAL-SYR DARYA BASIN

Location

The territory of the Basin includes the Syr Darya river basin with tributaries, and part of the Aral Sea within the borders of Kazakhstan. The Syr Darya originates outside the Kazakh territory in the Fergana Valley, rises in two headstreams – the Naryn River and the Kara Darya, and flows for 2,212 km (1,374 mi) to the Aral Sea, in the Kazakh territory – 1,746 km (1,085 mi). The largest tributaries of Syr Darya within the Kazakh territory are Keles, Arys, Badam, Boraldai, Bugun, while much smaller rivers run from the South-Western slopes of the Karatau ridge. Apart from the Syr Darya River and the Kazakh segment of the «Hungry Steppe» is irrigated from the Uzbek territory via Dostyk Canal, a portion of the Chirchik river flow is supplied via the CHAKIR canal system, and via the ARTUR canal system and other smaller systems. During the period from 1960 to 2002 the Aral Sea level dropped for more than 22 m, i.e. more than 0.5 m/year on average. In certain years the level dropped by more than 1 m. On the whole in 42 years the area of the Aral Sea shrank from 67,000 (25,869 mi²) to 19,000 km2 (7,335 mi²), i.e. by more than 3.5 times. The volume of water decreased from 1,090 km3 (261.5 mi3) to 130 km3 (31 mi3), i.e. more than 8 times. Average depth decreased from 16m (52.5 ft.) to 6.8 m (22.3 ft.). In 1988-1989 the Aral Sea split into two water bodies – the Greater Sea and the Lesser Sea (North Aral Sea). These two stretches existed earlier and were united by the former Berg Strait. The climate in the Syr Darya Basin, in its plain part in particular, is dry and acutely continental. It is characterized by long and hot summers, unusually cold winters, significant annual and daily variations of air temperature, great dryness of air, small cloudiness, scarcity of rainfall at its uneven annual distribution and insignificant snow cover. According to the Senior Department of Land Use and Land Utilization, the land area within the Syr Darya Basin totals 29,756,430 ha.

Population

Within the territory of the Basin there are 11 towns, of which Chimkent and Kyzylorda are regional centres, and 21 settlements with the population of more than 40,000 people. The total population of the Basin reaches 3.2 mln.people.

Groundwater

Total expected groundwater resources of the basin is estimated in thousand m3/day (mln. m3/ year): 24929.9 (9099.4), including by level of mineralization: less than 1 g/dm3 – 9539.9 (3482.1); 1-3 g/dm3 –10293.2 (3757) and 1-10 g/dm3 – 5096.8 (1860.3). Within the analysed territory 65 groundwater deposits and areas are prospected and confirmed with the quantity of recoverable reserves totalling 2708.08 thousand m3/day (1014.7 mln. m3/year), including by level of mineralization, in g/dm3: less than 1 – 2177.58 (794.8) and more than 1 – 602.5 thousand m3/day (219.9 mln. m3/year), by designated purpose distributed as follows, thousand m3/day (mln. m3/year): • Household and drinking water supply – 2679.44 (978); • Industrial water supply – 300.14 (109.6); • Irrigation – 460.5 (168.1); • Mineral water – 4.6 (1.6). Ecosystems

On a greater part of the territory the zonal lowland ecosystems have degraded due to grazing, or turned into agricultural land, including irrigated. Water ecosystems – the Aral Sea, lakes, rivers and water storage reservoirs, are forage and nesting grounds for waterfowl and wading birds, spawning locations and feeding grounds of juvenile fish, habitat for muskrats, and a buffer zone between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Due to change of stream conditions and excessive haymowing the coen has qualitatively restructured, floodplain meadows are critically endangered. The area of reed meadows has decreased by 6-7 times since the sixties. The area of tugais decreased by 26-28 times. Meadowlands (pastures, hayfields, pasture haloxylon fields) total 70-80% of the territory and are to various degrees susceptible to maninduced degradation. In total 85% of meadowlands are degraded. Flora of the Syr Darya Basin includes more than 2,000 species of plants, the greater portion belonging to the fl ora of the Karatau Mountains and Western Tien Shan ridge (1,666 species). The flora of the lowlands is much poorer – not more than 400 species, of which 210 can be found in hydromorphic habitats (intrazonal ecosystems). Fauna of the Syr Darya Basin is represented by two types of amphibias, 23 reptiles, 319 birds and more that 40 mammals, of these 34 species of birds are in the Red Book of Kazakhstan (Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) and Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), little egret (Egretta garzetta), spoonbill (Platalea), glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), marbled duck (Anas angustirostris), white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and great blackheaded gull (Larus ichthyaetus), houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata), etc.) and 5 mammals (Vespertilio bobrinskii (Eptesicus bobrinskoi), marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), Pallas’ cat (Felis manul), goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) and Asiatic wild ass). The mammals are mainly represented by desert species, the number of which in the Basin is not less than 25, including 11 wide spread species.

Industry

Industry in the ASB is represented with oilrefining plants (oil and oil gas extraction and processing), mining (nonferrous metals, uranium, building materials); manufacturing (mainly mechanical engineering, food and light industry), as well as production and distribution of electric power, gas and water. The South Kazakhstan region. Manufacturing with its 80.1% share is the dominating industry in the region. The share of gas, water and electricity generation and distribution in the total production reaches 9.9%. Mining accounts for 10.0%. Production of foodstuffs holds the largest share (40%) within the region’s production sector. The Kyzylorda region has great reserves of mineral resources. The region has 66% off- balance reserves of vanadium, 20.1% of zinc, 13.1% of uranium, 13.6% of lead, 2.1% of oil, 1.5% of natural gas, etc. In the Kyzylorda region industrial water supply of NE «KyzylordaEnergyCentre» is provided from its own water diversion facilities on the Syr Darya, JSC «MRTC» and oil-refining plants – from their own groundwater wells. Water for industrial enterprises in the northern industrial district is supplied from the technical water pipeline of NE «KyzylordaEnergyCentre». Main water consumers in Chimkent are large industrial enterprises, inter alia: JSC «Himfarm», Energo Ortalyk-3, Ltd «PetroKazahstan Oil Products», JSC «ShymkentCement», JSC «UzhPoleMetal».

Agriculture

Of the total ASB area agricultural lands occupy 17,172,880 ha, or 57.71 %, including: arable land – 3.44 %, hayfi elds – 0.83 %, pastures – 52.7 %, other – 0.74 %. Earlier the irrigated land totaled 768,630 ha of the territory, these days – 730,000 ha, or 4.2 % of the total area of agricultural land. Crop production makes 60.3 % of agricultural production. The priority crop produced in the Kyzylorda region is rice (78,000 ha) and in the South Kazakhstan region – cotton (140,000 ha). The Aral – Syr Darya basin occupies one third of the irrigated land in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Due to a number of circumstances about 100,000 ha of irrigated land has not been used in agriculture, which was caused by land degradation and deterioration of irrigation and drainage networks. Irrigated land of the South Kazakhstan region is concentrated in the form of large irrigated tracts, e.g. former Golodnosteppe irrigated tract, Kyzylkum, Arys-Turkestan, Keless tracts and smaller irrigated strips (off-tract land). Irrigated areas were mainly used for production of cotton, fodder and vegetable crops. Of total regularly irrigated area 46 % were under cotton crops, 30 % - fodder crops, 8 % – rice (Kyzylkum tract – 1 stage), and the rest of the area was under vegetables, gardens and vineyards. These days the Syr Darya Basin irrigated land is exploited as follows: cotton – 44 %, fodder crops – 31 %, grain crops – 4 % and other crops. Crop rotation is not always observed. Irrigated land of the Kyzylorda region is also located in large tracts, inter alia: Zhanakorgan- Shieliy, Kyzylordinskiy Left-bank and Rightbank, Kazalinsk. During the whole period of their exploitation the irrigation systems of the region were neither refurbished nor properly serviced or repaired, which explains their high level of wear and tear and, as a consequence, low meliorative efficiency. The Basin has about 1.1 mln. ha of land potentially suitable for irrigation; however, the increase in the irrigated areas is hindered by shortage of irrigating water.

Water supply

Water supply of towns, settlements and a number of industrial enterprises is ensured through the use of groundwater and surface water. Groundwater is most intensively exploited for household and drinking, industrial water supply, irrigation and pasture watering. As of end 2009 459 settlements of the Basin were united in a central water supply system. The length of the water pipe networks totals 3,200.0 km (1,988 mi). The population of thesesettlements makes 56% of the total population. Formally this part of the population is considered supplied with drinking water. In reality not everyone receives water from the water supply system as the water pipes in the settlements do not cover all the households and are in poor state. On average 50-80% of households are supplied with water. Water supply for the population is organized mainly through the network of standpipes. The inhabitants of 517 populated localities are supplied with water from local sources. The state of water supply in 115 settlements is unsatisfactory as the population has to bring drinking water from neighbouring localities.

Fish industry

Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) was by size and proportion the dominant fish in the North Aral Sea and made the basis of fish production. However, increase in water outflow in the Syr Darya and intensive freshening of the Small Aral Sea leads to its significant stock reduction. Positive change in stream conditions allows for restoration of former native fish fauna. Of 25 fish species 19 are marketable fish. Large is the population of native fresh-water fi sh – Aral roach (Rutilus rutilus aralensis), Aral carp (Cyprinus caprio aralensis), carpbream (Abramis brama), pike perch (Stizostedion lucioperca) and Aral asp (Aspius aspius iblioides). The species diversity, abundance, and supplies of fresh-water fish are constantly increasing. The carp has become one of the main fishery objects in NAS. The carpbream, ziege or sabre carp (Pelecus cultratus) and asp are increasing their population. It should be noted that in the fresh-water zone of the sea there lives the Aral Barbel (Barbus brachycephalus), which is included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. In fl oodplain ponds of the Syr Darya river the silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), asp, carpbream, White-eye bream (Abramis sapa), pike perch, carp, roach (Rutilus rutilus), Wels catfish (Silurus glanis), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), Prussian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) are the objects of commercial fishery. The silver carp, asp, carp, grass carp, carpbream are most important commercial fish species. The basis of fi sh resources of the Kamyshlybash and Akshatau lacustrine systems is the carpbream and roach (Rutilus rutilus).

Forestry

The forest resources fund on the territory of the Basin occupies the area of only 9,603,300 ha, of which the area of land covered with forests makes 5,418,100 ha. The land is under the responsibility of the MAK Committee on Forestry. The percentage of forest land totals 18.21 %, including in the South Kazakhstan region – 5.55 % and Kyzylorda region – 22.56 %. In the Kyzylorda region it is mainly Haloxylon woods, in the South Kazakhstan region – mountain forests. Desert Haloxylon woods occupy more than 86 % of forest resources fund covered with forests. At present on the territory of the ASB there function three State Reserves (Aksu- Zhabaglin, Karatau and Barsakelmes), two wildlife preserves (Torangylsay and Kargalinsk) and one National Park (Sairam-Ugam), i.e. the total area of SPNT making 0.5 mln.ha.

Sanitary discharges

The study of «SoyuzVodProyekt (Water Design Alliance)» on the Syr Darya Basin (Activities on radical improvement of water use in the country. The territory of Central Asian Republics and of South Kazakhstan. «SoyuzVod-Proyekt», Moscow, 1981) has recommended 50 m3/s as permissible sanitary minimum of water consumption. In accordance with the Government Resolutions of the former USSR and Kazakh SSR (№ 1110 and 850 on measures to protect the Aral Sea) the minimum discharges in the lower reaches of the river could not drop below 30 m3/s.

Water balance

Water consumption is provided for mainly with surface water resources (93.6 %). The share of groundwater reaches 3.9 %, and return water and wastewater total 2.5 %. It should be noted, however, that 50 % of «river water» flowing from neighbouring countries represent return waters. According to the ASBI, the total number of registered water users in the basin has stabilized for the past 7 years at the level of 550-572 consumers. In the South Kazakhstan region their number is twice as high as in Kyzylorda. Cumulative volume of water diversion for industrial needs from all the sources in the basin is estimated as follows.

Legislation

In accordance with the current legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Water Code Article 40) basin management in the use and protection of water resources of the Aral-Syr Darya basin carries the Aral-Syrdarya basin inspection on protection and use of water resources (BI), which is a regional body of the authorized body in the field of use and protection of water resources. Kazakhstan has all the prerequisites for the transition to IWRM, but you must perform a large range of institutional, legislative and information measures to ensure the development of this process. The necessary legal framework for the implementation of IWRM principles, such as water, land, the Forestry Code (2003) and the Environmental Code (2006), the Law "On Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare of the Population" (2002), "On rural consumer cooperatives of water users' Act RK "On Subsoil and Subsoil Protection" (2010) and other legal documents.