Central Asian countries agree on reservoir operations for 2026-2027
The 95th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) of Central Asia was held in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.
The meeting brought together Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Head of the Main Department of Water and Energy Policy at Tajikistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources Daler Abdukhalok, Chairman of Turkmenistan’s State Committee for Water Management Durdy Genjiyev, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Resources Shavkat Khamrayev.
Participants reviewed the results of the 2026 growing season in the Syrdarya and Amudarya river basins and agreed on water withdrawal volumes and reservoir operating schedules for the 2026-2027 non-growing season.
According to officials, water management in the Syrdarya basin remained stable throughout the growing season. Around 3.69 billion cubic meters of water flowed into the Shardara Reservoir in Turkistan region, exceeding forecasts by 840 million cubic meters.
Inflows into the reservoir are expected to reach approximately 10 billion cubic meters during the upcoming non-growing season.
The participants also discussed improving water accounting and monitoring across the region. They agreed to convene a working group to develop a draft plan for introducing an automated water accounting system in the Syrdarya basin.
It was earlier reported, Kazakhstan to develop groundwater management concept for 2027-2040.
