Kazakhstan Deploys New Dredgers to Restore Reservoir Capacity

Kazakhstan will clear its reservoirs of long-standing bottom silt deposits. By the end of the year, the state enterprise Kazvodkhoz will purchase six new dredgers – specialized vessels for mechanical bottom cleaning and deepening. The equipment will operate under the management of Kazvodkhoz within the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

The new vessels will be deployed to the southern and northern regions of the country, where shallowing and the loss of usable reservoir volume remain acute issues. Planned operations include cleaning the Shardara reservoir and the Mashkanal main canal in the Turkestan region. Simultaneous dredging will take place at the Tasotkel reservoir in the Zhambyl region and continue at the Astana reservoir in the Akmola region.

Dredgers enable the restoration of hydraulic structures without the need for draining. The Akmola branch of Kazvodkhoz received two such vessels last year, deploying them for a large-scale cleanup of the Astana reservoir, which had not undergone bottom maintenance since its commissioning 55 years ago. Hydrological calculations indicate that removing accumulated silt from this single facility will increase its capacity by 47 million cubic meters. This expansion will ensure a more stable water supply for the growing population of the capital city during dry periods.

Bottom silting directly reduces the carrying capacity of canals and depletes fresh water reserves. Extracting silt and sand restores the original design characteristics of these water bodies, enabling greater water accumulation during floods and more efficient distribution during the irrigation season. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation plans to gradually expand this dredging practice to water management facilities across Kazakhstan.