Eurasian River Basin Portal

05.02.2018

A week after the training on basin planning in Kyrgyzstan (read more), on February 1, CAREC Branch in Uzbekistan held the first meeting of stakeholders of the pilot territory of the Padshaata River. The meeting took place in Namangan within “Smart Waters” project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). One of the features of this project is work on transboundary river basins to harmonize the approach to water resources management.The aim of the event was to examine the system of basin authorities and to make the plan for further cooperation.

With support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan, the meeting was attended by representatives of regional administration of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Environmental Protection, the State Committee on Land Resources, Geodesy, Cartography and State Cadastre, region administration, basin irrigation system authorities, irrigation system authorities, farming, Association of Water Consumers, as well as the elders from Namangan Region.

The participants got acquainted with the activities of “Smart Waters” project, as well as with project activities in the Padshaata River Basin. CAREC specialists presented the tools for basin planning, practiced within previous experience. Further, the issue of establishing of small basin councils was discussed.

During the interactive part of the meeting, the organizers and participants made a hydrographic analysis (visualization of the Padshata River basin system) and discussed the issues of efficient water management. A positive assessment was also given to the cooperation of local water managers with Kyrgyz partners, and it is planned to strengthen cooperation during further bilateral meetings of stakeholders. The participants also made an institutional analysis of the members of the water management complex for their possible future assistance in establishing basin councils.

After the event, CAREC representatives visited the Padshaata River to get acquainted with current situation in basin management on this pilot territory.