Water Resources Management in Central Asia

Table 1. Formation of surface flow in the Aral Sea Basin
Countries
Amu-Darya River
Syr-Darya River
Total
km
3
%
km
3
%
km
3
%
Kazakhstan 
0.00
0.00
4.50 12.12
4.50
3.89
Kyrgyzstan
1.90
2.42
27.40 73.77
29.30
25.35
Tajikistan
62.90 80.17
1.10
2.96
64.00
55.36
Turkmenistan with Iran
2.78
3.54
0.00
0.00
2.78
2.40
Uzbekistan
4.70
5.99
4.14 11.15
8.84
7.65
Afghanistan
6.18
7.88
0,00
0,00
6.18
5.35
Total_78.46_100.00_37.14_100.00_115.60_100.00'>Total
78.46 100.00
37.14 100.00
115.60 100.00
Source: Fundamentals of Water Strategy of the Aral Sea Basin, 1996.
Table 2. Underground water resources of the Aral Sea Basin 
State 
Estimation 
year
Regional resources
km
3
/year
Proven available resources,
km
3
/year
Kazakhstan 
1990
1,845
1,224
Kyrgyzstan
1990
992
688
Tajikistan 
1994
18,230
6,016
Turkmenistan 
1994
3,033
1,120
Uzbekistan 
1990
19,679
6,781
Total
43,769
15,829
Sources: Fundamentals of Water Strategy of the Aral Sea Basin, 1996.
The main sources for river flow in Central Asia are glaciers and snow-
fields, providing 25-30% of annual flow and up to 50% for the vegeta-
tive period. They are distributed unequally through the countries of the 
region. Within Kyrgyzstan there are 8,200 glaciers with a total surface 
area of 8,169.4 km
2
, occupying 4.2% of the country’s territory. Kyr-

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40
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Impacts of climate change on water resources in Central Asia
gyzstan glacier water reserve is estimated at 650km
3
. The number of 
glaciers in Tajikistan is 14,509 with a total area of 11,146 km
2
, or about 
8% of the country’s territory. The total ice reserve in glaciers is 845 km
3
. 
Other glacial areas in Kazakhstan can be found on the Zailijsky Ala Tau, 
Jungarsky, Kungey and Terskey Alatoo ranges, and an inconsiderable