Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, July 6 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmen scholars are studying combating desertification, particularly in connection with the "Altyn Asyr" project in the Karakum Desert. It aims to improve the environmental situation in Central Asia.
About 10.3 million hectares of land were in the zone of influence of drainage systems of northern Dashoguz and southern Central collectors, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper said today.
"There are ten different soil types in this zone, of which 90 percent fall to sandy desert," the article said, referring to the conference "Significance of introducing innovation technologies in Turkmen agroindustrial complex" held in Ashgabat.
Employees of the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna under the Turkmen Ministry of Nature Protection attended the event.
At present, the construction of "Altyn Asyr" in the Karakum Desert is recognized as the most large-scale national program. The exploitation of this facility will save the ecosystem of the Amu Darya River, prevent flooding of desert pastures, improve reclamation state of irrigated land, create additional water resources for the further development of agriculture.
Neutral Turkmenistan writes that the scholars raised the issues of scientifically sound development of these lands by using slightly saline water and cultivating agricultural and forage crops.
This potential is being studied amid the research on the development of land and water, biological and mineral resources, components of desert ecosystems, land reclamation and combating desertification.
The scholars named revealing the promising land plots, the volume and quality of the collector - drainage water in the area of man-made lake to reuse them for irrigation of pastures as the primary objectives of their research.
The urgent tasks include the study of physico-chemical and agro-chemical properties of sandy desert soils subject to irrigation drainage water, the study of methods of desalination and purification, development of integrated environmental protection measures, assessment of potential eco-tourism and recreation.
According to the project, the total capacity of receiving waters "Altyn Asyr" will be 132 billion cubic meters and the area - about 2,000 square kilometers.
According to local experts, the water flowing into "Altyn Asyr" from vast fields of the country, will not damage the water sources having regional importance.
"The creation of this lake is an unprecedented step in the formation of strong and comprehensive framework of environmental safety not only in a country, but in the context of regional and global vision of the problem," a government report said earlier.