Assessment and Method of Water Resources Management in the Asa River Basin

Abstract

The article presents the method of water resources management in the Asa river basin and indicators of water intake, water supply and assessment of water quality. Water is an economically important resource that determines the sustainability of a country’s development. New trends show that water issues are becoming more complex with other sectors, including agriculture, energy, industry, transport, and communications, as well as with social sectors: education, environment, and healthcare, rural or regional development. The rational use of water resources, as well as the protection of water resources and access to drinking water are an important priority for the world community. The Republic of Kazakhstan is no exception, since the deficit of water resources is growing every year. Today’s global challenges, especially climate change and population growth, are making the situation even more worrisome. Climate change is caused by dynamic processes on Earth, external influences such as fluctuations in the intensity of sunlight, and recent human activities. Consequently, in the conditions of Kazakhstan, where water resources are limited, and irrigation develops in various natural and climatic zones, further intensification of irrigated agriculture can be carried out through the development of environmentally friendly integrated technologies, ecological and reclamation management of water and land resources, ensuring a decrease in the amount of unproductive losses of irrigation water, as well as protection of water and land resources from pollution by collector-waste waters, leaching of organic substances and nutrients, the rate of salt accumulation in the root layer and the rate of alkalization and alkalinization processes. This approach is predetermined by the fact that the existing methods of water resources management inevitably lead to large losses of irrigation water for infiltration, discharge and evaporation, the value of which reaches 60–70% of the water intake.