Amu Darya Basin Research Articles

The North Nuratau Fault Zone, Uzbekistan—Structure and evolution of a Palaeozoic Suture Zone

The Nuratau Fault Zone in eastern Uzbekistan forms part of the western prolongation of the Tien Shan, an extensive orogenic zone located along the margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The Nuratau region is geologically complex, forming part of the suture zone between the Kazakh-Kyrgyz continent and the Alai microcontinent. A model is proposed suggesting modified N-directed subduction model, where an extensive fold-and-thrust belt developed in the Nuratau region. This, coupled with significant transform activity would have resulted in major segmentation of the existing stratigraphy in the region, as well as the development of a foredeep basin to the north of the fold-and-thrust belt. Regional suturing and collision was variable. Indeed, the collisional history probably involved multi-phase subduction/accretion of various microcontinents, ancient island arcs, and fragments of oceanic islands. Final collision would have produced an eroding basinal high in the region of the Nuratau mountains, which issued sediment both northwards into the remnant basin of the Turkestan Ocean, but also to the south into the newly forming Amu Darya Basin.

Research and Application of Spectral Decomposition in Carbonate Reservoir and Fault Identification in MaiJie Let Gas Field, Amu Darya Basin

Spectral decomposition is to convert seismic signals from the time domain to the frequency domain by mathematical transformation, and analyze amplitude and phase response characteristics of different scale geological bodies. Spectral decomposition could get higher resolution than conventional seismic data. In the identification of the fault system, it is fit for fault interpretation and plane combination of the sections. In the reservoir prediction, it can identify the shape and contour of the reservoir. This document analyzed algorithm and applicability of short time Fourier transform, continuous wavelet transform and S-transform. Using these three methods for carbonate reservoir identification in MaiJie let gas field, Amu Darya Basin, it proves that the frequency division section is more clearly than conventional seismic section in reservoir and fault description. And S-transform gets the best result.

Interference of lithospheric folding in western Central Asia by simultaneous Indian and Arabian plate indentation

Abstract Large-scale intraplate deformation of the crust and the lithosphere in Central Asia as a result of the indentation of India has been extensively documented. In contrast, the impact of continental collision between Arabia and Eurasia on lithosphere tectonics in front of the main suture zone, has received much less attention. The resulting Neogene shortening and uplift of the external Zagros, Alborz, Kopeh Dagh and Caucasus Mountain belts in Iran and surrounding areas is characterised by a simultaneous onset of major topography growth at ca. 5 Ma. At the same time, subsidence accelerated in the adjacent Caspian, Turan and Amu Darya basins. We present evidence for interference of lithospheric folding patterns induced by the Arabian and Indian collision with Eurasia. Wavelengths and spatial patterns are inferred from satellite-derived topography and gravity models. The observed interference of the patterns of folding appears to be primarily the result of spatial orientation of the two indenters, differences in their convergence velocities and the thermo-mechanical structure of the lithosphere west and east of the Kugitang–Tunka Line.

A new species of riffle minnow, Alburnoides holciki, from the Hari River basin in Afghanistan and Iran (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae)

A new species of riffle minnow, Alburnoides holciki (Cyprinidae), is described from northwestern Afghanistan andnortheastern Iran. It is distinguished from related species by a combination of characters including a well-defined, sharp,scaleless or only slightly scaled ventral keel; a short, slightly pointed snout; a terminal mouth with the tip of the mouthcleft, on a level with the upper half of the pupil; a large eye (orbit width about equal to interorbital width); (46)47–51(55)lateralline scales to posterior margin of hypurals; 2.5–4.2 pharyngeal teeth; usually 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays; usually13–16½ branched anal-fin rays; 40–42, usually 41, total vertebrae; caudal vertebral region longer than abdominal region(most frequent vertebral formulae 20+21, 20+22 and 19+21); and usually 13 or 14 predorsal vertebrae. A comparison withAlburnoides species from rivers of the South Caspian Sea, the northern slope of the Kopetdag Mountains and the Amu Darya basin is provided.

Role of Stranded Gas from Central Asia and Russia in Meeting Europe’s Future Import Demand for Gas

Stranded gas is natural gas in discovered fields that is currently not commercially producible for either physical or economic reasons. This study examines stranded gas from Russia and Central Asia and the role it can play in addressing Europe’s growing demand for imported natural gas requiring additional volumes of gas in excess of 130 trillion cubic feet. We find sufficient volumes of stranded gas in fields in the Central Asian state of Turkmenistan in the Amu-Darya Basin and in Russian fields in the West Siberian Basin. The analysis focused on the estimated cost of extraction and delivery to a single market location for various concentrations of gas in stranded gas fields in Central Asia and Russia. At import prices of $10 per million British thermal units (MMBTU), there are sufficient gas resources in stranded fields that can be commercially developed and delivered to the European market. If, however, imported gas prices fall below $7 per MMBTU, most of the stranded gas evaluated from West Siberia will not be commercial. The costs of delivering gas from the largest stranded gas fields in Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan were calculated to be greater than 30% below the costs of delivering gas from the largest stranded gas fields in Russia, which are located in the Yamal Peninsula. Central Asian gas producers, particularly those east of the Caspian Sea, have limited market options due to the near monopoly position that Gazprom holds in transporting pipeline gas from east of Europe. This study examines several additional options to supply gas to Europe by reviewing expected delivered costs from North African and Atlantic basin suppliers.

Peculiarities of the Upper Amu Darya Basin Rivers Zonal Runoff in Lowwater and High-water Years

Some peculiarities of the rivers’zonal runoff during high-water and low-water years for homogeneous hydrologic regions of the upper Amu Darya River basin have been studied. By solving the ill-posed inverse problem, the values of the zonal runoff for spring and summer periods were estimated for the selected years with high and low water. Glacial component is shown to play a larger role in the runoff during low flow years.

Geochemical characteristics of Callovian—Oxfordian carbonates in Samandepe gas field, Amu Darya Basin, Turkmenistan

The Callovian-Oxfordian carbonate reservoirs are the most important hydrocarbon reservoir in the Samandepe gas field, Amu Darya basin, Turkmenistan. Based on the analysis of Fe, Mn and Sr trace elements, and carbon, oxygen and strontium isotopes, the genesis and evolutionary characteristics of the carbonate reservoirs were studied, and the conclusions were follows: 1) Sustained transgressive-regressive cycles played an important role during Callovian-Oxfordian. The reservoir of reef-bank facies was well de veloped in the period of transgression, while the regional dense cap rocks developed in the period of regression; 2) The 87Sr/86Sr ratio measured from rudist shells yields an age of 157.2 Ma according to the global strontium isotope curve; 3) As diagenetic intensity increased, δ13C changed little, and δ18O showed strong negative deviation but was still limited to the range of Late Jurassic seawater. High Fe and Sr contents, and low Mn content, and the evolutionary trend of δ13C and δ18O all indicate that diagenesis occurred in a relatively confined environment, where the fluids were relatively reducing and contained hot brine. The stage of diagenesis reached is mesodiagenesis, which is very favorable for preservation of primary pores in carbonates; 4) Strong dissolution of reef limestones, burial dolomitization and hydrothermal calcite precipitation were all the results of the interaction between the 87Sr-rich diagenetic fluid and rocks; 5) The analysis results of isotopes, fluid inclusions and vitrinite reflectance show that the diagenetic fluid was compaction-released water that originated from the deep, coal-bearing clastic strata.

Cross-Comparison of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Across Large River Basins in Europe, Africa and Asia

A cross-comparison of climate change adaptation strategies across regions was performed, considering six large river basins as case study areas. Three of the basins, namely the Elbe, Guadiana, and Rhine, are located in Europe, the Nile Equatorial Lakes region and the Orange basin are in Africa, and the Amudarya basin is in Central Asia. The evaluation was based mainly on the opinions of policy makers and water management experts in the river basins. The adaptation strategies were evaluated considering the following issues: expected climate change, expected climate change impacts, drivers for development of adaptation strategy, barriers for adaptation, state of the implementation of a range of water management measures, and status of adaptation strategy implementation. The analysis of responses and cross-comparison were performed with rating the responses where possible. According to the expert opinions, there is an understanding in all six regions that climate change is happening. Different climate change impacts are expected in the basins, whereas decreasing annual water availability, and increasing frequency and intensity of droughts (and to a lesser extent floods) are expected in all of them. According to the responses, the two most important drivers for development of adaptation strategy are: climate-related disasters, and national and international policies. The following most important barriers for adaptation to climate change were identified by responders: spatial and temporal uncertainties in climate projections, lack of adequate financial resources, and lack of horizontal cooperation. The evaluated water resources management measures are on a relatively high level in the Elbe and Rhine basins, followed by the Orange and Guadiana. It is lower in the Amudarya basin, and the lowest in the NEL region, where many measures are only at the planning stage. Regarding the level of adaptation strategy implementation, it can be concluded that the adaptation to climate change has started in all basins, but progresses rather slowly.

Groundwater resources use and management in the Amu Darya River Basin (Central Asia)

This paper analyses groundwater resources use and management in the socio-economic context of the Amu Darya River Basin which covers a part of the following landlocked Central Asian countries: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. These agrarian nations for sustaining their vital agricultural productions started to use groundwater during the recent drought years (1998–2001) because of its relatively good quality and quantity and as an alternative to highly mineralized surface waters. Present extent of groundwater resources use is discussed with consideration to their reserves, quality, and institutional management and transboundary aspects within the basin. After the collapse of the centralized water resources management system and infrastructure of the former Soviet Union, new underdeveloped systems are being practiced over the whole Amu Darya River Basin. The critical situation of groundwater management in Afghanistan is also discussed. This work attempts to document the management and use of groundwater in the Amu Darya Basin and present time management realities, with fragmented and weak national and regional regulation on groundwater. Special attention is given to groundwater resources in irrigated agriculture, which increased use in all countries of the basin is due to quick access to underground resources and relatively good quality and quantity.

Hydro-hegemony in the Amu Darya Basin

The water allocations in the Amu Darya Basin reflect the colonial legacy of the Soviet Union: the downstream riparian states, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, were utilized to produce cotton while upstream Tajikistan used water for energy production and it was anticipated to increase its reservoir capacity further to provide water storage and facilitate agricultural production downstream, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan were considered simple producers of water without having a real claim to it. Independence manifested inequitable water allocations, giving rise to the perception that especially Uzbekistan is the hydro-hegemon in the Amu Darya Basin. But the post-Soviet basin may be, in fact, without a hydro-hegemon. Data presented in this paper suggest that the riparian states are currently engaged in strategies of resource capture, by increasing their water demand without renegotiating agreements. In addition, while during the Soviet hegemony the increase of reservoir capacity upstream was perceived as ‘integration’ into the larger framework, today the re-emergence of these plans are perceived as a threat. The analysis of different aspects of hydro-hegemony, such as control over data, current discourses and control over provision infrastructure, demonstrates that Uzbekistan's control over the flows is hardly consolidated.

Shifting to hydrological boundaries – The politics of implementation in the lower Amu Darya basin

During the time of the Soviet Union, the Central Asian states managed their water resources on the meso level according to administrative rather than hydrological boundaries. It was only in 2003 that Uzbekistan shifted from administrative to hydrological boundaries for water management. Using the example of Khorezm Province in the lower Amu Darya basin, this paper shows that redefining boundaries is a political process, which led in Khorezm to new boundaries which are partly determined by hydraulic, not hydrological, and political considerations. Nevertheless, the new management approach has created more equity amongst the different districts in terms of water supply per irrigated area. However, simple equity in water supply did not take into consideration other issues, such as infrastructure, hydrogeological zones and crop production. In addition, the official data show that the achieved equity was based on an overall increase in water supply to the individual districts and to Khorezm as a whole. When only the increase in water supply to the individual districts is taken into consideration, it appears that the location of the main office and the regional provenance of the main staff influenced water supply to specific districts. Finally, based on the data presented for Khorezm Province the paper goes a stage further and questions the real value of the new water management boundaries implemented in Khorezm.

A critical review of the concept of equity to support water allocation at various scales in the Amu Darya basin

Even though ‘equity’ appears to be the major objective on all water management levels, the concept as such and its implication for water management are hardly explored within the professional water debate. Utilizing different arguments from the public sector, management and psychology debates, it is argued that the concept of equity is often undefined and usually ambiguous. The paper goes on to explore aspects of ‘equity’ of water allocation between the different riparian states in the Amu Darya basin and between the different upstream and downstream provinces in Uzbekistan and districts within the Khorezm Province of Uzbekistan.

Kushan and Kushano-Sasanid coins from the Lebap region (archaeological findings in Amul)

One of the least archaeologically studied areas in Central Asia is Lebap. Lebap – on the Middle Amu Darya River – includes areas around the medieval towns of Amul and Zemm and is part of the Lebap velayat (formerly Chardzhou Province) of Turkmenistan. The region consists of the middle Amu Darya basin and adjacent areas, and its historical center is Amul-Chardzhui (Burkhanov, 2001, 2005a, 2006). The key artery of Lebap, the Amu Darya River (also known as the Oxus or the Jeikhun) was the principal trade route of the entire western part of Central Asia. In its middle course, there are four main crossings. The easiest and most strategically important one, across which the Great Silk Road passed, is situated near Amul-Chardzhui (Burkhanov, 2001: 75; Drevniy Amul..., 1993: 7 – 14). Archaeological data suggest that three major cultural oases were present in the area of the Middle Amu Darya – the northern (Chardzhui), central (Karabek-Aul), and southern (Kerkin), separated by desert areas. In 9th – 10th-century texts, the Middle Amu Darya area is subdivided into two cultural regions: Zemm, corresponding to the southern (Kerkin) group of sites, and Amul, which included the Chardzhou and KarabekAul oases (Pilipko, 1985: 102; Burkhanov, 2005a: 6 – 10; Materyaly..., 1939: 146 – 150). While previous archaeological work in Lebap mostly included surveys and pilot excavations, expeditions conducted by V.N. Pilipko, G. Gutlyev, and A.A Burkhanov in the 1970s – 1990s yielded ample material relevant for ancient and medieval history of the region (Burkhanov, 1994, 2005a, b; Pilipko, 1985). DOI: 10.1134/S1563011007030097 A.A. Burkhanov Tatar Pedagogical University for the Humanities, Tatarstan 2, Kazan, 420111, Russia E-mail: albert_burhan@list.ru

On the relationship between the Indian summer monsoon and river flow in the Aral Sea basin

We study the contemporaneous relationship between the intensity of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) and runoff in the major rivers of the Aral Sea basin (Amudarya, Syrdarya) and some of their subcatchments. To this end, we use All‐India rainfall (AIR) data, CRU surface observations of precipitation and temperature, ERA40 atmospheric data, and natural discharge data corrected for human interference. We show that there is a highly significant positive correlation between ISM intensity and Amudarya runoff. This finding cannot be explained by the spill‐over of ISM precipitation over the Hindu Kush into the Amudarya basin. Instead, we suggest that the observed co‐variability is mediated by tropospheric temperature variations due to fluctuations in the ISM intensity. These variations are known to be due to Rossby‐wave propagation in response to condensational heating during monsoon precipitation. We hypothesise that the corresponding anomalies in surface temperatures imply anomalies in meltwater formation.

Afghanistan: An Overview of Ground Water Resources and Challenges

Afghanistan: An Overview of Ground Water Resources and Challenges

Water, Climate, and Development Issues in the Amu Darya Basin

Before 1960, the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest body of water on Earth. Today, it is on the edge of extinction. The Sea is fed by Central Asia’s two major rivers, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, with a flow, respectively, of about 70 and 35 cubic kilometers per year on average. Today, the Aral story is quite well known to environmental groups within and outside the region. The Amu Darya’s watercourse serves as an international border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan and between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The Amu Darya crisscrosses Turkmenistan and, for the most part, traverses the length of Uzbekistan and its subregion known as Karakalpakstan. Although an upstream riparian country, Afghanistan has been at war for a couple of decades and in-country conflict remains. As a result, it has had little opportunity to lay claim to its legitimate share of Amu Darya water. With an end to the Russo-Afghan war, an end to the Taliban regime, and with international involvement to bring a semblance of peace and stability to the country in the conflict-laden post-Taliban period, the new Afghan government will surely lay claim to a significant share of Amu Darya water as it reconstructs the nation’s agricultural sector. This paper discusses issues related to the problems and prospects for sustainable development in the Amu Darya basin.

Introductory Assessment of Transboundary Water Resources in Central Asian Riparian Countries

This paper discusses the water resources and its distribution in the Amu-Darya River Basin from near its origin at Pyandzh in Tajikistan and Afganistan downstream to Uzbekistan. One of the key issues for all riparian countries is the development of innovative solutions for the rehabilitation of traditional irrigation infrastructure and strengthening of water resources management. However, information on water resources genesis, its use and allocation currently available in the surveyed regions are over 20 years old. Basic information is needed to estimate the scale of rehabilitation in water management and water supply schemes necessary to secure the recovery of agriculture and livestock production as well as the delivery of fresh water for domestic purposes. New analysis of water resources use should ensure that development is undertaken in a way that takes full account of environmental, traditional, social and economic issues. This will also require serious coordination of data on water resources supply and demands throughout whole Amudarya River Basin. Appropriate reforms should accompany and apply to all water sources that cross the boundaries of all riparian countries. In this context we propose to develop a mathematical model of water resources genesis and distribution in the Amudarya Basin using contemporary computing technologies and satellite data that would forecast not only the water resources formation but will also determine the development of multi-years climatic and anthropogenic trends in the whole Aral Sea Basin.

Seasonal Runoff Forecasting Using Precipitation from Meteorological Data Assimilation Systems

In semiarid mountainous regions such as central Asia, runoff from snowmelt often represents the dominant contribution to river flow and freshwater supply during the dry season. The estimation of snow accumulation during the preceding seasons then provides a key to seasonal runoff forecasting with lead times of a few months, and it requires appropriate coverage with surface precipitation and/or snow water equivalent observations. This study tests whether the lack of conventional precipitation and snow observations can be overcome by using model-based precipitation estimates from meteorological data assimilation systems. To this end, a detailed examination is undertaken of the ability of model-assimilated precipitation data to represent the interannual (year-to-year) variations of observed runoff in the Aral Sea basin in central Asia. Precipitation from the 15-yr Re-Analysis (ERA-15) of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for the period 1979‐93 is compared against precipitation estimates derived from rain gauge networks, and against the observed natural runoff in the Syrdarya (166 400 km 2) and Amudarya (320 520 km2) basins. It is demonstrated that the ERA-15 dataset is able—despite its low spatial resolution—to describe the seasonal cycle and the larger-scale geographical distribution of precipitation in central Asia. For the Syrdarya basin, it is found that December‐April ERA-15 precipitation correlates well with observed May‐September natural discharge. The correlation coefficient between the two time series amounts to r 5 0.92. It is also demonstrated that ERA-15 precipitation is a better predictor for subsequent runoff than rain gauge‐based precipitation analyses, presumably because of the poor coverage with rain gauge stations. The high correlations suggest that a reliable seasonal runoff forecasting system can be constructed from the statistical relationship between model-assimilated precipitation and subsequent runoff. Cross-validation hindcasting techniques are used to confirm this conclusion. A real runoff forecasting system would, however, require using a real-time precipitation product from an operational data assimilation system. For the Amudarya basin, the correlation between precipitation and subsequent runoff is substantially lower, presumably because of a lower quality of ERA-15 precipitation estimates within the tropical weather system, and/or due to a lower quality of the withdrawal-corrected runoff figures.

Screening the leaching tendency of pesticides applied in the Amu Darya Basin (Uzbekistan)

The Amu Darya River, one of the most important water resources for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, was declared a World Disaster Zone in 1991. The great increase in irrigation and the use of pesticides has led to both a lack of water and drinking water contamination. The aim of the present study, part of an EU project on water management guidelines, was to evaluate the leachability of 71 organic pesticides commonly employed in the area, and to assess compounds that could potentially contaminate the river and impair drinking water quality. A multivariate approach is proposed for the pesticide screening, condensing information from different environmental partition indexes (GUS, “modified LEACH”, LIN) into a single ranking, the Global Leachability Index (GLI). For a selected data set in water medium this super-index identifies three classes with a risk potential for pesticide leachability, and allows the selection of a small number of chemicals for an analytical survey.

Institutional Aspects of Water Management in Central Asia Water Users Associations

The way water resources in the former Soviet Union (FSU) were managed in the second half of the past century had both positive and negative effects and contributed to the existing situation. On the one hand, extensive development of water resources led to the transformation of millions of hectares of virgin lands into agricultural production, providing millions of people with food and livelihoods. On the other hand, the over-exploitation of water resources led to drastic changes of the environment: many water bodies, such as lakes, small rivers, and delta wetlands dried up. The Aral Sea basin is one of the dramatic examples of the negative impacts of large-scale irrigation interventions. The state-controlled era of development in the Soviet period has a legacy of standardized procedures and rules formulated at the top. The shortcomings of such a water management included fragmentation, duplication, and a highly administrative approach without considering the needs of the environment and input of water users into planning, allocating, and managing of water resources. This paper presents an analytical view of the role and importance of water users organizations/associations (WUOs/WUAs) in the irrigated agriculture and under irrigation management transfer (IMT) in Central Asia region. International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Scientific Information Center of Interstate Coordination Water Commission (SIC ICWC) conducted the “Best Practices.” Projects including activities covered Syr Darya and Amu Darya basins of Central Asia. During the first stage of the project (01.04.1002-31.03.2002), the monitoring objects were: 30 district water management organizations (DWMO), eight WUAs, 58 collective farms (CCF), and 61 private farms (PPF) from eight provinces Central Asia) project for conserving water resources by involving water users into water savings. The primary strategy was to propagate application of inexpensive technical and managerial methods and measures to save water by users themselves. The project is a joint project of IWMI and SIC ICWC aimed to monitor and disseminate the best practices of water conservation initiated by water users. The first year of the “Best Practices” project accomplished a broader involvement of water users into the water conserving methods, therefore continuing the beneficial good water management practices. It also continued to involve the water supplying organizations and various groups of water users (collective farms, farmers, and water users' associations). The major interest was to analyze the impacts of the different water conservation and management practices on productivity of water use.