Three reservoirs are planned to be built in Western Kazakhstan

The most prepared project is the reservoir near the village of Zhalpaktal, with a capacity of 28 million cubic meters for 8.4 billion tenge: it has passed state expert review, and the ministry is selecting a contractor. For the other two projects, on the Derkul and Saryozen rivers, documentation is still being prepared, reports 24.kz.

The essence in brief

• Three reservoirs are planned in the West Kazakhstan region, the most prepared one being near the village of Zhalpaktal.
• The Zhalpaktal reservoir is designed for 28 million cubic meters and is valued at 8.4 billion tenge.
• The project has passed state expert review, and the ministry is holding a tender to select a contractor.
• For the Derkul project, a feasibility study is being developed; for Saryozen, the design and estimate documentation is being revised.

Reservoir near Zhalpaktal

The Zhalpaktal reservoir is designed for 28 million cubic meters. It is intended to accumulate floodwaters, protect villages from flooding, and preserve water for summer irrigation. As reported by Darkhan Zakarın, deputy head of the regional department of natural resources and environmental management, the project has passed state expert review, and its cost is 8.4 billion tenge.

A contractor is currently being selected: the competition is being conducted by the ministry.

Water from Russia

Water from Russia flows into the region via the Karaozen River, which is what the Bolshoy Uzen is called in Kazakhstan, and it is this water that is planned to be stored in the Zhalpaktal reservoir for summer irrigation.

Two more projects

The reservoir on the Derkul River is still at the stage of developing a feasibility study (FS), that is, calculating whether the facility is needed, how much it will cost, and whether it will pay off. On the Saryozen River, the design and estimate documentation is being revised, that is, the technical drawings and construction estimate. The volumes and cost of these two facilities have not yet been announced.

What happened earlier

At the end of September, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced the launch of a reservoir project on the Bolshoy Uzen in the Kaztalovsky district of the region. The volume is 28.4 million cubic meters; the reservoir is to provide irrigation for estuaries on 12 thousand hectares with the prospect of expansion to 20 thousand hectares. The project is supported by the Islamic Development Bank. The river originates in Russia's Saratov region, and the filling of the reservoir will depend on the flow formed on Russian territory.

Author's conclusion

Of the three reservoirs, only one project is practically ready for construction. The other two are still at the documentation stage, and their parameters are unknown. Whether the Zhalpaktal reservoir will have a contractor and when construction will begin depends on the results of the tender.