ADB Support to Transboundary Water Resources Management in Central Asia Hong Wei

1. ADB Support to Transboundary Water Resources Management in Central Asia Hong Wei Country Director Uzbekistan Resident Mission Asian Development Bank

2. Outline Water Management Challenges in Central Asia ADB’s Support for Transboundary Water Management • Chu Talas • Syrdarya and Amudarya

3. Water Management Challenges in Central Asia • Existence of a number of transboundary rivers • Dependence of agriculture on adequate irrigation • Water and energy nexus • Water for human needs and the nature

4. Map of the Chu and Talas Basins TALAS CHU

6. Chu Talas Basin Data Chu River:Total Length 1,186 km Total Area 62,500km² One Reservoir 470 mln. m3 Three Main Canals 284 km Interfarm Canals 1,700 km One Main Control Structure 665 m3/sec Water Intake Facilities 3,900 Talas River:Total Length 444km Total Area 52,700km² One Reservoir 550 mln. m3 Interfarm Canals 979 km Water Intake Facilities 1,150

7. ADB’s Past Support to the Chu Talas River Basins • Technical Secretariat (TS) was formed in 2005 to coordinate work on the establishment of the CTJRC • Four Working Groups (WG) were established in 2005 on (i) legal and institutional aspects; (ii) annual water allocation; (iii) hydro-technical structures and rehabilitation works; and (iv) economics, environment, monitoring and data exchange • ADB provided funding for operation of the TS and WGs during 2005-2007

9. ADB’s Past Support to the Chu Talas River Basins • Office and communication equipment procured (6 for KGZ and 4 for KAZ interstate water facilities) • Operational Guidelines for the Commission developed and disseminated to 10 interstate facilities • Information Management System was installed at Kirov Reservoir • Computerized models for water assessment and allocations developed for both basins

10. ADB’s Past Support to the Chu Talas River Basins • Meetings of the TS and WGs conducted on regular basis in KAZ and KGZ during 2005-2007 • Statute of the CTJRC approved by KAZ and KGZ Governments • Inauguration of the CTJRC was held on 26 July 2006 in Bishkek, KGZ

11. Ongoing Activities • Development of IWRM plans for two basins • Development of amendments to 2000 Interstate Agreement on the Chu Talas Commission • Preparation of necessary documents for financing the Commission’s Secretariat from state budgets from 2011 onwards • Dissemination of information about performance of the Commission through mass media

12. Ongoing Activities Establishment of a Donors Consultative Group for the Chu Talas Basins (ADB, UN ECE, OSCE, EU, SDC – open to others) is in the process. Its main objectives are as follows: • promote sustainable development in the Chu Talas Basins based on IWRM principles • support cooperation on sharing water resources of those rivers and delivering scheduled water supplies to KAZ and KGZ • enhance donor coordination, mobilize donor support and ensure continued assistance to the Chu Talas Commission

13. Ongoing Activities Finalize Water Assessment Model for the Chu Basin at Kirov Reservoir (Deviation 0.1%)

14. Ongoing Activities Finalize Water Assessment Model for the Talas Basin (Deviation 0.6%)

15. Planned Initiatives in the Chu Talas River Basins • Two expert groups of the Commission (on water allocation and environment) will be responsible for working on assessing climate change impact • Use of computerized water assessment models developed for the Chu and Talas basins in order to: - Measure actual volume of water resources used by both countries - Measure change in water flow regimes during vegetation and non-vegetation

16. Planned Initiatives in the Chu Talas River Basins • Simulate change in water flow regimes under different scenarios of climate change • Determine possible water intakes for both countries during vegetation and non-vegetation • Recommend optimal cropping pattern and crop rotation based on availability of water resources • Estimate funding needs and timing for operation and maintenance of water infrastructure

17. Planned Initiatives in the Chu Talas River Basins • Improve automation for water allocation • Finalize IWRM plans for two basins • Capacity building of stakeholder institutions • Public awareness and information dissemination

18. Donor Coordination • ADB (support of the Chu Talas Secretariat, development of IWRM plans and legal documents) • UN Economic Commission for Europe(legal documents, operations manuals, O&M cost-sharing mechanism) • Swiss Development Cooperation Agency(infrastructure rehabilitation and automation) • Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(institutional strengthening) • World Bank(climate change adaptation)

19. ADB’s Past Support to the Syrdarya River Basin Under Regional TA implemented during 2005-2007 the following has been achieved: • for the first time since 2003, representatives of all the CARs resumed discussions on regional water policy and formed regional and national working groups; • a new draft Syrdarya Agreement was developed with participation of all riparian states; • two more draft agreements were prepared: (i) Agreement on the use of water resources in the Amudarya basin and (ii) the Database and Information Exchange Agreement

20. ADB’s Past Support to the Syrdarya River Basin The following activities accomplished: • Assessment of the Interstate Agreements vis-à-vis national interests • Inventory of works undertaken and funding provided by each CAR to support transboundary water management • Seventeen meetings in the CARs to discuss regional cooperation on transboundary water management • Draft procedural obligations for management and allocation of water resources for the Syrdarya basin

21. ADB’s Past Support to the Syrdarya and Amudarya River Basins The following activities accomplished (continued): • Amudarya water losses at midstream and downstream assessed • Draft methodology for assessment of operational costs and quantified damages • Draft Regulation about the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) • A list of Interstate Water Facilities prepared

22. ADB’s Past Support to the Syrdarya River Basin Training Workshops were held on three topics: • Integrated Water Resources Management • International and National Water Rights • Conflict Resolution and Сonsensus Building Participants: ICWC members, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, national water, energy and environmental agencies, BVOs Amudarya and Syrdarya, and UDC Energy.

23. Proposed Activities in the Syrdarya and Amudarya • analysis of the existing network for data collection and exchange in the Amudarya basin, including AFG • recommendations for physical and technical improvements to the hydromet network in the Syrdarya and Amudarya • development of a framework for efficient and effective hydromet data exchange and analysis among national and regional water management organizations

24. Proposed Activities in the Syrdarya and Amudarya • Continue work on improving draft interstate Agreements on the use of water and energy resources in the Syrdarya and Amudarya basins with participation of all riparian states, including Afghanistan • Develop initial Integrated Water Resources Management Plan for the Syrdarya basin • Assess the benefits and trade-offs of regional cooperation on water resources managementin both basins • Coordinate work with other international organizations and donor agencies

25. For details please visit: www.talaschu.org www.cawater-info.net/reta THANK YOU!