Kazakhstan to Construct Esil Reservoir for Flood Protection

Kazakhstan is commencing preparations for the construction of the Esil counter-regulator, a hydraulic structure designed to protect settlements in the Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions from seasonal spring floods. Construction and installation works are scheduled to begin next year, following the completion of the state expertise of the project documentation last autumn.

The dam, extending nearly 3.5 kilometers, will have the capacity to hold more than 873 million cubic meters of water. By intercepting peak flood discharges in the upper reaches of the Esil River, the project aims to stabilize the hydrological situation downstream. This measure is intended to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the Petropavlovsk water hub and the Sergeevka hydroelectric power station – protecting critical infrastructure from overloads during the period of intensive snowmelt.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and the Akim of the Akmola region, Marat Akhmetzhanov, recently inspected the future construction site. During a field meeting, officials discussed work schedules and the multi-purpose application of the facility. Beyond flood mitigation, the reservoir will accumulate water for economic use, including the irrigation of 25,000 hectares of agricultural land and the restoration of the ecological balance within the river floodplain.