Kazakhstan, France advance joint efforts to protect Lake Balkhash
Astana has hosted an open meeting of a working group developing a master plan for the conservation of the Lake Balkhash ecosystem, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The project is being carried out in cooperation with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement), and the French Geological Survey (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières).
The meeting brought together representatives of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, the Information and Analytical Center of Water Resources, the Balkhash-Alakol Basin Inspection, Kazhydromet, the Institute of Geography and Water Security, Kazakhmys Corporation, the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Center, as well as French project partners.
French experts presented interim findings from research conducted across several key areas, including agriculture, hydrology, glacier runoff assessment, hydrogeology, water use, and water resource allocation modeling.
Particular attention was given to sustainable water resource management in the Lake Balkhash basin under changing climate conditions. Experts outlined approaches to forecasting river flow, assessing future changes in glacier-fed water supplies, studying interactions between surface and groundwater, and applying advanced modeling tools to support decision-making.
A separate session examined the potential use of modern digital tools to analyze water allocation scenarios and prepare basin management plans.
Following the discussions, experts integrated findings from various research fields into a unified assessment framework for the Lake Balkhash watershed and identified priority issues requiring further study.
The master plan is expected to be finalized and presented by the end of 2026.
“Following the visit of the French experts, the next stages of the master plan’s development will be refined, including the preparation of water management scenarios through 2040, the selection of climate models, and additional research in specific areas. Joint work by Kazakh and French experts will continue through the end of 2026 to integrate research findings, improve modeling calculations, and prepare the final document. The master plan will provide a scientific basis for long-term decisions aimed at preserving the Lake Balkhash ecosystem and ensuring sustainable management of the basin’s water resources,” said Kairatgali Khairulla, Chairman of the Board of the Information and Analytical Center of Water Resources.
Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan and France had signed a cooperation agreement to preserve Lake Balkhash.
