Alternative Water Allocation in Kyrgyzstan: Lessons from the Lower Colorado River Basin and New South Wales

Akmal Karimov,Murat Yakubov,Jusipbek Kazbekov,Oyture Anarbekov,Kahramon Jumabaev,Andrew Noble,Nazir Mirzaev,Ahmad Alimdjanov

doi:10.3390/w2030510

Akmal Karimov, Murat Yakubov + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/w2030510

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Abstract

Focus group discussions and a modeling approach were applied to determine policy and regulatory refinements for current water allocation practices in Kyrgyzstan. Lessons from the Lower Colorado River basin, Texas and New South Wales, Australia were taken into consideration. The paper analyzes the impact of adopting some of these interventions within the socio-environmental context that currently prevails in Kyrgyzstan. The optimization model for water distribution at the river-basin scale was developed using GAMS 2.25 software. Application of the model to the Akbura River basin indicated efficiencies in the proposed institutional rules especially in low water years.

Highlights

Experience suggests that countries, especially those in transition, when seeking to reform their problem-stricken water-management sector try to embark on comprehensive water governance reforms turning to more user-driven and participatory models
Water managers were represented by the leading specialists of local canal and basin water management organizations
The participants of the discussion hypothesized that an involvement of the water users in the water management will both reduce risks of conflicts and ensure equitable water allocations. We have examined this hypothesis through the modeling approach and compared centralized state-driven water management and user-driven participatory scenarios

Summary

Introduction

Experience suggests that countries, especially those in transition, when seeking to reform their problem-stricken water-management sector try to embark on comprehensive water governance reforms turning to more user-driven and participatory models. Appropriate institutional change on the ground can be expected if all basic elements of the water institutional structure are adequately reformed, realigned and readjusted. One such basic element of the water institutional structure that quite frequently lacks adequate consideration resulting from major legal and policy reform is water administration. This will assist in realigning water allocation in such a way that would ensure more efficient uses of this finite resource. This, in particular, requires adjusting and refining the principles of water allocation

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