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Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan : Challenges and Solutions

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Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan : Challenges and Solutions SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT IN TURKMENISTAN : CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS MASTER THESIS Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation Master of Science Program Amangul Ovezberdyyeva Greifswald, November 2009 Master Thesis “Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan: Challenges and Solutions” Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Konrad Ott (Environment Ethics) Dr. Niels Thevs (Geobotany and Landscape Ecology) Head of the Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald University: Prof. Dr. Martin Schnittler Thesis submitted to the Botany and Landscape Ecology Institute of Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation. This document describes work undertaken as part of a programme of study at the Botany and Landscape Ecology Institute of Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald. All views and opinions expressed therein remain the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of the institute. Amangul Ovezberdyyeva 2 Master Thesis “Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan: Challenges and Solutions” Acknowledgements My supervisor Prof. Dr. Ott deserves great thanks for his support during the preparation for this thesis and for his supervision during the work. Great thanks also deserve my supervisor Dr. Thevs for his advices and supervision. I would also like to thank all colleagues from the Amu Darya Nature Reserve for arranging my field work in Lebap Velayat. Great thank deserve the Michael Succow Foundation that granted my two year’s study with Eva-Klien Scholarship. Amangul Ovezberdyyeva 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................9 1.1. Objectives ...........................................................................................................................10 2. Study area ..................................................................................................................................12 2.1. Geographic Position ...........................................................................................................12 2.2. Relief and geology..............................................................................................................13 2.3. Soils ....................................................................................................................................14 2.4. Hydrology...........................................................................................................................15 2.4.1. Amu Darya river regime..............................................................................................16 2.5. Climate ...............................................................................................................................17 2.6. Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................18 2.6.1. Flora.............................................................................................................................18 2.6.2. Fauna ...........................................................................................................................19 2.7. Industry...............................................................................................................................20 2.8. Social aspects......................................................................................................................20 3. Methods .....................................................................................................................................22 3.1. Literature Review ...............................................................................................................22 3.2. Pressure-State-Response Model .........................................................................................23 3.3. Interview.............................................................................................................................24 4. Results .......................................................................................................................................26 4.1. History of land use systems in Turkmenistan.....................................................................26 4.1.1. Prior to Soviet Union Period .......................................................................................26 4.1.2. Soviet Union Period ....................................................................................................28 4.1.3. Independent Turkmenistan (Past Soviet Union Period) ..............................................30 4.2. Interpretation of interview data ..........................................................................................32 4.3. Environmental situation......................................................................................................45 4.3.1. Environmental Pressure...............................................................................................45 4.3.1.1. Water consumption.........................................................................................45 4.3.1.2. Karakum Canal...............................................................................................46 4.3.1.3. Water losses....................................................................................................47 4.3.1.4. Water pollution...............................................................................................48 4.3.1.5. Soil pollution ..................................................................................................48 4.3.1.6. Air pollution ...................................................................................................49 4.3.1.7. Population growth ..........................................................................................50 4.3.1.8. Deforestation ..................................................................................................50 4.3.1.9. Fires and Overgrazing ....................................................................................50 4.3.1.10. Climate change .............................................................................................51 4.3.1.11. The pressures on the Amu Darya State Reserve...........................................51 4.3.2. Current State of Environment......................................................................................52 4.3.2.1. Water scarcity.................................................................................................52 4.3.2.2. Aral Sea desiccation .......................................................................................53 4.3.2.3. Poor water quality...........................................................................................54 Master Thesis “Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan: Challenges and Solutions” 4.3.2.4. Land degradation............................................................................................55 4.3.2.5. Low population health....................................................................................55 4.3.2.6. Droughts .........................................................................................................56 4.3.2.7. Desertification ................................................................................................56 4.3.3. Response......................................................................................................................57 4.3.3.1. Government activities.....................................................................................57 4.3.3.2. Conservation and sustainable water use .........................................................58 4.3.3.3. Sustainable conservation and land use ...........................................................61 4.3.3.4. Theory of Environmental Sustainability.........................................................62 5. Discussion..................................................................................................................................63 6. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................69 Reference list .................................................................................................................................71 Appendix Interview data Amangul Ovezberdyyeva 6 Master Thesis “Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan: Challenges and Solutions” LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Land cover classes (Practical Project 2008) Table 2 Climatic parameters of Amu Darya River valley (Orlovsky and Volosyuk 1974) Table 3 Average monthly wage in Turkmenistan (Marochkina 2005; Marochkina 2006) Table 4 Variations in the area of land irrigated, and sown to cotton and wheat 1884-2005 (Ohara 1997; O'Hara and Hannan 1999; Stanchin and Lerman 2005) Table 5 State supplier of agricultural inputs Table 6 Water intake and water use in Turkmenistan, 1970-2004 (Stanchin and Lerman 2005) Table 7 Water intake and water use by velayats of Turkmenistan, 2001 (Rajapov et al.2002; data from www.ecogeodb.com) Table 8 Actual water-intake from the Amu Darya River by Turkmenistan (Rajapov et al.2002) Table 9 Discharge of drainage waters into the Amu Darya River bed (Nihoul et al. 2004)
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