ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFICIENCY OF USE OF RENEWABLE WATER RE-SOURCES IN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE IN THE ARAL-SYRDARYA WATER ECONOMY BASIN

Abstract

Kazakhstan is classified as a country with a significant water resource deficit. In terms of water availability, the country ranks last among the CIS countries. The specific water availability is 37 000 m³ per 1 km² and 6.0 thousand m³ per person per year.

This situation is further aggravated by the fact that the distribution of water resources in Kazakhstan is uneven in space, and most rivers are transboundary. In the future, a reduction in transboundary runoff resources in the republic is expected due to economic activity in neighboring countries, since more than half of the runoff is generated outside the Republic of Kazakhstan. The predicted reduction in water resources due to global and regional climate change poses a serious threat to the country's water supply. It requires a detailed analysis of the efficiency of using available water resources. Considering that the main areas of irrigated agriculture are located in the southern regions, in particular in the Aral-Syrdarya water management basin, this article is devoted to assessing the efficiency of using renewable water resources in irrigated agriculture in this basin.

The available statistical data from 2010 to 2022 on water use, crop structure, actual water supply of the year, as well as climate indicators, were used as a base. The conducted studies con-sidered a quantitative method for determining the efficiency of using irrigation water with regular irrigation. The results obtained can be used to improve water policy and sustainable water management in agriculture in the region.