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Laboratory for Water and Hydropower Resources

(Vladimir V. Romanovski, Head)

Activities

The Laboratory carries out studies related to the contemporary status and trends in water resources formation. It also evaluates water and hydropower potentials and is engaged in development of the water situation forecast in the context of climate change. In addition, researchers prepare a retrospective analysis of the  Issyk-Kul lake status.

Results

• A computer database on water resources of all rivers of the Kyrgyz Republic has been developed. Works on assessment of the water resources status made it possible to determine that the total average long-term runoff of the country’s surface waters is 47,7 km³ now, and total potential resources make up 51,7 km³.

• Studies conducted by the Laboratory demonstrated that river runoff has considerably  increased, especially during the last decade. For example, in the Naryn basin such increase varied from 3 to 20%; in the Karadarya  basin - from 2 to 26%. The increase was caused    by global warming that promoted melting of glaciers, one of the main surface water sources.

• A model of future developments related to water resources formation has been created. It demonstrates that in case the current climate trends intact, by 2025 water availability will begin to decrease due to glaciation degradation. Maximal runoff losses (up to 20% on average) will be observed on rivers fed by glaciers. As a rule, such rivers are associated with the northern coast of the Issyk-Kul lake, Boshoi and Malyi Naryn. Minimal changes in water availability (up to 3%) are expected in river basins with small glaciation. These results are important both for the perspective planning of water related measures as well as for the development of mitigation steps.