Abstract
In this paper, the problems of rational use, protection and management of water and irrigated land resources of Uzbekistan are discussed. Uzbekistan is using more than 50% water resources of the region and therefore it’s more vulnerable to the problems of water deficiency and pollution caused by mismanagement, use of outdated technologies, and climate change impact. Utilization of water resources on main branches of economy (irrigation, industry and drinking water supply) from 2000-2009 and in some cases beyond this period was analyzed. Based on the data analyzed, the conditions of irrigated land degradation in Uzbekistan are estimated. The results of this analysis suggest several possibilities toward a sustainable use of irrigated lands: i) reduction of the groundwater table depth; ii) decrease of the level of mineralization of groundwater, and iii) improvement of ameliorative conditions of irrigated lands. The causes resulting in degradation of the irrigated lands and practical measures on the reduction of salinization of the irrigated lands are also recommended.
Highlights
The Aral Sea basin, including five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), is known to the world due to an extensive and irrational water and land development in the Soviet era, which causes a heavy degradation of water and land resources and the Aral Sea catastrophe [1,2]
The purpose of the present work is to explore the dynamics of utilization of water resources and condition of irrigated lands in Uzbekistan, mainly focusing on the period from 2000 to 2009
The following conclusions can be drawn: 1) Uzbekistan is using more than 50% of water resources of the region, and it is more vulnerable to the problems of water deficiency and pollution caused by mismanagement, use of outdated technologies, unsustainable agricultural practices and climate change impact
Summary
The Aral Sea basin, including five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), is known to the world due to an extensive and irrational water and land development in the Soviet era, which causes a heavy degradation of water and land resources and the Aral Sea catastrophe [1,2]. The economic development of the Aral Sea basin (ASB) countries, Uzbekistan in many respects, is connected to the availability of water and land resources and their rational use. The irrigated area is 4.3 mln∙ha (about 10%), the rain fed area is 900,000 ha (1.7%), pasture land is 22.4 mln∙ha (50.1%), forest cover is 1.3 mln∙ha (3.2%), and the area that is not in use is 16 mln∙ha (35.3%) [3]. Irrigated lands provide more than 95% of all agricultural production of country. The methods which are being practiced lead to the loss of a great volume of water through evaporation and filtration [4,5]
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