Yesil dam and Yesil-Torgai canal: a new megaproject of Kazakhstan
In response to a request from deputies, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev informed about the government’s plans for the development of water infrastructure and flood control. In particular, we are talking about the construction of new hydraulic structures on the Yesil River and the possible creation of a canal connecting the basins of the Yesil and Torgai rivers.
According to Bozumbayev, within the framework of the comprehensive water management development plan for 2024-2028, it is planned to erect the Yesil dam on the Yesil River in Akmola region. The new reservoir created by the dam will be able to accumulate and regulate over 800 million cubic meters of flood and meltwater. In addition, it will be used to stabilize the water level in the underlying Sergeyevsky and Petropavlovsk reservoirs.
The Deputy Prime Minister also informed that the development of design estimates for this project was completed in November 2024 and submitted for state examination, the conclusion of which is expected in March 2025. The preliminary cost of construction and installation works is estimated at 120 billion tenge, and the project implementation dates are scheduled for 2026-2028.
Regarding the project to restore the ecosystem of the Caspian-Aral basin, Bozumbayev said that a feasibility study has already been developed for a project to manage floods in the middle reaches of the Yesil River and divert part of the runoff into the Torgai River and the Aral Sea basin. This large-scale project, estimated at 324.4 billion tenge, provides for the construction of a canal consisting of three sections: “Yesil-Torgai” (42 km), “Karakal-Saryozen” (52 km) and “Shalkar-Tengiz-Aral” (183 km). The implementation of this project, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, requires significant financial investments, but will allow diverting floodwaters from the Yesil River basin to the Torgai River basin, contributing to the restoration of the hydrological regime of Lake Shalkar-Tengiz.
Bozumbayev also said that the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan is currently conducting a comprehensive study of the redistribution of water resources between river basins. The purpose of these studies is to assess the possible impact on the environment and identify measures to minimize the negative consequences of floods.
In addition, the materials of the project for the construction of the Yesil-Torgai canal are transferred to the scientific and technical Council under the Ministry. This council, which includes leading scientists, representatives of government agencies and public organizations, will conduct an expert examination of the project. The Government of Kazakhstan will make the final decision on the feasibility of the project based on the recommendations and conclusions of the Scientific and technical Council.
