Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan have agreed on the operational schedule for the Bahri Tojik reservoir for the upcoming summer period from June to August 2026, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.
The heads of the water management authorities of the three nations convened for negotiations in Dushanbe on May 26. The high-level talks included:
- Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan,
- Daler Juma, Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, and
- Shavkat Khamraev, Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan.
The ministers officially signed a trilateral protocol. Under the approved operational guidelines for the Bahri Tojik reservoir, water will be consistently discharged throughout the summer to secure irrigation resources for farmers in the Maqtaaral and Zhetisay districts of Kazakhstan's Turkistan Region.
"Securing irrigation water for our southern regions remains under strict, dedicated oversight. These finalized agreements are the direct result of constructive cooperation and mutual support among Central Asian nations. The measures put in place will ensure a stable crop-growing season and provide vital support to our local farmers," stated Nurzhan Nurzhigitov.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the water management ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral and trilateral cooperation for the rational and mutually beneficial management of water resources. The ministerial talks took place on the sidelines of the 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development."
Central Asian Nations Rank Among Top 10 Highest Water Consumers Globally
According to data from the Worldometer portal, the region exhibits some of the highest water consumption rates in the world, with the vast majority of the burden driven by agriculture and aging irrigation systems. In terms of gross water consumption, Uzbekistan continues to lead the region, while Kyrgyzstan records the lowest volume. The regional country rankings are as follows:
- Uzbekistan — 54.56 billion cubic meters
- Turkmenistan — 27.90 billion cubic meters
- Kazakhstan — 22.77 billion cubic meters
- Tajikistan — 11.49 billion cubic meters
- Kyrgyzstan — 8.00 billion cubic meters
