On the implementation of "Regulation of the Syrdarya River Channel and Preservation of the Northern Aral Sea" project

"Regional Development and Restoration of the Northern Part of the Aral Sea"

A feasibility study for the "Regional Development and Restoration of the Northern Part of the Aral Sea" project was developed using a non-repayable grant from the World Bank (US$1.5 million).
Reference: The client is the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
For this project, the Minister of Water Resources made several special working visits to the region, during which implementation issues were discussed with local residents.
Reference: During meetings between the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, N. Nurzhigitov, held on January 9-10 of this year in the cities of Kyzylorda and Aral with regional water management initiative groups and district residents, the single-tier version was supported during the discussions, while the two-tier version was deemed impractical.
As a result, under the single-tier option, the elevation of the Kokaral Dam will be raised from 42 to 44 meters according to the Baltic Sea system. For reference: The project's feasibility study has been revised and a positive state expert review has been received.
Under this option:
- the sea's water volume will increase by 7 billion cubic meters (from 27 billion cubic meters to 34 billion cubic meters);
- 762 square kilometers of dry seabed will be covered by water (from 3,151 square kilometers to 3,913 square kilometers);
- water mineralization will decrease from 8.89 to 7.28 grams per liter;
- the area of ​​pastures and hayfields will increase.
Furthermore, this will improve the socioeconomic situation of the population of the Aral and Kazaly districts and create new jobs.
All options include the construction of the Amanotkel-2 hydroelectric complex. It will ensure a stable water supply to the Akshatau-Kamystybas lake system. The total preliminary construction cost is 71.9 billion tenge.

On the implementation of the RRSSAM-2 project

With the help of a non-repayable grant from the World Bank, work has begun in 2020 to develop a feasibility study for the project “Regional Development and Restoration of the Northern Part of the Aral Sea”.
At the same time, it was necessary to make a final decision on several options for increasing the territory of the Northern Aral Sea, which is important for the region.
On this issue, at meetings chaired by the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, a decision was made on a single-level option for raising the Kokaral dam along the Baltic system to 44 meters.
To date, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan has developed a table indicating specific deadlines for completing the feasibility study and obtaining a positive expert opinion from state bodies for December 2025.
After completing the feasibility study for the RRSSAM project, the Ministry will hold negotiations with international financial organizations to attract funds for implementation in accordance with the law.

01.07.2025

Information on the implementation of
"Regulation of the Syrdarya river bed and preservation of the northern part of the Aral Sea" (RSRPNPAS-2) project

The second phase of the RRSSAM project, also implemented on behalf of the Elbasy, consists of 8 components (at stage I - 6 components, at stage II - 2). For reference: The first stage of the project: 1) restoration of the left-bank gateway-regulator of the Kyzylorda hydroelectric complex; 2) construction of protective dams in Kazalinsky and Karmakshy districts; 3) straightening the Syrdarya river channel in the Korgansha and Turumbet sections; 4) construction of a road bridge near the village of Birlik Kazalinsky district; 5) restoration of Kamyshlybash and Akshatau lake systems; 6) reconstruction and expansion of nursery ponds at uch. Tastak Kamyshlybash fish hatchery in the Aral region. Refinement of the feasibility study for sub-projects: 1) reconstruction of the northern part of the Aral Sea (single-level or two-level option); 2) construction and equipment of a working center for water resources management in the Kazakh part of the river basin. Syrdarya. Due to the fact that the procedures for attracting a World Bank loan were delayed by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it was decided to start implementing 4 components of the first stage of the PRRSSAM-2 project at the expense of the republican budget (without a loan from the World Bank). At the same time, 3 components of them (strengthening of protective dams in Karmakshinsky, Kazaly districts, straightening of the river bed in the Korgansha and Turumbet sections of Zhalagashsky district and comprehensive repair of the Kyzylorda hydroelectric complex) are planned to be implemented within the framework of the Roadmap "Comprehensive plan of socio-economic development for 2019-2022 years ”, and 1 component (construction of a bridge near Birlik village, Kazaly district) within the framework of the Regional Development Program.
For the component "Reconstruction of the Kyzylorda hydroelectric complex" at the expense of the RSE "Kazvodkhoz", design and estimate documentation was developed (on 16.01.2020, the conclusion of the state expert examination in the amount of 3.2 billion tenge was received). Due to the emergency state of the facility, it was decided to ban the movement of all types of vehicles on the dam. In the event of the destruction of the hydroelectric complex, the water supply of 110 thousand hectares of irrigated land and 250 thousand hectares of pastures and hayfields in the region (3 districts and the city of Kyzylorda with a total population of about 400 thousand people) will be disrupted. Moreover, it threatens to flood 38 settlements in the region. To start the implementation of the project in 2020, 500 million tenge was allocated from the republican budget. To continue the implementation of the project in 2021, 1 121 million tenge was allocated from the republican budget.
According to 2 components “Straightening of the river channel. Syrdarya in the Korgansha and Turumbet areas of the Zhalagash region "(construction and installation work - 651.6 million tenge) and" Strengthening protective dams in the Karmakshinsky and Kazalinsky regions "also developed design and estimate documentation (with state expertise dated March 28, 2018, construction and installation work - 1875.8 million tenge) and the projects will be implemented within the framework of the Roadmap “A set of measures to prevent and eliminate flood threats for 2017-2020.” For the component Construction of a bridge near the village. A feasibility study was developed for Birlik, Kazaly district, the project cost is 4.5 billion tenge.
In 2020, 15 million tenge was allocated from the regional budget for the beginning of the development of design estimates (the cost of development of design estimates is 95 million tenge). After the development of the design and estimate documentation, this component will be submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development for financing from the republican budget.
The certification of lake systems has been completed for the component “Restoration of the Kamyshlyb and Akshatau lake systems”. Work is underway to transfer the facilities to the balance of the Committee for Water Resources of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources.
A, the component "Reconstruction and expansion of fish ponds at the Tastak Kamyshlybash fish hatchery" at the suggestion of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources will be adjusted.
Considering that the fish nursery itself is morally outdated, first of all, the Kamyshlybash fish nursery itself will be modernized, and then the fish ponds at the Tastak site will be reconstructed. This component will be included in the "Project for regional development and restoration of the northern part of the Aral Sea", developed by experts from the World Bank.
Due to the fact that 4 out of 6 components of the RRSSAM-2 project will be implemented at the expense of the republican budget, the World Bank, on the basis of discussions and consultations, presented a new approach to the integrated development of the Kazakhstani part of the river basin. Syrdarya and the northern Aral Sea, and it was also proposed to change the name of the RRSSAM-2 project to the “Project for Regional Development and Restoration of the Northern Part of the Aral Sea” (hereinafter referred to as the Project) with the inclusion of additional components to improve the socio-economic development of the region.
The project consists of 3 components with a preliminary total cost of 190 million US dollars: The first component - “Improvement of water infrastructure and improvement of hydrological regime in the NAS (North Aral Sea) - r. Syrdarya ($ 120 million). The second component is “Supporting sustainable economic, social and environmental activities in the Kyzylorda oblast” (US $ 60 million). The third component is “Improving the information base and water resources management, regional planning and project management” (US $ 10 million) ).
On July 15, 2020, a grant agreement was signed between the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Bank for the development of a feasibility study for the "Project for Regional Development and Restoration of the Northern Aral Sea", developed by experts of the World Bank in the amount of 1.5 million US dollars, 15 December 2020, the grant agreement entered into force.
Today, the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan is working on the selection of international companies specializing in the development of such projects.