At the government session chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, measures to implement the Address of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev "New Kazakhstan: The path of renewal and modernization" were considered. The Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan Serikkali Brekeshev reported on the implementation of the instructions.

According to the head of the Ministry of Ecology, the department, together with the akimats of the regions, has taken all the necessary measures to provide farmers with water for the spring field campaign.

“Despite the ongoing cycle of low water in the main river basins, as a result of measures taken by the Government together with akimats, farmers will be provided with irrigation water during spring field work,” Brekeshev said.

Serikkali Brekeshev reported that as a result of the measures taken, primarily with neighboring countries, the situation with the accumulation of water in the Toktogul reservoir is gradually normalizing. Also, an agreement was reached with Kyrgyzstan on obtaining additional volumes of water at the peak of the growing season.

As a result of the measures taken by the department, farmers of the Maktaaral and Zhetysay districts of the Turkestan region will be provided with irrigation water through the Dostyk interstate canal at a level not lower than last year.

To provide water to the Kyzylkum massif in the Shardara, Otyrar and Arys districts of the Turkestan region, as well as to farmers in the Kyzylorda region, measures are being taken to ensure the maximum possible inflow to the Shardara reservoir.

“As a result of work with the Uzbek and Tajik sides, the inflow to the Shardara reservoir in February compared to January was increased by 22%, and in February, an additional 181 million m3 of water was discharged from the Bahri Tojik reservoir,” the head of the Ministry of Ecology said.

Brekeshev also reported that the situation with the inflow is significantly improved by heavy rainfall above the Shardara reservoir. Thus, the inflow to the reservoir increased from 500 m3/s to 940 m3/s, which made it possible to fill Shardara up to 5 billion m3, start water intake into the Koksarai counter-regulator and double the water releases in the lower reaches from 100 to 200 m3/s.

“To help farmers in low water conditions, funds are allocated from the Government’s reserve for cleaning canals, purchasing additional pumps and drilling wells,” Serikkali Brekeshev summed up.