No. 21 (32) August 2003

ICWC TRAINING CENTER DIVISION WORKSHOP IN URGENCH "CURRENT PROBLEMS IN WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND USE"

ICWC Training Center Division was opened in Urgench. This division aims to involve wide range of water experts in the Amudarya middle and lower reaches.

On 31 July the first workshop “Current problems in water resources management and use” was held. Representatives of regional and national organizations were invited to this workshop. The workshop guests were presented by experts from ZEF/UNESCO project, Khorezm.

Main objective of this workshop was discussion of existing problems of Amudarya midstream and downstream water experts in present conditions.

The workshop was held under CIDA sponsor support. On Training Center opening ceremony following participants made presentations: Head of Land Reclamation Division of Chief Water Administration at Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management of Uzbekistan M. Mirkhajiyev, SIC ICWC Director Prof. V.A. Dukhovny, BWO “Amudarya” Director Yu. Khudajberganov. First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of Uzbekistan A.A.Jalalov greeted participants.

Following reports were heard during workshop:

1. Current problems in water resources use and management in Central Asia.
2. What can region expected? – Results of Aral Sea basin water development modeling.
3. Peculiarities of water resources management in the Amudarya basin.
4. General schemes use in integrated water management.
5. World experience of water resources management.
6. Improvement of water allocation management at inter-farm systems level.
7. Water use situation in Amudarya basin and assessment of social-economic impact in Karakalpakstan.
8. Water resources management with water users’ associations involvement.
9. SCADA System and its advantages.
10. Outputs of projects WUFMAS and A-2 on water conservation.
11. Current drainage state downstream.
12. Opportunities of land productivity increase based on outputs of SANIIRI field certification analysis.
13. Agricultural crop water consumption and irrigation regime.
14. Situation and prospects of land reclamation state improvement in Amudarya lower reaches.
15. Database and information system.
16. Information systems in water management with reference to Khorezm.
17. Water management modeling.

Reporters and participants highlighted problems in water resources management and use typical for Amudarya middle and lower reaches as well as their solution ways. Lectures concerning effective water use problems, water conservation issues, water quality, transition to other principles of water allocation management, which are particularly actual in our region.

Since water in CAR is key factor of social-economic wellbeing, the most sound development trend in this region is implementation of integrated water management principles.

Workshop participants consider that integrated water management should account priorities of the states and specific regions in deciding both actual and long-term social-economic and environmental tasks and objectives, and especially environmental needs and requirements.

From this position integrated water resources management under conditions of agricultural economical reforms assumes transition from prior strict administrative water management to more effective integrated, holistic approach based on close partnership supported by strong responsibility between each other of all participants in water use, management, conservation, and development. Basic criteria of this approach are water efficiency increase, maximal reduction of unproductive losses and obtaining maximal net productivity per unit of water defined at all levels of water intake hierarchy from water sources.

Workshop participants wished to supplement thematic of reports and presentations with following themes:

1. Modern hydrometry methods.
2. River flow balance.
3. Reports were based no only on example of Khorezm and Karakalpakstan, but also on examples of Dashoguz and Lebap veloyats of Turkmenistan.
4. Automated control systems in water management.

ABOUT «IWRM-FERGHANA» PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Working meeting on “IWRM-Ferghana” project was held on 4 August 2003 in SIC ICWC. Under presidency of project manager Prof. V.A. Dukhovny attendees considered outputs of works fulfillment according to general project schedule for July of current year.

It was noted that works implementation corresponds to general schedule dates.

Two remarkable events happened in activity “Pilot canals”:

- In Kyrgyzstan Director of Water Department Sh. Bekbolotov signed Order #140 about establishment of Aravan-Akbura Canal Administration in Osh BWA structure on July 24.

- In Uzbekistan Decree of Cabinet of Ministers #320 of July 21, 2003 “About improvement of water management organization” was issued. Its purpose is transition form administrative-territorial to basin principle of irrigation systems management.

Within framework of activity “IUS” data collection on canals is being carried out, water users applications are being used. However there is still no proper analysis and process men’s opinion. Also analysis of pumping irrigation is absent.

On «WUA» activity:

IWMI showed readiness to help WUA “Kerme-too” in water-metering equipment installation within on-farm irrigation network. In Tajikistan WUA “Zerafshan” has been recorded.

In WUA “Akbarabad” water supply by concentrated flow was organized on water users applications. Each water user has been informed about time and amount of supplied water to his farm in strict correspondence with water use plan.

On “Gulyakandoz” canal in result of uneven snow melting in mountains, unstable daily water flow value can be observed on steep canal reach. This complicates planned water distribution.

Water users put the question about transition from 3 to 4 single water flow measurements.

Three flowmeters for pilot canals sent by KMC ICWC turned out to be with defects. They were dismantled from pilot canals FC, Gilyakandoz, and Aravan-Akbura and sent to enterprise-manufacturer. In WUA “Akbarabad” from 6 design gauging stations 51 were constructed, WUA “Zhapalak” from 118 designe gauging stations 23 were constructed, and WUA “Zerafshan” – from 25 only 5 were constructed. Basic reason of gauging stations construction schedule lagging in WUAs “Zjapalak” and “Zerafshan” is lack of cement and flowmeters occupancy in growing period.

Currently all data on water account in WUA is coming on records of constructed gauging stations, over rest design gauging stations blanks for filling technical certificate for completed gauging stations and their preparation for certification in August.

Within activity “Land and water productivity” – on demonstration fields plants have normal development, irrigation schedule is carried out according to humidity, models of M.G. Khorst and E.D. Cholpankulov are tested. However mite infects cotton in many places. It is required to apply appropriate chemicals for its liquidation.

Workshop “Dissemination of “IWRM-Ferghana” project experience on irrigation water and land efficiency increase” was held on 29-31 of July 2003 in Ferghana.

By invitation of oblast executors the best farmers from Akhunbabayev, Tashlak, and Kuva rayons as well as “IWRM-Ferghana” project experts took part there. Lectures have been read, effective irrigation water use issues as well as water account organization in private farms have been discussed. Workshop participants visited private farm “Khozhalkhon-ona-Khozhi”, where works on effective irrigation water use, rational use and timely conduction of proper agrotechnical measures were demonstrated to the farmers. However workshop objective hasn’t been reached since task was established to gather farmer of neighboring farms with demonstration plot and demonstrated to them, how to manage properly by soil-conservation process based on integrated water management.

Over considered issues meeting participants made following conclusions:

1. “Pilot canals” activity should promote national coordinator in Uzbekistan to speed up issue of order to create irrigation system administration in Ferghana Valley on basin principle.
2. Obtained data on pilot canals should be analyzed and assessed by oblast and national coordinators regarding fitness of models developed by “IUS” for production.
3. Should analyze water lifting to identify unproductive water losses for electric energy.
4. It is necessary to reach consensus in developed set of models “WUA” to put it into experimental operation in period from 20.08 to 1.09.2003.
5. «Pilot canals» activity should complete development of Provision about Canal Councils, circulate it to all concerned persons.
6. Work on water requirements’ definition should be completed.
7. It is demanded to define opportunity of applying to pilot canals water-metering devices produced in «Suvasbobloyikha» enterprise.
8. Before growing period ending it is required to conduct second workshop with farmers in Ferghana oblast.
9. It is necessary to be sure that oblast water users are content with water distribution models. To organize meeting and discussion with national, oblast executors and engineers.
10. It is necessary to think over issue of demonstration fields’ outputs application to develop recommendations on preparation of water use plans of farmers on adjacent areas.