New reservoirs for 180 million cubic meters will appear in Kazakhstan

By the end of this year, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan plans to commission new and reconstructed reservoirs, which will allow additional accumulation of up to 180 million cubic meters of water.

The construction of new and reconstruction of existing reservoirs will make it possible to more effectively counteract floods and collect more meltwater for further use in agriculture and industry, the press service of the department reports.

Currently, the Baidibek-ata and Karakuys reservoirs are being built in the Turkestan region, and the Kyzyl Agash reservoir is being reconstructed in the Zhetisu region. A storage tank on the Zhabai River is being built in Akmola Region, and three small reservoirs are planned to be built as part of the dredging of the Chaglinka riverbed. It is planned to complete the construction of three Andas ponds in Zhambyl region.

Reconstruction of the Yntala reservoir in the Zhambyl region, the Kirov reservoir in the West Kazakhstan region and the Kapshagai reservoir in the Turkestan region continues.

According to the Concept of development of the water resources management system, it is planned to build 42 new and reconstruct 37 existing reservoirs in Kazakhstan by the end of 2030. According to the ministry, this will ensure sustainable water supply to agriculture, reduce the threat of flooding and reduce dependence on transboundary waters. In the northern regions, new reservoirs will help accumulate 1.5 billion cubic meters of flood water, preventing flooding of 216 settlements. In the south, they will increase irrigation areas by 295 thousand hectares.

“Today, design and estimate documentation is being developed for the construction of 6 and reconstruction of 15 reservoirs. In addition, the Ministry is actively attracting investors. There is already an agreement with the Islamic Development Bank, according to which it is planned to start construction of 4 new and reconstruction of 4 existing reservoirs this year. The second stage of cooperation with the IDB provides for the construction of 11 and reconstruction of 13 reservoirs,” Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov said.