Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Agree on Amu Darya Water Usage

Turkmen and Uzbek officials have discussed bilateral cooperation on the rational use of water resources and minimizing water losses in the Amu Darya River.

From March 13-14, a delegation from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Water Resources visited Turkmenabat in Turkmenistan to explore further collaboration on water management, according to the Uzbek news agency Dunyo.

During the visit, officials from both countries focused on key issues such as the maintenance and modernization of water infrastructure, flood prevention, riverbank reinforcement, and the efficient use of water resources. They reaffirmed their commitment to the agreements made during the fourth Uzbek-Turkmen intergovernmental meeting on water management.

The two sides agreed to cooperate on hydrotechnical projects designed to minimize water losses in the Amu Darya River and optimize resource use. Additionally, they plan to conduct joint research on shared water bodies, exchange expertise on water-saving technologies and digital management systems, and strengthen training programs for water management specialists.

As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation toured the Tuyamoyin hydroelectric complex, where representatives discussed potential operational improvements.

Meanwhile, concerns have been growing over the Qosh-Tepa Canal project initiated by the Taliban government in March 2022. The project plans to draw water from the Amu Darya River, a vital resource shared by Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Experts fear that the project could worsen the already critical water scarcity in Central Asia.

The Qosh-Tepa Canal, which includes a 285 km main canal and numerous subchannels, aims to irrigate at least 500,000 hectares of land in northern Afghanistan. However, experts and journalists in Uzbekistan warn that the project could divert up to 15% of the Amu Darya’s water, potentially causing severe damage to regions in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan that depend on the river.

On March 14, coinciding with World Rivers Day of Action, international environmental organizations raised alarms about the future of Central Asia’s key rivers and lakes. A coalition, including Rivers without Boundaries, International Rivers, Friends of the Earth US, Urgewald, and CEE Bankwatch Network, called on international development banks to reconsider their funding policies for hydropower projects in the region.

Environmentalists point out that Central Asia already has more than 300 large dams, with over 200 more projects either planned or under construction, many backed by international banks. Uzbekistan’s water deficit is growing year by year, with projections suggesting a 33% deficit by the 2040s.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is set to receive 11 billion cubic meters of irrigation water by April 2025 under an agreement reached at a meeting of the Interstate Water Management Coordination Commission of Central Asia. This meeting, which took place in Tajikistan in late January, was attended by water management officials from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.