At the 87th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC), held in Ashgabat on November 6 of this year, water intake limits were approved for the non-growing season of 2024-2025.

Recently, detailed information emerged about how the countries of the region distributed water among themselves.  

 

Tajikistan to receive nearly 3.3 billion cubic meters

From October 1, 2024 to April 1, 2025, 2.941 billion m³ of water from the Amu Darya River was allocated for the needs of Tajikistan. As part of the distribution approved for the countries of the region, Tajikistan will also receive 365 million m³ from the Syr Darya River.

The total volume of water intake from the Amu Darya will be 15.791 billion m³, of which:

– Turkmenistan received 6.5 billion m³;

– Uzbekistan – 5.98 billion m³.

From Syr Darya, the total distribution volume will be 4.247 billion m³:

– Kazakhstan received 488 million m³;

– Kyrgyzstan – 47 million m³;

– Uzbekistan – 3.347 billion m³.

Water distribution takes into account the needs of countries in agriculture, industry and provision of drinking water to the population.

 

Results of water resources use

Based on the results of the 2024 vegetation period, Tajikistan became one of the leaders in the efficient use of water intake limits in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins. Of the total limit of 6 billion 326.3 million m³, the republic used 90.6%.

In general, the approved water intake limits for the Amu Darya River basin have been used by 85.3%. Of the planned 39 billion 701.6 million m³, 33 billion 829.1 million m³ have actually been used.

For comparison: Turkmenistan used 13 billion 959.9 million m³, which is 90.1% of the limit; Uzbekistan – 13 billion 542.9 million m³, which corresponds to 78.6% of the limit.

 

Aral Sea lost 41% of water

According to the decision, 1.672 billion m³ of water is expected to be supplied to the Aral Sea and the Aral Sea region in 2025. This is more than 30% higher than the actual volume supplied in the previous non-vegetation period, when 1.273 billion m³ of water was supplied instead of the planned 2.1 billion m³, i.e. only 59% of this volume was actually supplied.

This once again highlights the need to strengthen coordination among countries in the region to prevent further drying up of the Aral Sea.

 

Nurek Reservoir: Forecast for the non-growing season 2024-2025

The meeting also approved the forecast operating mode of the Nurek Reservoir for the non-growing season.

At the beginning of the period, the volume of water in the reservoir will be 10.568 billion m³. The inflow is expected to be 3.696 billion m³, and the release – 7.772 billion m³.

By the end of the period, the water volume will decrease to 6.151 billion m³, which corresponds to a drawdown (a decrease in the water level in the reservoir during a period of time when water discharges from the reservoir exceed the inflow) of 4.417 billion m³.

For the Nurek reservoir in 2024, the inflow during the vegetation period exceeded the forecasts and amounted to 16.388 billion m³ (109% of the expected), and the release amounted to 12.634 billion m³ (114.9% of the planned). This high level of water content made it possible to accumulate the necessary water reserves to provide water users in the lower reaches of the river.