1.1.2.WATER USE In 1994, the total water withdrawal was estimated at 10.1km3, including the re-use of drainage waters. The total water withdrawal increased progressively from 1970 to 1990. The average annual surface water availability for irrigation in the period 1985-1992 was about 10.77km3, although the water requirement had been evaluated at 10.83km3, leading to an overall irrigation water deficit for the country of 0.06km3. In some basins (Syr Darya, Chu, Talas) there was a fairly severe water shortage, while in other basins (Amu Darya, Issyk-Kul, south-eastern) there was a surplus. In 1994, more than 0.6km3 of water was withdrawn from groundwater. Other water needs, mainly for fisheries, were estimated at 9 million m3/year in 1994. A prospective analysis shows that in 2010 the water demand might be 13.07km3/year, which exceeds the current allocation. The gross theoretical hydropower potential in Kyrgyzstan was estimated in 1985 at about 162,500Gwh/year, and the economically feasible potential is estimated at about 55,000GWh/year. The hydropower installed capacity is estimated at about 3GW, a number of hydropower plants being part of the Naryn-Syr Darya cascade, controlled by the Toktogul dam. Hydropower plays a key role in Kyrgyzstan and is the country's main source of energy (about 90 per cent of electricity generation in 1995), given its limited gas, oil and coal resources. However, hydropower production releases water mainly in winter, while the downstream countries would need water for the summer cropping season. At regional level, competition between irrigation and hydropower appears to be a major issue. An agreement was reached with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in 1996. These two countries will transfer energy, coal or gas to Kyrgyzstan in periods of power deficit, to compensate for the non-use of water for hydropower in the winter period. According to Mamatov et al (2004), on the basis of the Intergovernmental Agreement of the countries of Central Asia, the republic may use 24 per cent of volume of a river source from an annual source of 50 billion m3 (i.e. 12 billion m3). A significant part (about 23 per cent) of return water is lost during its use. The reasons for the unsatisfactory technical condition of irrigation and water-distributive systems are wear of equipment, application of imperfect methods for watering, and an absence of water-saving technologies. In recent years, the stable tendency of growth of unproductive losses of water is marked, and 90 per cent of them are losses in irrigation (Mamatov et al, 2004). Water in the republic is used for household, industrial and agricultural use. The consumption of water for agricultural irrigation is 88 per cent of total use (about 12 per cent of water is for household and industrial consumption) (Mamatov et al, 2004).

(Water Risk Filter)