20 water storage reservoirs with a storage capacity of up to 2.5 billion cubic metres of melt water to be built in Kazakhstan, an official representative of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Moldir Abdualieva reported to Sputnik.
Priority work involves the construction of 10 water storage reservoirs in the regions of the country, including Akmola, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Zhetysu, Kyzylorda and Turkestan.
These measures comply with the Concept for Water Resources Management for 2024-2030 and are aimed at combating drought in the southern regions, ensuring that farmers have an adequate supply of water and reducing the country’s dependence on neighbouring countries by 25%.
The new water storage reservoirs are expected to increase the existing area under irrigation by 250,000 hectares and reduce the risk of flooding for 70 rural settlements where 137,000 people reside. In accordance with the Concept, 15 existing reservoirs with a total storage capacity of 1.9 billion cubic metres are to be reconstructed.
