ABOUT THE IWRM-FERGANA PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Series of seminars on the “Methods for water use planning. Transition from decade principle to daily principle of water allocation among water users” (WUA activities)
29-30 June 2005: Water Users Association (WUA) “Zarafshan”, Jabar Rasulov district, Sogd province, Tajikistan
1-2 July 2005: WUA “Akbarabad”, Kuva district, Fergana province, Uzbekistan
3-4 July 2005: WUA “Zhapalak”, Osh city, Kyrgyzstan
More than 130 people took part in the seminars.
At the openings of the seminars, manager of the WUA activities under the IWRM-Fergana Project M.A. Pinkhasov, Ph.D., delivered a lecture on the “Results achieved in 2002-2004 and tasks for 2005-2008 regarding WUA activities in the IWRM-Fergana Project.
The lecture stated:
- the tasks set and results achieved at pilot WUAs “Zarafshan”, “Akbarabad” and “Zhapalak”;
- raised issues on laws in regard to WUAs to be introduced with a view to achieving sustainable functioning of WUAs in the three countries located in the Fergana Valley;
- ways to resolve conflicts and disputes between WUA and water users, between WUA and water organization, between water users themselves;
- the contents of the newly developed Guide to Integrated Water Resources Management at WUA Level;
- technical and technological aspects of WUA operation; and
- economic aspects of WUA functioning in conjunction with economic aspects of water users.
The lecturer dwelled on the tasks in Project Phase III concerning:
- spreading the experience of pilot WUAs throughout the Fergana Valley;
- reclamation services;
- stimulating water saving at WUAs;
- giving WUAs preferential credits;
- organizing associations of personal plots;
- establishing special units for support of WUAs at the Basin Administrations of Irrigation Systems (BAIS) or Province Water Departments (oblvodkhoz);
- giving trainings on different directions of WUA operation;
- developing the WUA Charter currently in force at the pilot WUAs;
- introducing a two-part tariff for services of WUA at WUA “Akbarabad”;
- specifying the belonging of irrigated lands to specific hydro reclamation regimes;
- using return waters for irrigation under appropriate conditions;
- duties of WUAs and inter-farm structures to manage collector-drainage flow;
- drawing up an operation and repair plan with involvement of water users;
- stimulating UWA personnel;
- revising the Guide to Water Allocation;
- drawing up a water use plan for WUA in concordance with the operation modes of main canals;
- organizing monitoring over the use of surface, ground and return waters at pilot WUAs;
- developing models for daily planning of water allocation among water users.
In his presentation “Water-physical properties of soils and selection of irrigation technique elements”, S. Khamdamov familiarized the audience with water-physical properties of soils, total water consumption of crop, water duty, irrigation depth, and relations between irrigation technique elements (slope, length and flow per furrow). Thus, the listeners were informed of general notions of water-physical properties of soils and their roles in developing a crop irrigation regime and organizing optimum irrigation regimes.
At the seminar, K. Zhumabayev delivered a lecture on the “Method for water allocation by time”. This method was tested at WUA “Zhapalak” over the Sokolok Canal. The main point of this procedure is to provide water users with water by establishing a time-table for irrigation among farmers with indication of day, time and duration of irrigation for each water user. The proposed method is a system of permanent water rotation. The duration of irrigation is proportionate to the dimensions of farm in command area of separate water inlet.
The lecturer dwelled in detail on the conditions to introduce water rotation by time and the proposed method:
- holding a GWP meeting to raise awareness for decision-making;
- gathering necessary information on farmer opinions;
- technical changes: installing fixed water intake constructions;
- calculating time of water supply over water inlets;
- preparing decade water supply time-tables for the entire system;
- publicly notifying water users about water supply;
- implementing water rotation according to water supply time-table; and
- holding a GWP meeting on season results.
A. Alimjanov gave two lectures: “Principles of water use planning at WUA level” and “Transition from decade principle to daily principle of water allocation along WUA canals”.
In his first lecture, A. Alimjanov noted that the method for water allocation, applied up to now on farms and at newly established WUAs, was based on indicators of water use plans, made up 10-15 years ago. They gave water demand in a distorted state, since earlier farms mainly grew cotton, the portion of cereals and vegetables was small, and on-farm canal performance indices in water use plans were limited to those of secondary canals.
The lecturer elucidated the main principles of water use planning and method for it, as well as materials needed for water use planning.
In the second lecture, A. Alimjanov stated that under conditions of small farms, water distribution by direct current with small average decade expenditures in accordance with the water use plan was ineffective. The main reason for that was the applied method of water allocation by water use plan, based on decade water allocation.
The lecturer dwelled in detail on the mechanism for transition from decade principle to daily principle of water allocation, and on making up daily timetables of water distribution among water users of WUA. This principle considers the interests of all the parties – water users, WUA and water organization, ensuring transparency and openness of water distribution process. Two practical trainings concerning the delivered lectures were carried out.
Under the guidance of A. Alimjanov, the listeners drew up a water use plan for secondary canal. The listeners made sure of defects of decade water allocation principle in practice.
At the second practical training, the listeners themselves made up daily timetables of water distribution among water users.
R.R. Masumov in his lecture “Water accounting in integrated water resources management” dwelled in detail on water accounting facilities applied at WUAs, described their technical characteristics and water accounting procedure. In conclusion, the lecturer talked about the results achieved in organizing water accounting at pilot WUAs.
Introductory meeting under the project
An introductory meeting took place in Fergana city on 7 June 2005. Project Director Prof. V.A. Dukhovny and Regional Manager of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) S. Jalalov opened the meeting.
Project Phase 3 is aimed at:
- examining the effectiveness of IWRM;
- searching for alternative ways to improve water use effectiveness.
The concept of IWRM, developed by the project and based on hydrographic principle, met with support in Uzbekistan (Decision of the Cabinet No.320). The issues of social mobilization in establishing three pilot WUAs were solved, at that the top level, which had not been considered in other projects, was considered. For the first time in Central Asia, a package of documents to make alterations in the legislative base for establishing a Canal Water Users Union was prepared. Field certificates were developed, ways to create Extension Services for farmers on the basis of demonstration plots to raise water and land productivity were determined.
S. Jalalov marked out the objectives of Phase 3:
- institutional formation at national level, i.e. creation of national groups to implement IWRM policy through holding briefings and seminars;
- at WUA level, introducing the results at horizontal level, as well as in extension and spreading;
- at national level, holding 3 regional briefings with decision makers.
The main objective of the project activities is to make a contribution to improving living standards of population through improving water use efficiency in the Fergana Valley.
Prof. V.A. Dukhovny noted that despite the main task and orientation of the project are based on the results of the previous two phases, they are of greater importance.
At the second phase, the objective was to form understanding and clear vision: what is IWRM, the need for introducing it; its structure and potential. It was necessary to prove the effectiveness of IWRM and applicability under our conditions, and attract those who can concretize this comprehension. Can one say with certainty that the project executors achieved these objectives in whole? As a result, IWRM covered the present aspects of modern management and showed the necessity of:
- intensive public involvement in management system;
- coordination of all the water hierarchy levels;
- orientation to the ultimate aims of management: stability, evenness and effectiveness,
The tasks of Phase 3 are:
- to deepen IWRM and create all necessary instruments, which should help to prove its effectiveness; especially develop the economic instruments of management;
- extend the application of IWRM on the commanded area as well as on all the objects under this title.
Now IWRM appears in many directions and projects, more often as a slogan, as a practice of old projects for reconstructing and patching rather than intently setting about the main organizing system. IWRM is to renew water traditions of parents and ancestors, when local initiative should compensate what was earlier used to be achieved at great expenses and by rigid management from the top. But it does not mean completely saving the state from participation. The state participates and ensures:
- formation of political climate;
- aiming at IWRM;
- attraction of water users;
- financial mechanism for cost allocation between water users and water organizations;
- provision of technical assistance in equipment, training, etc.;
- creation of conditions for farmers be able to pay.
This line will also be taken further in the project, and at the same time the task is set to achieve understanding it by decision-makers.
For this very purpose, component “Introduction of IWRM at national level” was included in the project.
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