Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov held a meeting in Almaty to prepare for the second phase of the project to restore the Northern Aral Sea. The meeting, held at the office of the Executive Directorate of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan, was attended by IFAS specialists and designers.
The Minister got acquainted with the progress of developing a feasibility study for the project and the adopted options for increasing and stabilizing water resources in the Northern Aral Sea.
The project consists of three main components. The first component involves improving conditions for fishing and the aquatic environment in and near the sea, as well as stabilizing wetlands in the Syrdarya River delta. The water infrastructure will be improved and the hydrological condition of the Northern Aral Sea and the Syrdarya delta will be improved.
The second component provides support for sustainable economic, social and environmental activities in the Kyzylorda region through the development of fisheries, livestock farming, tourism and forest planting. The third component is expected to improve water resource management systems in the Aral-Syr Darya basin.
Following the meeting, the minister instructed to develop a feasibility study within the prescribed period and hold public hearings on the project in the Aral Sea region.
“The upcoming project is a continuation of a large-scale project to regulate the bed of the Syrdarya River and preserve the Northern Aral Sea, which was implemented from 2002 to 2010 and had a positive effect on the entire Aral Sea region. The second phase covers many different areas – from a stable supply of water to the Northern Aral Sea to the development of economic and social projects,” noted Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/water/press/news/details/819423?lang=ru
