Irrigation and drainage in the Republic of Tajikistan

Abstract

AbstractThe Republic of Tajikistan is an agrarian country in Central Asia with a population of more than 10 million. Ninety‐three per cent of the territory is taken up by mountains. The country is rich in water resources (glaciers, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, mineral springs, etc.) The rivers of Tajikistan form 55.4% of the average annual surface runoff of the Aral Sea basin. The total area of land potentially suitable for irrigation in the country is estimated at 1.57 Mha, of which 763,000 ha were developed by 2021, of which 289,000 ha are irrigated with the help of 390 pumping stations with 1500 pumps and 213,000 ha are irrigated with the help of 228 cascade pumping stations with 922 aggregates. The irrigation and drainage networks are mainly located in the basins of the Syr Darya, Zarafshan, Kafernigan, Vakhsh and Pyanj rivers. In general, 26,700 km of irrigation networks, main canals and 11,400 km of collector‐drainage networks, 7099 hydraulic structures, 505 vertical wells, 169 siphons, 110 aqueducts, 5455 water distribution points and 3858 gauging posts function to serve irrigated lands in the country.