No. 1 (125) February 2007

REPUBLIC-WIDE SCIENTIFIC-PRACTICAL CONFERENCE “DEVELOPMENT OF WATER MANAGEMENT AND LAND RECLAMATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN IN THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION TO MARKET ECONOMY”

The conference held on 2 February 2007 in Central Asian Research Institute of Irrigation named after V.D. Zhurin (SANIIRI) was attended by 70 participants. 49 papers covering issues related to improving water sector management and solving land reclamation problems in the whole republic as well as in CARs in the current stage were read.

The papers were dedicated to the following:

Section 1

• solving problems of irrigation-energy regimes for river basins in the context of water scarcity, integrated management of irrigation-energy operation modes for reservoirs;
• problems of safety, optimum regimes of operation of large water objects: hydraulic structures, reservoirs, pump stations of irrigation systems;
• introducing market principles of water resources use among participants of water-resources system in the Republic of Uzbekistan; problems of establishment and functioning of Water User Associations (WUA);
• problems of rational use and protection of water resources, quality of water in transboundary rivers, inland water bodies and waterways, reuse of irrigation water, water for environmental sanitation in the Amudarya river lowlands and South Priaralie.
• application of new computer-based including GIS technologies to solve water management and land reclamation problems;
• technical development of water-metering facilities, pumping units, water body cleaning methods.

Section 2

• the problem of rational water resources use at field level, in particular in irrigation of saline and gypsiferous ones, and through surface and groundwater sharing;
• improvement of on-farm water use at WUA level, including in non-vegetation period;
• development of water-saving irrigation techniques, improvement of irrigation regimes;
• the problem of mechanization and improvement of technique for repair and renewal work at irrigation and reclamation systems, including with the application of new machinery and construction materials;
• scientific assessment of irrigated lands salinization processes, improvement of their control using new domestically produced devices like salinity meters, improvement of leaching and irrigation, basing of irrigation and drainage systems of new type.
• economic assessment of activities carried out by farms depending on irrigation source.

Having heard and discussed the presented papers at sections, the participants of the conference consider that for normal functioning of irrigation and reclamation systems, the whole water-resources system in the republic and fulfillment of own function by them (timely, equitable water supply to agricultural sector with rational water use), it is necessary to raise the level of management and operation of all units in hydro reclamation systems and solve interstate water allocation issues in time.

The priority task of research activities for solving the problems of water management and land reclamation is to develop a strategy for development of water sector and integrated water resources management (IWRM) in the context of transition to market principles. Solving of particular issues on each functional unit of irrigation systems should be subject to general strategic goals of sector development.

1) At the level of watercourses, reservoirs, intakes and pumping stations:

• developing proposals for improved river flow regulation, improved water withdrawal and protective measures at the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers;
• making recommendations for ensuring safe operation of reservoirs in Uzbekistan;
• creating databases, mathematical models, computer programs, guidelines for on-the-fly reservoir management;
• proposals for modernization and improvement of pumping stations operation, reduction of electric energy consumption, and introduction of loss identification methodology and electric energy consumption standards for pumping stations.

2) On the issues of water allocation and conservation at different hierarchy levels of hydro reclamation systems:

• developing modern information systems on water resources management, models and programs for online water allocation at basin administrations for irrigation systems, separate irrigation systems and water user associations;
• creating new, improved water-metering facilities for small and middle canals;
• studying and demonstrating advanced technologies for water conservation in farmers’ fields through:
• developing a system for decision making under surface irrigation that includes a computer program and a user manual (WUAs and farms);
• establishing demonstration plots, improved technology for furrow irrigation, drip irrigation and sprinkling on technical crops; making recommendations for farmers in regard to technology of cotton growing by using drip irrigation, sprinkling, methods of water conservation under furrow irrigation;
• developing and testing high-efficient facilities, for irrigation of flat and low-slope lands;
• selecting and validating alternative models for paid water use; participating in experiments on paid water use in selected WUAs, monitoring indicators and assessing the results;
• developing proposals for improving the operating efficiency of WUAs based on analysis and assessment of monitoring, rendering practical assistance to WUAs in the provinces of Uzbekistan;
• introducing GIS for making maps to reclamation cadastre in hydrogeological-meliorative expeditions.

3) On water resources quality and environmental problems in degraded lands:

• recommendations for improving water quality and preventing deterioration of ecological-meliorative condition of irrigated lands;
• determining water volumes for saving and keeping favorable environmental situation in the Amudarya river lowlands;
• assessing resources and hydro-ecological condition of irrigation-discharge lakes in Uzbekistan, predicting changes, and developing recommendations to attract them for economic development in the country.

4) On improving the reclamation condition of irrigated lands and reducing damage to yields from soil salinity:

• specifying regimes of crop irrigation under soil salinity; experimental justification of methods for irrigation terms definition under soil salinity by using different sensors. New devices (electronic sensors) for identifying soil moisture and determining irrigation terms;
• making recommendations for reducing waterlogging processes in the context of irrigation in adyrs;
• developing a concept for regulating water-salt regime of soils, rehabilitating drainage systems and operating them on farms in combination with irrigation technology;
• developing an information-consulting system for selecting agro-meliorative measures to raise soil fertility on farms in salinization zone;
• improving methods for control over salinization/desalinization processes in irrigated lands and applying devices for their online assessment in hydrogeological-meliorative expeditions, WUAs and farms.
• developing methods for improving the efficiency of washing irrigation in saline lands and alternative agro-meliorative and other methods for improving the productivity of saline lands.

5) On improving repair and renewal work at irrigation-drainage network:

• developing new construction materials of local raw products (formulas of cold sealing compounds) for repair of concrete surfacing and joints at canals and facilities, and testing them at operating hydraulic structures;
• developing effective mechanization technologies and means for control over covering of open irrigation and drainage canals with, sedge and other vegetation.

6) On providing scientific-methodical assistance to newly established farms and WUAs:

• justifying the establishment of extension services, through developing training programs and corresponding materials: manuals, brochures, posters, training methodology; demonstrating technologies that improve the productivity of land, water and other resources use, holding seminars, consultations in field, etc,

Recommendations of the conference

To improve the effectiveness of science in water sector and introduce scientific developments, the following is recommended:

1. Strengthening the coordination of activities with the departments of the Ministry, determining subjects for Scientific Work Plans strictly depending on their urgency and perspective of application at specific water objects (large hydroschemes, reservoirs, basin administration of irrigation systems, irrigation systems, WUAs and irrigated fields). All scientific developments should have addressed character and economic base.
2. Each development of applied character should result in recommendation, instruction, technology, computer program, experimental models of devices, demonstration materials and so on. Based on the results of research activities, it is necessary to prepare scientific publications, memorandums and advertising materials, including in the mass media. One can not be limited to the development of scientific-technical report on the results of accomplished activities.
3. High-quality preparation and strengthening of scientific personnel requires close cooperation: research institutions – higher education institutions. It is necessary to begin personnel training from the period of training at higher education institutions, attracting to research activities bachelors, masters and post-graduate students of the Tashkent Institute of Melioration and Irrigation (TIMI) and other higher education institutions having appropriate faculties.
4. Soliciting the Ministry for establishing a Department for Introduction at the Central Department for Water Resources, additional funding in the forms of grants to conduct research by young scientists.
5. Intensifying the work on propagation of achievements in water management science, including through launching a permanently functioning website of SANIIRI.
6. Strengthening scientific contacts with related higher education and research institutions in the former Soviet republics and other countries, actively participating in exchange of scientific achievements, using for developing scientific experience and solving practical tasks of water sector in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
7. Organizing introduction of information on scientific achievements of research institutions into training process of TIMI and other interested higher education institutions and faculties.
8. Taking an active part in the calls for grant (applied, innovative and fundamental) research activities, with a view to improve perspective scientific developments for the sector.