Syr Darya River Research Articles

Water Related Health Problems in Central Asia—A Review

The present paper provides an extensive literature review on water related health issues in Central Asia. Even though the per capita amount of available freshwater is substantial in all Central Asian states the uneven distribution in time and space creates problems for water availability. Due to this, the Central Asian economies are developing under increasing water deficiency. The degradation of water supply systems and sewage treatment plants is often severe leading to potentially high water loss rates and inadequate accessibility to safe water supply. In this context, rural areas are the most affected. Low tariffs in combination with absent metering and low collection rates for water fees mean that operation and maintenance costs for basic services of water supply and sanitation are not covered. Unsafe water supply contains both microbiological and non-microbiological contaminants. Helminthiasis and intestinal protozoa infections are of considerable public health importance in Central Asia. Agricultural and industrial pollution is especially affecting downstream areas of Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. In large areas copper, zinc, and chromium concentrations in water exceed maximum permissible concentration. Thus, there is an urgent need to strengthen the environmental monitoring system. Small-scale water supply and sanitation systems need to be developed in line with more efficient public spending on these.

The Syr Darya River - new ecological disaster in Central Asia

Syr Darya one of the most important rivers in Central Asia, Central Asia's lon- gest river, and second-largest by volume. By the time it nears the end of a twisting course that takes it through four Central Asian states, the Syr Darya has accumulated such high levels of agricultural runoff such as pesticides and fertilizers, industrial waste, and any number of other contaminants that some are warning that crops irrigated by the river in southern Kyzyl-Orda province should be burned.

Morphological and biological variability of young asp fishes Aspius aspius (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Syrdarya River

The asp Aspius aspius (Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the main commercial fishes in the Syrdarya watershed now. Environmental conditions during winter to summer 2016 were favorable for reproduction of this fisheshere. The routine procedure of biological and morphological analysis wasapplied to young fishes collected in three different stations. States of 6biological, 7 counted and 30 measured traits were investigated. 1 yearold and born 2016 fishes were presented in samples from each site. Individual appearance of all fishes was normal. Their bodies profile was ovalwith slightly convex belly. That allowed us to take the obtained data onsize, weight and fatness as normal. Significant variability of all investigatedmorphological characteristics was observed. Statistical analysis of loadingof each trait on principal components was conducted to evaluate impactof environmental conditions and allometry to morphological variability ofyoung fishes. Influence of absolute body size to variability of fish profilewas less than the traits of head and fins. Absence site and size dependedmorphological differentiation between investigated young fishes indicatedhomogeneity of environmental conditions here and allowed to supposeimpact of some stabilizing selection against extreme deviants in this population. Obtained data did not allow us to reveal the size when young fishesbecame predator. Young freshwater shrimps were the most important feeding object for both ages’ young fishes. Number of rays in abdominal finswas one of very important traits for young fish variability. This characteristic is one of the most conservative for fishes belong to the Cyprinidaefamily and so it can indicate genetic differentiation of adults, but specialmethods of molecular genetics should be applied to solve this assumption.Common state of the asp population in the Kazakhstan part of the SyrdaryaRiver was evaluated as least threatened.Key words: asp, morphology, plastic, counted, principal components

Environmental Quality Assessment of Dairy Products Manufactured in the Area of Kazakhstan Aral Sea Region

Aral problem, as the largest environmental disaster the world has acquired acute. This crisis affects the interests of all countries in Central Asia, which is becoming a concern of the world community. In this context, innovative research on the quality and safety of animal products in environmentally disadvantaged areas of the Kazakhstan part of the Aral sea region, is very relevant. One purpose was to conduct scientific research on the presence of heavy metals in the dairy products produced in the farms of the Aral and Kazalinsk areas of the Kyzylorda region of Kazakhstan. It was found that the quality of dairy products compared with the standard rate only slightly reduced and priority objectives for environmental health in the region, are the realization of projects for the system water allocation pools, as well as regulatory measures zones of the Syrdarya river, Recover and preserve the natural background of vegetation and disturbed the balance of the land.

Water Governance in Central Asia: A Luhmannian Perspective

ABSTRACTWe develop a social systems theory perspective on Central Asian post-Socialist transition, placing particular emphasis on the coordination problems in transboundary water governance. The extensive Soviet water-energy infrastructure around the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers required coordination, but this could no longer be politically secured after the 1991 Soviet disintegration. According to the social systems theory of Niklas Luhmann, coordination problems are generally endemic to any modern regime of functional differentiation. We show that each Central Asia state had to tackle substantial internal adaptation problems, which were rendered even more formidable by the need for transboundary coordination. We further demonstrate how the new riparian states offer a complex picture of several forms of differentiation, where functional differentiation is in some ways reinforced by the new national boundaries and the collapse of Soviet planning. We identify possible sources of flexibility, opening up avenues toward adaptation and enhanced coordination across boundaries.

Climate Change in the Tien Shan in the Holocene and the Problem of Using Spore-Pollen Spectra of Mountains of the Central Asia

A reconstruction of the climate of the Tien Shan in the Holocene based on spore-pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating of lake and marsh sediments is presented. It is proved that the climatic conditions of the Sub-Holocene as well as the early and middle Holocene are characterized by aridity and continentality, except the interval from 6 to 5 thousand years. The late Holocene was different by wet and cool climate. Cold and wet conditions were observed in the late Sub-Atlantic time (the last millennium A.D.), and the middle of the Sub-Atlantic period (the first millennium A.D.) characterized by very dry and warm climate. A significant difference in the estimates of the climate of the Tien Shan, Pamir, and the Fergana Valley in the Holocene was detected. It was caused by a different interpretation by the researchers of the same spore-pollen spectra (SPS) of mountains of the Central Asia (the former Soviet Union). The author’s interpretation of the spore-pollen spectra characterizing periglacial landscapes of the Sub-Holocene and the early Holocene of the Tien Shan is proposed. The scientific correctness of the proposed interpretation, confirmed by the synchronous oscillations of the level of the Aral Sea and the paleoclimate of the Tien Shan – area of runoff formation of the Syr Darya River, is proved. Using the proposed interpretation for the spore-pollen spectra removes many of the contradictions in assessing climate of mountains of the Central Asia.

FAUNA, ECOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF CYPRINIFORMES FISH HELMINTHS IN UZBEKISTAN

The purpose of the research was to study helminthofauna of fish Cypriniformes order in comparative aspect in artificial and natural water bodies and the clarification ways of formation of faunal assemblages and development of scientific bases of prevention of helminthiasis of fish. An extensive and systematic research of helminthofauna of fish water bodies of the order Cypriniformes of the northeast of Uzbekistan has realized and taxonomic and faunal analysis of detected parasites has also been carried out. Fauna of parasitic worms of Cypriniformes in ponds of diverse Syrdarya river shows 49 species, 18 species belongs to the class Trematoda, Cestoda class represents 13 species, class Acanthocephala 4 species and the class Nematoda 14 species. Analysis of biological properties and ecological specialty of Cypriniformes parasitic worms allows three types of helminth communities: 25 species parasitizing Cypriniformes as definitive hosts; 19 species parasitizing as intermediate hosts and 6 species parasitizing as a reservoir (paratenetic) hosts. Dioctophyme renale was registered first time in roach for the water bodies of the Syrdarya river. Ordinary carp, in our research, according to as host a new host Nematode of the Raphidascaris acus larvae. On the basis of factual data the environmental factors of the quantitative and qualitative composition of cyprinids helminthofauna in the northeast of Uzbekistan is reported.

Biodiversity, the present ecological state of the Aral Sea and its impact on future development

The Aral sea used to be the fourth largest lake in the world. Its catchment area is huge, two main rivers (Amu Darya and Syr Darya) feed the lake. The balance of hydrological regime changed drastically after 1960 due to regulation of both main rivers and diversion of water for agricultural irrigation and intense cotton production. Salinity increased and most of invertebrate and fish species disappeared. A significant drop of water level has been recorded in the past 20 years and Aral Lake is presently divided into a small northern lake basin and a larger south basin. Kokaral dam construction resulted in increased water level and decreased salinity. Many invertebrate species reappeared in Small Aral and fish returned from Syr Darya river. Ecological situation in Large Aral is different, eastern part of this basin is completely dried out. The data on salinity levels, some chemical characteristics and above all the data about zooplankton, zoobenthos and fish in Small Aral have been recorded and presented in the article. Salinity ranges between 1 and 8 g/L, the lowest is near the river inlet. Five species of zooplankton (Keratella quadrata, Brachionus plicatilis, Evadne anonyx, Calanipeda aquaedulcis, Cyclops vicinus) and rotifers from the genus Synchaeta are very abundant, ten species are less numerous and seven summer species very rare. Different zoobenthos species are present, but only four abundant (Hediste diversicolor, Chironomus plumosus, Syndosmya segmentum and Cyprideis torosa). Zoobenthos mainly consist of Polychaeta, Mollusca, Crustacea and Diptera. The highest diversity was found near the Kokaral dam. Many fish species are commercially important: 14 of them are abundant, including endemic bream Abramis brama orientalis, Chalcalburnus chalcoides aralensis, carp Cyprinus carpio aralensis, and Aral roach Rutilus rutilus aralensis. White-eye bream Abramis sapa aralensis, silver carp Hypophtalmichthys molitrix, orfe Leuciscus idus oxianus, and snakehead Channa argus warpachowskii are less numerous. Aral barbel Barbus brachycephalus brachycephalus and Turkestan barbel Barbus capito conocephalus remain very rare. It can be concluded that significant positive changes occurred after Kokaral dam construction. Particularly, biocenoses and the Aral lake environment have been improved and fisheries returned. Today Kazakhstan Government is discussing an idea to improve this dam and dike and we support this discussion and advise to make it higher. All can lead to improve ecological state of the Small Aral.

Development of Petrov glacial-lake system (Tien Shan) and outburst risk assessment

Global climate warming causes an intensive melting and retreat of glaciers in the Tien Shan mountains. Melting water of glaciers causes overfilling of high mountain lakes. The increase of the surface and volume of the Petrov Lake accompanied with the decrease of stability of the dam represents an extremely dangerous situation that can produce a natural disaster. Failure can happen due to erosion, a buildup of water pressure, an earthquake or if a large enough portion of a glacier breaks off and massively displaces the waters in a glacial lake at its base. In case of the lake dam rupture, flooding of a disposal site of highly toxic tailing from the gold mine Kumtor is a threat. If this happens, the toxic waste containing cyanides would contaminate a large area in the Naryn (Syrdarya) river basin. Even if the flooding of the disposal site does not occur, the damage after lake dam fracture will be immense due to the glacial lake outburst flood may be a devastating mudslide. In order to prevent or reduce the risk of this event we recommend performing engineering surveys for the development and implementation of the project for the controlled reduction of water level in the Blue Bay of the Petrov Lake to a safe volume.

Endohelminths of Cypriniform Fish from Waterbodies of the Syrdarya River: Fauna and Distribution / Гельминты карпообразных рыб водоёмов реки Сырдарьи: фауна и распространение

Abstract Fauna and distribution patterns of the endohelminths of Cypriniformes from water bodies of the mid-course of the Syrdarya River were investigated. Forty-nine endohelminth species were recorded from Cypriniformes in this region, including 18 species of trematodes, 13 species of cestodes, 14 species of nematodes and 4 species of acanthocephalans. Twenty-nine species are first reported from this region. Original data on the composition and structure of endohelminth communities are given.

The modern state of populations of Danube bleak Alburnus chalcoides and sabrefish Pelecus cultratus in the Syr Darya River watershed

Event Abstract Back to Event The modern state of populations of Danube bleak Alburnus chalcoides and sabrefish Pelecus cultratus in the Syr Darya River watershed Fariza T. Amirbekova1* 1 Science Research Institute of Problems in Biology nd Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan Danube bleak and sabrefish were important commercial fish species before catastrophic changes in the Aral Sea. Measures undertaken by Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan since the end of XX-th century allowed improving the environment state here. Hence, investigation of the modern state of these fish populations was a goal of our investigations of fishes in the Syr Darya River in the borders of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Data were collected since 2007 from the Shardara water reservoir to the estuary in the Small Aral Sea. Now both species are ones of the most common species along the investigated part of the River. Environmental conditions are sufficient for their reproduction. By the known data of the XX-th century Danube bleak did not inhabit the middle reach of the Syr Darya River, but now it is usual here. Danube bleak was found in some tributaries of the Syr Darya River too, but sabrefish was not. Variation of many of measurements and counts for the population of Danube bleak remains in the same limits as in the past. Two forms of gill rakers were revealed. The maximal length and weight become smaller. The condition factor and grow rate are good. Some changes in body shape were revealed in the sabrefish population. The condition factor and grow rate became worse then earlier. Generally, the revealed differences in the state of two indigenous fish species can point to ecosystem changes in the investigated part of the Syr Darya River. Acknowledgements This investigation was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the No 1380/GF4 grant. Keywords: Pelecus cultratus, Syr Darya River, Commercial, Counts, Measures Conference: XV European Congress of Ichthyology, Porto, Portugal, 7 Sep - 11 Sep, 2015. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Phylogeny, Systematics and Genetics Citation: Amirbekova FT (2015). The modern state of populations of Danube bleak Alburnus chalcoides and sabrefish Pelecus cultratus in the Syr Darya River watershed. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XV European Congress of Ichthyology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00086 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 16 Nov 2015; Published Online: 17 Nov 2015. * Correspondence: Ms. Fariza T Amirbekova, Science Research Institute of Problems in Biology nd Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050038, Kazakhstan, faryz-91@mail.ru Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Fariza T Amirbekova Google Fariza T Amirbekova Google Scholar Fariza T Amirbekova PubMed Fariza T Amirbekova Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Global surveys of reservoirs and lakes from satellites and regional application to the Syrdarya river basin

Large reservoirs along rivers regulate downstream flows to generate hydropower but may also store water for irrigation and urban sectors. Reservoir management therefore becomes critical, particularly for transboundary basins, where coordination between riparian countries is needed. Reservoir management is even more important in semiarid regions where downstream water users may be totally reliant on upstream reservoir releases. If the water resources are shared between upstream and downstream countries, potentially opposite interests arise as is the case in the Syrdarya river in Central Asia. In this case study, remote sensing data (radar altimetry and optical imagery) are used to highlight the potential of satellite data to monitor water resources: water height, areal extent and storage variations. New results from 20 years of monitoring using satellites over the Syrdarya basin are presented. The accuracy of satellite data is 0.6 km3 using a combination of MODIS data and satellite altimetry, and only 0.2 km3 with Landsat images representing 2–4% of average annual reservoir volume variations in the reservoirs in the Syrdarya basin. With future missions such as Sentinel-3A (S3A), Sentinel-3B (S3B) and surface water and ocean topography (SWOT), significant improvement is expected. The SWOT mission’s main payload (a radar interferometer in Ka band) will furthermore provide 2D maps of water height, reservoirs, lakes, rivers and floodplains, with a temporal resolution of 21 days. At the global scale, the SWOT mission will cover reservoirs with areal extents greater than 250 × 250 m with 20 cm accuracy.

Natural and Anthropogenic Dynamics of Vegetation in the Aral Sea Coast

Natural dynamics (primary successions) is studied in the dry seabed of the Aral Sea. Long-term studies of vegetation have identified three types of primary successions: psammosere, halosere and potamosere (sere of shrubby riparian vegetation). They differ by soil texture and salinity, patterns of temporal dynamics, and stages, selected on a basis of ecological-physiognomic features of dominant plants. Late seral stages were identified for succession types: psammophytic shrub (Calligonum spp, Astragalus brachypus, etc.) for psammosere; haloxerophytic and xerophytic dwarf semishrubs (Anabasis salsa, Artemisia pauciflora, A. terrae-albae) for halosere. There is a change of a dominant plant and succession dynamics in late seral stages in potamosere (Tamarix spp. → Calligonum spp, Haloxylon aphyllum, Artemisia terrae-albae). Anthropogenic dynamics of vegetation (secondary successions) depends on factors of disturbance. There is a set of anthropogenic factors causing degradation of vegetation cover: (1) agricultural: overgrazing, haymaking, plowing, clearing trees and shrubs; (2) linear structures (paved and dirt roads); (3) water management: construction and operation of hydraulic structures, fluctuation in river runoff and the sea level, disturbance in the natural flooding regime; (4) fires; (5) recreations. The leading factors in the region are connected with water management and irrigation. To identify the dynamics of plant communities and potential degradation trends, there are series of shifts (successional series): hydro-, xero-, halo-, psammo- seres characterizing moisture content and edaphic environments. Changes in the hydrologic regime of the Syrdarya river, building of the hydraulic structures lead to reduction of hydromorphic vegetation and a change it into halophytic desert. The construction of the Kokaral dam and restoration of the Small Aral Sea has led to the rehabilitation of wetlands and plant diversity. Hydrogenous succession facilitated a gradual recovery of populations of rare species listed in the Red Data Book of Kazakhstan, IUCN, Europe (Scirpus kasachstanicus, Nymphoides peltatum, Salvinia natans, Typha minima).

A new Perigrapha Lederer, 1857 from South Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae).

A new species of the genus Perigrapha, P. yasawii sp. n. is described from Syrdarya river valley, South Kazakhstan. The adults and male genitalia of the new and related species are illustrated.

Managed Aquifer Recharge: Potential Component of Water Management in the Syrdarya River Basin

AbstractThis paper argues that sequential in-channel reservoirs in the Syrdarya River Basin of Central Asia are not sufficient to meet the needs of both upstream and downstream water users. Some of the consequences of the use of in-channel reservoirs include fresh water discharges into the saline depression and flooding of irrigated land in winter and water shortages in summer, which causes low water productivity. This study examines the feasibility of two alternative management strategies (1) building additional off-channel reservoirs, and (2) managed aquifer recharge (MAR). First, the potential for MAR in the upstream Fergana Valley is estimated through a regional assessment of MAR potential, field-scale pilot experiments, and simulation modeling. Second, the potential for MAR is analyzed for lift canal irrigation areas, which cover 70% of the irrigated highlands and the foothills in the river midstream, with a focus on energy use intensity and water and energy productivity. Third, the potential for bui...

Forecasting changes of hydrological and hydrochemical conditions in the Aral Sea

Abstract: The increase of irretrievable river water withdrawals and regulation of river flow has a negative effect on the natural regime of the Aral Sea. The Amu Darya River and the Syr Darya River Basins are the largest irrigated fanning areas. Their favorable soil and climatic conditions ensure guaranteed yields of various crops on irrigated lands. Since 1961, for the drastic increase of irretrievable river water withdrawal, mainly for irrigation, the inflow of river water into the Aral Sea has started to decrease significantly, accordingly the sea's hydrological and hydrochemical regimes disrupted dramatically. The sea level has continued to drop as evaporation exceeds inflow. This negatively transforms the natural environment and worsens socio-economic conditions in Priaralie as a whole, especially in the lower reaches of Amu Darya and Syr Darya, where natural conditions are largely determined by the sea's impact. At present, this causes desertification of the nonirrigated zone in the deltas, spreading to new areas as the Aral Sea dries out.

Genetic study of pike perch Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758) and bersh Sander volgensis (Gmelin, 1789) from the fishery water-bodies of Kazakhstan

The genetic polymorphism of the pike perch Sander lucioperca, sampled on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Lake Balkhash, Urals River, Syrdarya River and Shardara water reservoir, North Aral Sea) and in the Volga River, and the bersh Sandler volgensis (Lake Balkhash, Volga River) populations was examined at six microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial DNA cytochirome b gene. All examined loci were successfully amplified in both species and produced quite different allele profiles, whichallows them to be used for accurate species identification of pike perch and bersh. At the same time, neither nuclear nor mitochondrial markers revealed statistically significant differentiation betweenthe examined pike perch samples, excluding some isolation of the population from Volga River.

Filamentous actinobacteria of the saline soils of arid territories

A large number of actinomycetes (hundreds, thousands, and millions of CFU/g of soil) were isolated from saline soils in the territory of the landscapes of the Ber hillocks. A significantly smaller quantity of actinomycetes was isolated from the soda saline soils and sor saline soils that formed at the bottom of the ephemeral salty lakes in Buryatiya and in the estuary of the Syr-Darya River. Actinomycetes were represented in the studied soils by the Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Actinomadura, and Nocardiopsis genera. Among streptomycetes, the species of the Albus section and the Albus series predominated. The activity of the consumption of substrates by cultures of actinomycetes was largely influenced by conditions of preincubation. Obviously, the influence was related to the alteration in the metabolism of actinomycetes as one of the mechanisms of adaptation to the increased osmolarity of environment. The alcalotolerance, thermotolerance, and xerotolerance of halotolerant actinomycetes of the saline soils of arid territories were experimentally revealed.

A comparison of the structure of 2 waterbird assemblages during postbreeding movements in the arid zone of Uzbekistan

Natural riverbeds in arid regions of Central Asia play an important role in waterbird migration. However, agricultural irrigation in the Aral Sea basin, in combination with climate change, is leading to wetland habitat loss. In this study, we consider the importance of the 2 largest river systems in this region during postbreeding movements and compare waterbird assemblages in relation to habitat parameters between the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers. In the second half of August 2011, we counted waterbirds along 125 and 106 km of the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers, respectively. Both rivers showed a high similarity of richness indices. Analysis of waterbird occurrence in sections of river habitat showed no differences in the numbers of individuals, but the numbers of species on the Syr-Darya sections were significantly higher than on the Amu-Darya sections. A negative regression relationship between the number of species and the riverbed width could be explained by the greater attractiveness of small, shallow reservoirs compared with the flowing river with wide riverbeds. However, both rivers should be regarded as important places in the Palearctic for migratory waterbirds, despite negative changes in the habitat quality of wetlands in the arid zone of this region.

RSRNAS 2 Design Decision Estimation

Kazakh Research Institute of Water as a leading research organization on water problems works on scientific reasoning of water problems solution in the republic. The institute activity is a multifaceted and an integral part of its activity is, particularly, a system research, analysis and evaluation of developed projects of hydro economic rebuilding in the river basins. One of such significant documents of the last time is the project of regulation of the Syr-Darya River and the north-end of the Aral Sea. The experts of the institute took part in the state expertise of this project and estimated its significance for ecological revival of the region.