The level of Balkhash has grown thanks to releases from Kapshagai

The water level in Lake Balkhash has shown positive dynamics over the past year, rising by 12 centimeters. The mark reached 341.64 meters according to the Baltic altitude system, whereas a year earlier it was 341.52 meters. Such an increase led to an increase in the total volume of water in a unique reservoir by 2 billion cubic meters, the press service of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The key factor in improving the situation was the targeted releases of water from the Kapshagai reservoir, located in the Almaty region and regulating the flow of the main waterway of the region – the Ili River. Since the beginning of this year, 3.8 billion cubic meters of water have been sent to Lake Balkhash. This is significantly more than in the same period last year, when the output volume reached 2.9 billion cubic meters.

The increase in water inflow has a beneficial effect on the ecological situation of the entire region, including the state of the lake itself and the unique delta of the Ili River. In addition, the stable filling of the Kapshagai reservoir provides the necessary resources for the successful irrigation season at the Akdalinsky and Shengeldinsky irrigation massifs, which is important for the agriculture of the region.

The water balance of Lake Balkhash critically depends on the flow of the transboundary Ili River originating outside Kazakhstan. Regulation of this runoff is carried out through the Kapshagai reservoir. The plans for the current year are to send a total of 12 billion cubic meters of water from the reservoir to Balkhash to maintain and improve the condition of the lake.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov said that his department is doing a comprehensive job to provide Balkhash with the necessary volumes of water. He announced the upcoming discussion next week with experts from France on the development of a “Master Plan for the preservation of Balkhash.” This strategic document will be designed for the long term, until 2040. The Minister also recalled the agreement reached last year on conducting a joint study of the entire basin of Lake Balkhash.