Two large reservoirs in Shymkent need major repairs

Two reservoirs in Shymkent — Akzharskoye and Tekesu — need major repairs. Hydraulic structures have been in operation for more than 40 years and have long since exhausted their resource. Despite the absence of threats in normal conditions, they can cause major problems in the event of floods. When the reconstruction of reservoirs will begin, and what work is to be done, the correspondent of Kazinform agency found out:

Eight hydraulic engineering facilities operate in Shymkent, including four reservoirs: Badam, Togys, Akzhar and Tekesu, as well as three waterworks and the Burzhar dam.

All these facilities are state-owned. The Badam and Togys reservoirs are serviced by the RSE “Kazvodkhoz”, while Akzharskoye and Tekesu are on the balance sheet of the municipal enterprise, which is subordinate to the department for the development of a comfortable urban environment of Shymkent.

— Three hydroelectric power plants are located along the Badam River: the upper Badam hydroelectric power plant in the residential area of Zhylanbuzgan, the lower Badam hydroelectric power plant and the Kos-Dierman hydroelectric power plant. These reservoirs do not belong to private owners and play an important role in providing agriculture with rain and meltwater, as well as in flood control, — hydraulic engineering specialists note.

In early November, another aerial visual inspection of reservoirs by helicopter was carried out, as well as ground-based studies in which the balance holders of reservoirs participated. In accordance with the Water Code, they are obliged to monitor the proper operation and timely repair of hydraulic structures, as well as comply with all safety standards.

The survey results showed that the Badam and Togys reservoirs are in satisfactory condition and ready for the flood season.

Akzhar reservoir

The most problematic object is the Akzhar reservoir, built in 1980.

— Despite the shallow depth, this structure is officially classified as a reservoir, although by volume of water it could also be classified as ponds. Reservoirs with a volume of less than a million cubic meters are considered ponds, but according to the passport, Akzhar is a reservoir,” explained a specialist in hydraulic structures.

Over time, it has worn out a lot: the coast is overgrown with reeds, and the bottom requires cleaning from silt and mud. According to the results of the last survey, it was decided to overhaul the reservoir.

— A thorough examination was carried out by the competent authorities, a defective certificate was drawn up — an official document in which all identified defects and damages are recorded. The bottom requires mechanical cleaning of silt deposits and vegetation. Also, the dam needs major repairs and renovation, including locks, emergency discharge, as well as the installation of lighting, fences and warning systems for the public,” Irismat Makhmudov, head of the Emergency prevention Department of the Shymkent Emergency Department, said.

It is planned to allocate 793 million tenge from the city budget for restoration work in 2025. However, before these funds are allocated, the expenses must be approved by the deputies of the City Council at the next session.

Tekes Reservoir Reconstruction Plan

Tekesu is another one of Shymkent’s reservoirs of concern for specialists, built in 1983. Unlike Akzharsky, the last repair on Tekes was carried out in 2017, but since then the dilapidation of the infrastructure has again attracted the attention of specialists.

The Department for the development of a comfortable urban environment reported that the final conclusion on the state of the dam and the possible impact of the reservoir on neighboring settlements has already been sent to the water inspectorate. After passing the necessary procedures, the tank reconstruction project will be included in the work plan.

— We conducted a multifactorial survey of the Tekesu reservoir. Documents are being prepared for submission to the Aral-Syrdarya Basin Inspectorate, which carries out relevant studies. The safety declaration will indicate that major repairs are required. The register will contain information on the need to allocate funds for these works from the local budget,” the Comfortable urban environment department said.

According to the results of the survey, several problems requiring solutions were identified. First of all, this is the condition of the dam, which needs to be strengthened to increase its strength and prevent possible damage in the event of floods. In addition, an update of the water level control system and modernization of technical devices is required, which will improve the safety of operation of the reservoir.

Measures to improve the drainage system and protection against flooding

The locals are still calm. According to them, in recent years there has not been enough water in the Akzhar reservoir even for watering vegetable gardens. Experts, in turn, confirm that, despite the identified defects, there is no real threat to safety from these tanks under normal conditions.

However, the situation may change dramatically during seasonal floods. The city’s reservoirs are fed from the mountainous regions of the Turkestan region, and in the event of a snowy winter or heavy rains in the spring, Shymkent may encounter “big water”. This circumstance poses a risk to the integrity of hydraulic structures, especially if their condition is not improved in a timely manner.

So, in May 2020, Shymkent experienced heavy torrential torrents that poured through the ditch channels from the Tolebi district. They were so strong that they destroyed outbuildings and flooded houses. The residential area of Eltai Yenbekshinsky district suffered the most, where the water destroyed the infrastructure and caused damage to local residents.

The flood situation in Shymkent depends on two main factors: the capacity of the Badam and Sairamsu rivers. As a result of the survey, 14 sites were identified where the discharge channels are currently being cleaned. These measures are aimed at increasing their capacity and reducing flood risks during the flood period.

— If there is a lot of snow and precipitation in the form of rain in the mountains, then all this water will eventually pass through our city. The length of the Badam River within the city is 49 kilometers — from the residential area of Zhylanbuzgan to the residential area of Kokbulak. We also have the Sairamsu River. Both of these rivers are mudslide-prone, as they originate in the mountainous areas of the Tolebi district. All this flood water can pass through Shymkent, filling the reservoirs, and then, when they are fully filled, an emergency discharge may occur. Therefore, the discharge channels must have the appropriate bandwidth. For example, if the channel has to pass 3 cubic meters per second, then it must provide such a capacity, ” the rescuers note.

However, the problem is not limited to floods. In Shymkent, there is a threat of flooding on 69 streets, where water accumulates during rains, turning roads into real rivers. To solve this problem, measures are being taken to improve irrigation and create a drainage system, which should help prevent the accumulation of water in urban areas. The real effectiveness of these measures will become apparent only after the spring heavy rains, when the traditional increase in precipitation is expected.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan announced the construction of 20 new reservoirs and the reconstruction of 15 existing ones to effectively manage water flows and prevent flooding in the future.

Tatyana Koryakina (Kazinform)