At a government meeting on Tuesday, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov warned of potential water supply risks in the southern regions of Kazakhstan for the upcoming growing season. Experts outlined specific limits on water use and identified the main reasons for the expected deficit, reports Exclusive.kz, citing Vlast.kz.
In 2026, the southern regions of Kazakhstan may face serious difficulties due to an impending water shortage. Nurzhan Nurzhigitov reported this, emphasizing the established limits on water use for the Kyzylorda, Almaty, Zhambyl, Turkestan regions, and the Zhetysu region. In particular, for the Zhambyl region, it is planned to revise the limits downward, and the final figures will be sent to the regional akimats by March 1.
The minister specifically noted that the Aral-Syrdarya and Shu-Talas basins are of greatest concern. According to him, the water level in the Toktogul reservoir is 1.5 cubic kilometers lower than last year. This situation may force the reservoir to switch to a storage mode at the beginning of the growing season, which will limit the water supply through the interstate channel "Dostyk" for the needs of the Turkestan region – Maktaaral and Zhetysay districts.
In this regard, Nurzhigitov urged local akimats to strictly adhere to the established limits on water intake, especially regarding rice crops:
- Turkestan region: exclude rice planting along the "Dostyk" channel; along the Kyzylkum channel – no more than 3,500 hectares.
- Kyzylorda region: no more than 70,000 hectares for rice.
Additionally, the Shardara reservoir has also been switched to a storage mode.
In the Shu-Talas basin, there is a risk of insufficient filling of the Kirov reservoir, which is a key source of drinking and irrigation water for the Zhambyl region. Currently, the volume of the reservoir is 314 million cubic meters, which is 50% less than last year. It is expected that by April 1, the volume will reach 400-410 million cubic meters, allowing Kazakhstan to take only 285 million cubic meters with a minimum need of 400 million cubic meters.
Alongside this, the minister emphasized that there is particular concern regarding reservoirs whose filling mainly depends on internal sources.
the minister noted.
Thus, the Bogen reservoir in the Turkestan region is filled to 278 million cubic meters (46 million cubic meters less than last year), and the Badam reservoir is filled to 32 million cubic meters (18 million cubic meters less). A similar situation is observed in the Zhambyl region at the Ters-Ashybulak, Karakonyz, Kakpatas, Zhartas, and Burkitty reservoirs.
In light of the current situation, it becomes extremely important to actively implement water-saving technologies and reduce the areas allocated for moisture-loving agricultural crops.
