TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 7. The region around the Aral Sea basin has immense potential for Uzbekistan's development of water storage and hydropower infrastructure, the latest Uzbekistan Country Climate and Development Report by the World Bank says, Trend reports.
“Dams and reservoir storage are critical for strengthening drought and flood resilience. Uzbekistan has 55 reservoirs totaling around 20 billion cubic meters in volume that require expenditures to solve dam safety and sedimentation. Cascade optimization and the operation of existing and future hydropower reservoirs can help assure energy production and agricultural water while preventing flooding. "The region around the Aral Sea basin in Uzbekistan has enormous potential for the development of water storage and hydropower infrastructure, which would benefit all countries in the region through increased energy production and better control of seasonal water availability,” the report states.
Furthermore, the Bank emphasizes that poor regional cooperation has made it difficult for Uzbekistan to coordinate the planning and operation of such infrastructure, while unplanned and regionally uncoordinated infrastructure development in upstream regions exacerbates the risks of water shortages in downstream regions.
Overall, the World Bank observes that improvements in Uzbekistan's water management practices and monitoring systems will be critical in coping with water scarcity threats.
“Improved management practices include monitoring the water footprint of crops such as wheat and cotton across regions to promote production with optimal water efficiency. Increasing the productivity of water will require water metering and the deployment of water-efficient technologies such as drip irrigation. Digitalization and water accounting systems at all scales will allow for monitoring water use and receiving dynamic feedback for adaptation of irrigation and drainage systems,” the bank’s analysts explain.