Kazakhstan accumulates over 12 bln cu m of floodwater

At today’s Government meeting Kazakh Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov revealed that the country’s water reservoirs collected over 12 billion cubic meters of floodwater, Kazinform News Agency reports.

Floodwater accumulated in water reservoirs is used for the needs of multiple economic sectors.

Last year the water reservoirs spilled over some 13 billion cubic meters of water during the flood season while this year over 36 billion cubic meters were discharged just in one month. Floodwater was sent to water reservoirs facing shortages.

Filling the Astana water reservoir with flood water saved over 2 billion tenge. 80 million cubic meters of flood water were redirected to the Kamysh Samar Lakes in West Kazakhstan, 839 million cubic meters more were diverted from Ulytau region to Kyzylorda region. 12 billion cubic meters of water were sent to Balkhash Lake since the beginning of the year.

As of early September 8.4, billion cubic meters of water were used for agricultural and 3.7 billion for industrial needs. Water reservoirs in the northern, central, eastern and western regions of Kazakhstan are 80% full.