On February 23, the Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan and the Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan opened two hydroposts along the transboundary Great Fergana Canal and the Northern Fergana Canal, the press service of the Swiss Embassy said.
Reportedly, the opening of the hydroposts was made possible by the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative of the Swiss government. This initiative was launched in 2017 in response to the urgent need for a transboundary approach to water management in the region.
The project created a bilateral framework for the joint rehabilitation and operation of the Patar and Sarvak transboundary hydroposts, equipment maintenance, and the exchange and use of data between the countries.
The Northern and Great Fergana Canals receive water from the upper reaches of the Syr Darya River and deliver it by gravity to irrigate agricultural lands first in Uzbekistan and then in Tajikistan.
“Without reliable water measurement systems, it is difficult to manage transboundary water resources and monitor compliance with water withdrawal limits. Like many other rivers, the Syr Darya basin lacks a properly functioning automated management system,” the embassy said. Previously, water flow was measured by outdated gauging stations located on both sides of the border along canals. The data collected was unreliable, and stations on both sides of the border often showed different measurement results, the embassy noted.
The opening of the gauging stations took place as part of the sixth meeting of the Uzbek-Tajik working group on the integrated use of water resources of transboundary rivers in Central Asia. The two countries also signed a protocol committing to automate metering and real-time data on flow from the two stations, which will be transmitted to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
"Automation of metering and transmission to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in real time of data on water consumption at the Patar and Sarvat hydroposts will ensure more efficient management of water resources on transboundary canals and increase trust between the parties by ensuring prompt and reliable information," said Tajikistan's Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma.
Uzbek Water Resources Minister Shavkat Khamrayev emphasized: "With the successes achieved, our countries have further potential for further development and strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation on the joint use of transboundary water resources."
For Switzerland, the opening of the stations marks an important step forward in regional cooperation, the statement said.
"This unique event demonstrates the political will and close transboundary cooperation of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. “With the second phase of the Blue Peace initiative, which will start in September this year, we would like to provide a good opportunity to expand similar activities in other areas with all of Tajikistan’s neighbors,” emphasized Salomé Steib, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan.
“With increasing demand and decreasing availability of water, transboundary cooperation is more important than ever,” added Rachel Bösch, Head of Cooperation and the Swiss Regional Water Center at the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan. “These joint hydrometric stations are of key importance, because we cannot manage what we do not measure.”
The statement added that Switzerland had been supporting Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in their water reform processes for almost 20 years using an integrated water resources management approach at the national level. In addition, Blue Peace Central Asia helps set standards for regional cooperation to ensure water security for all people in Central Asia.
