According to sea-news.az the Caspian Sea has received its largest volume of freshwater inflow in recent years. This achievement has been made possible through major flood events and stricter control over water resource distribution.
Environmental Progress: How Floods Helped the Caspian
Over the past decades, the shrinking of the Caspian Sea has become one of Central Asia’s most serious environmental challenges. According to the Zhayik–Caspian Basin Inspectorate, more than 35 billion cubic meters of water have been directed into the sea over the last two and a half years.
A significant portion of this volume resulted from natural factors. More than 17 billion cubic meters entered the Caspian as a result of unusually strong flooding.
The positive trend continues. During a meeting with residents of the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, stated that since the beginning of this year alone, the Caspian Sea has received an additional 6.16 billion cubic meters of river water.
For comparison, climate experts have warned that without such additional inflows, the Caspian Sea’s level could fall below the critical mark of minus 30 meters by the early 2030s.
Drip Irrigation and Water Conservation: Protecting the Zhayik River
The sea’s water supply depends directly on how efficiently water is used in agriculture and industry.
In the Atyrau Region, large-scale modernization of the agricultural sector has been prioritized. Last year, modern sprinkler and drip irrigation systems were introduced on 9,300 hectares of farmland. As a result, approximately 12.8 million cubic meters of water were saved within river basins and subsequently allowed to flow into the Caspian Sea.
This process is ongoing. During the current season, water-saving technologies have been expanded to cover an additional 800 hectares of agricultural land.
Overall, thanks to government support measures, the pace of adopting such systems in Kazakhstan has increased fivefold—from 30,000 hectares per year in previous years to 150,000 hectares annually today.
New Water Code Tightens Requirements for Industrial Enterprises
Measures aimed at protecting water resources are also being strengthened through legislation.
Minister Nurzhigitov announced that a comprehensive inventory of the country’s industrial enterprises has been completed as part of the implementation of the new Water Code.
Under the new regulations, large factories and industrial facilities will no longer be able to consume freshwater from natural sources without strict oversight. The law requires them to prepare five-year transition programs for the adoption of closed-loop and recycled water supply systems using the best available technologies.
The ministry has already approved 168 modernization programs for the country’s largest water consumers and environmentally impactful enterprises.
The primary goal of these measures is to improve water-use efficiency, protect river basins, and contribute to enhancing the environmental condition of the Caspian Sea.
