10-07-202656
Water is one of the most vital natural resources for human life, food security, and sustainable economic development. For this reason, the international community has consistently paid particular attention to the conservation and rational use of water resources.
In 1992, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, 22 March was proclaimed World Water Day. This date is observed annually with the aim of drawing public attention to the importance of water resources and the need for their conservation.
Effective water resource management is one of the priority tasks within the framework of the SDGs adopted by the United Nations. This goal envisages ensuring access to safe drinking water and sanitation services for the entire population by 2030.
According to United Nations data, over 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water services, while over 4 billion people lack fully adequate sanitation conditions. Furthermore, a significant portion of the world's wastewater is discharged into the natural environment without treatment, causing harm to ecosystems.
The Central Asian region holds particular strategic significance with regard to water resources. The natural and geographical conditions of the region, the dependence of a substantial part of the economy on irrigated agriculture, and the transboundary nature of the principal water sources — the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers — make water resource management a critical issue requiring inter-state cooperation and a coordinated policy.
Experts consider that in the coming years, water supply challenges in the region may become more acute. In particular, according to analyses by the Eurasian Development Bank, as a result of climate change and the commissioning of the Qosh Tepa canal being constructed in Afghanistan, water resource deficits in Central Asia may intensify by 2028–2029. According to these calculations, the annual water deficit in the region may amount to 5–12 cubic kilometres.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has been conducting extensive work to reform the water management infrastructure: improving water use efficiency, reconstructing irrigation and land reclamation systems, introducing water-saving technologies, implementing digital monitoring and water accounting systems, and modernising canals and hydraulic structures.
At present, the area covered by water-saving technologies has reached 2.6 million hectares, representing approximately 60 percent of the total irrigated land area. By comparison, prior to 2017, this figure stood at a mere 19 thousand hectares. Such a significant increase in a short period attests to the effectiveness of the systemic reforms being carried out in this area. As a result of the measures taken, it is now possible to save 2.5 billion cubic metres of water annually.
By 2030, it is planned to bring the level of coverage of irrigated croplands with water-saving technologies (including laser land levelling) to 100 percent.
Within the framework of modernising the water management infrastructure, particular attention is devoted to ensuring the safety of major hydraulic structures. Local alert systems for early warning of the population in emergency situations have been introduced at 17 reservoirs. At 16 reservoirs, 83 seismic instruments (accelerometers) have been installed, enabling the monitoring of the seismic stability of hydraulic structures.
In addition, special sensors for monitoring water levels in real time have been installed at 44 reservoirs. These systems enable continuous monitoring of the condition of reservoirs, early identification of potential hazards, and timely decision-making.
Space-based monitoring methods are also being applied in water resource management. In particular, in cooperation with the "Uzbekkosmos" agency, the silting volume and water reserves of 60 reservoirs have been specified based on satellite data. Furthermore, the dynamics of deformation, displacement, and subsidence of dams at 20 reservoirs are being monitored through space observation.
Avazbek KHALBEKOV Head of Department, Centre for Sustainable Development