Uzbekistan Orders Measures to Improve Water Resource Efficiency

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has chaired a meeting dedicated to measures aimed at improving the efficiency of the use of water fund lands and floodwaters.

During the discussion, it was noted that the rational use of water resources, modernization of irrigation systems, and introduction of water-saving technologies remain key priorities of state policy. It was reported that ongoing reforms are already producing practical results.

In particular, ongoing work on concreting riverbeds and canals totaling 150,000 kilometers is said to enable annual water savings of 1.3 billion cubic meters. This is comparable to the annual water demand of the Navoi region.

To date, according to the presented data, 2,000 kilometers of main canals have been concreted, 721 kilometers of canals have been constructed, along with 525 kilometers of flumes and closed systems. A total of 3 trillion soums has been allocated for these works.

As a result, water supply has been improved for 858,000 hectares of agricultural land, and 51,000 hectares have been brought into circulation.

It was noted that water infrastructure should be viewed not only as a technical asset but also as an economic resource. International practice shows that riversides, canals, reservoirs, and lakes are widely used for tourism, services, and entrepreneurship development.

According to estimates, the economic return from investments in tourism projects around water infrastructure may range from 3 to 10 dollars for every dollar invested. In this regard, instructions were given to systematically develop such directions with the participation of responsible agencies and local authorities.

Measures were also discussed to expand the economic use of water fund lands. In some cases, extraction of sand and gravel will be permitted in accumulation zones where their buildup leads to erosion and flooding.

In addition, cleaning of reservoirs, flood storage basins, canals, collectors, natural lakes, and hydraulic structures from sediment is planned to be carried out with the involvement of private entrepreneurs without tender procedures. Land plots freed from water in reservoirs and flood storage areas will be auctioned for agricultural use.

It was noted that existing opportunities are not being fully utilized. Around 100,000 hectares of land within water fund territories have been identified as suitable for entrepreneurial, tourism, and recreational projects. According to estimates, this could provide employment for up to 100,000 people and generate additional income of about 220 billion soums per year.

A digital system has been instructed to be introduced to fully transfer leasing processes of water fund lands, monitoring, contract signing, and reporting online. The Agency for Space Research and Technologies has also been tasked with accurately calculating sand and gravel volumes in riverbeds and water management facilities.

Special attention was given to managing flood and mudflow waters. It was noted that due to climate change, short-term heavy rains have become more frequent in recent years, increasing the risk of mudflows, especially in mountainous areas of Samarkand, Jizzakh, and Tashkent regions.

It was reported that flood and mudflow waters annually carry away about 690 million cubic meters of water through 60 major waterways without effective utilization. Rational management of these resources would allow the development of about 13,000 hectares of land, improvement of water supply, and expansion of fisheries.

A comprehensive approach to mudflow management was emphasized, including not only construction of protective infrastructure but also development of agriculture, energy, fisheries, tourism, and service sectors.

Following the meeting, the president gave instructions to responsible officials to improve water resource efficiency, reduce mudflow and flood risks, and expand private sector participation in this area.