MEETING UNDER “TRANSBOUNDARY SMALL RIVERS” COMPONENT OF
THE IWRM-FERGANA PROJECT
As it is known, Scientific-Information Center ICWC together with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) implements the Project “Integrated Water Resources Management in Fergana Valley” (“IWRM-Fergana”) on the territory of three countries – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. At present, Project Phase 3 to be completed in April 2008 is implemented. Before 2007, activities were carried out under four Components:
- Pilot canals (PC),
- Water User Associations (WUA),
- Farms (PF),
- National groups for coordination and support (NGCS).
In 2005-2006, SIC ICWC together with the IWMI and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) worked out an issue on the necessity to include a new component “Transboundary Small Rivers” (TSR) in the Project with the aim to study problems related to water resources management (WRM) on small rivers in Fergana Valley. The component started in January 2007.
In the years of independence, most attention and efforts of the governments of Central Asian countries and international organizations were focused on solving issues of WRM on major rivers in the region, Amudarya and Syrdarya. At the same time, the issue of sustainable WRM on TSRs in Central Asia is no less urgent. In particular, WRM on the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers and at interstate level has now been put in order to a great extent that could not be said about TSR water resources use. The problem of agreed WRM on TSRs in Central Asia exists in Fergana Valley (Tajikistan/Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan), Tashkent oasis (Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan), Kopetdag zone (Turkmenistan/Iran, Turkmenistan/Afghanistan). The problem of WRM on TSRs is especially acute in border areas of adjacent Fergana Valley states, where local communities in border areas of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are involved in solving the issue. Volumes of interstate water allocation on TSRs in Fergana Valley were determined and agreed between the Parties in the 1980s by respective Protocols of the Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Management of the USSR on a centralized basis. WRM on TSRs has become highly complicated over the last 10 years as a result of population growth and new land development in upper reaches of small rivers. Earlier reached agreements on TSR water resources use are not complied with in some periods, the situation with water allocation becomes complicated in low-water years. In general, non-compliance with established interstate water allocation from TSR results in aggravation of social tension in border areas located in TSR basins, which can easily develop into international conflicts. In this context, it is opportune and exceptionally important that SDC supports an idea to work out issues on TSR WRM in Fergana Valley. Efforts to implement IWRM principles in the “IWRM-Fergana” Project area cannot be so effective, if transboundary aspects of IWRM are not worked out. “TSR” Component will contribute to achieving the general objective of the “IWRM-Fergana” Project through working out legal, institutional, financial, technical and other aspects of WRM involving main stakeholders and general public in border areas of adjacent countries in this process.
A kick-off meeting was held on 30-31 May 2007, to discuss a work plan for “TSR” component and within the framework of development of common approaches to implementation of the component, in ICWC Training Center.
The meeting was organized by SIC ICWC and IWMI, and presided by Deputy Director of SIC ICWC, regional coordinator of “IWRM-Fergana“ Project V. Sokolov.
Altogether about 30 specialists took part in the meeting.
The final objective of “TSR” Component is to ensure sustainable WRM on TSR in Fergana Valley based on IWRM principles. In initial stage, work content under the Component will confined to results really achievable in the period from January 2007 to April 2008, Shakhimardan TSR (Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan ) and Khodjabakirgan TSR (Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan ).
At the meeting, the following papers were presented:
- “Principal results of the IWRM-Fergana Project in 2006-2007” (paper of Prof. V. Dukhovny was presented by Regional Manager of the “IWRM-Fergana” Project V. Sokolov, Ph.D.).
- “Transboundary Small Rivers” Component of the “IWRM-Fergana” Project (idea, tasks, measures, action plan for the period to April 2008; prospects). The meeting participants were introduced to history of development of project idea, goal, objectives and planned measures under “TSR” Component as a whole.
The meeting participants discussed the issues in accordance with major tasks and planned measures in work plan for “TSR” Component:
Task A: “Study water allocation situation and prepare legal framework for water allocation from Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSRs”.
Planned measures: a) Analyze water allocation situation, assess the status of river and irrigation infrastructure in border areas and determine work efforts to improve it; b) Study legal aspects of interstate water resources allocation on TSR in “IWRM-Fergana” Project area; c) Develop general regulations for implementation of IWRM in pilot TSR basins;
Task B: “Prepare conditions for creation of institutional framework for water resources management on Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSRs”.
Planned measures: a) Mobilize major stakeholders to support proposals for improvement of WRM on Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSRs; b) Organize and hold round tables and consultations on development of agreed opinion on water allocation from Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSRs; c) Develop proposals for establishment of River Commissions for Water Sharing on TSR; d) Develop a draft Statute on River Commission and a draft Agreement on general rules for WRM on Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSRs.
Task C: “Capacity building for main coordination commissions and process monitoring”.
Planned measures: a) Hold trainings, work meetings, round tables for main stakeholders and discuss with them proposals for IWRM experience adaptation to pilot TSR basins; b) Establish a database and an information system; c) Raise awareness and disseminate experience.
During the discussion, the participants highlighted the importance and timeliness of the “TSR” Component implementation. In general, the meeting participants named the following entities as the main stakeholders: local authorities, water and environmental agencies, water users, including domestic sector, agencies for emergency situations, local communities, industry and others (mass media, NGOs). Among the main priorities, they noted: equitable water allocation at lower level, environment, drinking water supply, mudflow-control measures, TSR flow regulation (construction of mudflow storages, development of small hydropower), technical equipment of hydro meteorological stations of transboundary importance, creation of a database and an information system, monitoring, including public one.
Concerning the membership of river commissions to be established in future for joint WRM on Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSRs: representatives of water and environmental agencies, major water users, the public, border and customs services in adjacent border areas, some other stakeholders, some large water users on object principle (for example, industrial enterprise or military unit). In general, they constitute main target groups, including owners of homestead lands.
Concerning the membership of IWRM for Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSR basins, it was recognized expedient to orientate on above-mentioned priorities, additionally study the issue with account of specificity of each basin and opinions of main stakeholders.
The meeting participants highlighted that positioning of the issue in the context of “Development of a draft Agreement on Water Allocation from TSRs” is narrowed. The Agreement should cover a wide range of issues related to TSR WRM (environment, information exchange, databases, basin management, questions to be jointly considered, privileges for border crossing, etc.).
The meeting participants considered it necessary to unite a number of seminars and trainings of IWMI and SIC ICWC (in particular, on conflict resolution), to avoid overlaps and save means. In searching for additional resources, it was suggested to hold 1-2 target seminars for local communities of border areas in adjacent states (propagation of Component’s ideas, awareness raising, water and sanitation).
Regarding, the creation of a database on TSR, the participants agreed on the view of SPA SANIIRI that in initial stage it is necessary to confine to minimum data content necessary to solve challenges of “TSR” Component, and in further it will be expanded. These were mentioned as data to be entered in DB immediately and necessarily: TSR flow at main hydro meteorological stations (for all observation years), its allocation among the parties for 1980-2005 (normative and actual), river and irrigation infrastructure, irrigated lands and major crops, flow formation zone status, main water users, mudflow and flood phenomena, population, availability of lands able to be developed, prospective plans for development in border areas of the Parties at borders of Shakhimardan and Khodjabakirgan TSR basins and others.
The meeting participants particularly noted the importance of participation of the public, representatives from local communities not only in discussion, but also in development of draft Statutes on river commissions and Agreements on WRM in pilot TSRs, the material part of which should include regulations on their rights to participate in decision-making and on access to any information relating to their interests. In this context, it seems expedient to include a number of provisions from the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in draft Statutes on river commissions and Agreements on pilot TSRs.
The meeting participants also noted that the implementation of “TSR” Component:
- fits in a number of positions in “Road maps for implementing IWRM objectives …”,
- will, to a certain extent, contribute to solving a number of positions in ASBP-2 (“Program of specific actins for improvement the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea Basin for the Period 2003-2010”), which was developed by EC IFAS, ICWC and ICSD to execute the instruction of the Heads of Central Asian States and approved by decision of the IFAS Board (2003), in particular:
- position “Development of agreed mechanisms for integrated water resources management in the Aral Sea basin” (title of Priority 1 in ASBP-2);
- position “Legal framework for implementation of integrated water resources management principles in form of a package of documents” (Priority 1);
- position “Rules for water resources management in the Syrdarya river basin” (“Expected results” in project 1.1 of Priority 1)and so on,
in part related to TSR WRM in Fergana Valley, as water resources of TSR in Fergana Valley are a part of transboundary river water resources in our region.
Exchange of opinions and discussion on work plan enabled to clarify approaches to implementation of “TSR” Component under the “IWRM-Fergana” Project for the period before the completion of “IWRM-Fergana” Project Phase 3. The meeting participants highlighted that detailed discussion of work plans for implementation of donor projects is a very rare occurrence, open discussion on tasks and planned measures under the Component will facilitate providing transparency in implementation of the Component and meets the spirit of the age.
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