Integrating environmental flows into water management to reduce social vulnerability - Learning from NeWater research in

the lower Amudarya River Basin

G.Khasankhanova, UZGIP Institute, Uzbekistan

UZGIP NIGMI IBE Uni Osnabrück SEI York University

HELMHOLTZ –Center for Environmental Research-UFZ

WATER AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: JOINING EFFORTS TO ADAPT

Session 3: Reducing uncertainty: forecasting, modelling and vulnerability

The Amudarya River Basin

Nukus

Muinak

Tuyamuyunreservoir

Case Study Area

The reduction and high variability of

water inflows to the delta has critically

impacted ecosystem services and human

wellbeing

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

mln

m3

Pyandj+VAkhsh Kerki Tuyamuyu Chatly

Impact of severe drought events - vulnerability of people and ecosystems

Extreme events such as drought in 2000 and 2001: • reduction of water deliveries to the delta region by more than 50%• massive crop loss• drinking water shortage•degradation of the wetland ecosystems with 80% of lake ecosystems dried out

Creeping ecosystem degradation• massive increase in soil and groundwater salinization• decrease of income from fish catch by more than 6 times in the last 18 years•reduction of annual dry volume of reed biomass from 1,4 tons/ha (1970) to 0,4 tons/ha, loss of muskrat breeding. The annual damage is estimated at 60,000 $US.• the total loss of the ecosystem services is estimated at 5.2 Mln. $US.

Major issues that need to be addressed to reduce vulnerability:• Identify measures to adapt to high variability in water flows• Balance water use between different sectors

The Amudarya Case Study

A participatory research method was followed to promote understanding and learning on these issues.

EU project NeWater addresses the following themes, among others: • Assessment of vulnerability of deltaic ecosystems to flow variability• Identification of environmental flow regimes• Identification of measures for the improvement of local livelihoods and poverty alleviation.

Assessment of vulnerability of deltaic ecosystems

In mean water year In low water year

The Amudarya Case Study

Solutions I

• Increase area of artificial lakes by 30 %, reserve 5.2 km3 of runoff for environmental flows (compared to 15 km3 needed for agriculture and an inflow of 17-59km3/year)

• Stabilize water levels in lakes, enhance water exchange

1. Infrastructural measures (under implementation)

2. Institutional measures (planned and partially under implementation)

• Include lake water needs in water allocation planning

• Develop incentives for rational water use

• Manage tradeoff between different water uses, including legal basis for water sharing among sectors

• Institutional development for collective use of wetland services

The Amudarya Case Study

The Amudarya Case Study

• Development of community plans and their integration into national level planning

• Use of local knowledge for monitoring and development of measures

3. Capacity building/Awareness Raising

Solutions II

4. Public participation in water management (little implemented)

• Awareness raising among local communities and decision makers

• change in perception on social and economic benefits of environmental flows

5. Community measures

• Non-grain food production in private plots for household food security and cash income

• Active partnership between development and ecology experts for integrating activities for environmental regeneration and income promotion

technical measures of redistribution and efficiency increase need to be

accompanied by institutional changes

move towards multi-purpose water use that recognizes the needs and

benefits of other water users besides agriculture

Need for awareness raising and change in perception on social and

economic benefits of environmental flows

use of local knowledge of farmers, fishers and local communities for

monitoring and development of measures

The Amudarya Case Study

Conclusions

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION