Kyrgyzstan has stopped supplying irrigation water to Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic announced on August 13. The decision was made after a meeting between representatives of the two countries in Bishkek in July, Turanews.kz reports.
The meeting was held to discuss the issue of water sharing along the Chu and Talas rivers. The Kazakh side requested that Kyrgyzstan increase the amount of water it supplies from the Kirov reservoir to 45 cubic meters per second. However, the Kyrgyz side said that it was unable to do so, as the water levels in the reservoir are very low.
The Kyrgyz side also pointed out that it is facing a similar difficult situation with irrigation in the Chui and Talas regions. Water levels in the rivers are also low, and headquarters have been created to deal with the situation.
As a result of the meeting, the two sides agreed that Kyrgyzstan will stop supplying irrigation water to Kazakhstan starting from the second decade of August. However, they also agreed that if the water levels in the Kirov reservoir increase, Kyrgyzstan will consider supplying water to Kazakhstan again.
The Kazakh side has the opportunity to receive water from the Talas channel through the collector and drainage network along the state border. However, the amount of water that can be supplied through this network is limited.
The water shortage in the Chu and Talas river basins is a serious problem for both Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The two countries need to find a way to cooperate to ensure that there is enough water for everyone.
