Comparison of practices

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Use of water resources

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Jambyl Region

District: Talas District

Other settlement: Village of Sadu Shakirov

Country: Uzbekistan

Province: Tashkent Region

The site is located in the desert foothill plain in South-ern Kazakhstan (internal drain area) at the very end of Sharuashlyk Irrigation Canal.

Chirchik River Basin, Zarafshan River Basin, mid-streams of Syr Darya River Basin, mid- and lower streams of the Amu Darya River

Start date: 01.05.2008

End date: 30.04.2009

Start date: 01.01.2015

End date: 31.12.2017

Acute water shortage; land degradation in the village of Sadu Shakirov; abandoned irrigated arable lands used only for year-round cattle grazing.

For a long time, the irrigation canal was not operation-al and, thus, became dilapidated. The situation in the area was aggravated by climate change impacts (de-creased quantity of early spring, summer and winter precipitation, increased average annual temperature, spring and autumn frost bites and summer droughts).

Until today, hydrometric revolver meters (GR-21) with propeller blade and contact mechanism are generally used.  These mechanisms are difficult to operate and require special skills and knowledge on behalf of personnel.  GR-21 hydrometric revolver meters possess certain essential flaws, including the following:

• need for individual calibration (speed) execution and subsequent check-up of which requires an expensive test stand;
• lack of continuous measuring capacity;
• operating requires complete dismantling, cleaning and lubrication after each use, etc.;
• presence of mechanically rubbing details in design unprotected from harmful effects of water;
• impromptness of water speed (current) data.

Method of autumn and winter water-charging irrigation

Electronic Water Current Meter (ISV-1)

Actions:
1) Reconstruction of the canal, stop-gates and field irrigation networks (rehabilitation of irrigation furrows),
2) Setting up artificial pastures with forage crops

Results:

Financial and economic:
Using water-charging irrigation for rangelands allowed increasing their productivity from 3.5 to 5 dt/ha and receiving 60 tons of herbage for cattle and sheep and goats from non-cultivated land.

Technical:
1) 12 km of the canal and 5 stop-gates to regulate water releases restored,
2) 5 km of irrigation furrows built,
3) Cultivated pastures with forage crops created (soil preparation, alfaalfa planting, coordination of irrigation norms),
4) Fields are prepared during the summer-fall period, and watered during late fall or early spring.

ISV-1 is universal and easy to use.  Measurements are presented on the display in digital form and in speed units.  Use of the electronic device for measuring water speed and, based on it, water consumption facilitates the work of hydro-accountants.

Device characteristics:

• no rubbing details in the design;
• no requirement for preliminary and subsequent periodic calibration;
• measurement results do not depend on changes in physical composition and properties of water;
• simplifies the process of water speed measuring and, therefore, water consumption accounting;
• available in stationary and portable designs;
• measurement error is comparable to this of the widely used GR-21;
• small overall dimensions and weight;
• relatively low cost, etc.

 The device is universal and its measurement results do not depend on water composition and properties, except for temperature (desired range 0 to +30°C). The device underwent successful testing and was deployed in 5 Basin Irrigation System Administrations (BISA): Chirchik-Akhangaran BISA, Zarafshan BISA, Syr Darya-Sokh BISA, Amu-Surkhan BISA, Lower Amu Darya BISA.

Actions:

• manufacturing of 5 ISV-1 devices;
• training of BISA hydro-accountants on device operation and use.

Results:

• 5 above-stated BISAs accepted (acceptance certificate) and are presently using them;
• the device’s testing is continuing for different irrigation system conditions;
• the device developers continue receiving positive feedback from leading hydro-accountants;
• at present, the works to enhance and certify the device are in progress.

Lessons learnt:
Application of water-charging irrigation allowed in-creasing water availability and, as the result, productivity of agricultural crops.

Application of water-charging irrigation demonstrated the efficiency of water use and allowed local popula-tion to go through winter without losing livestock.

Recommendations:
The method can be used in areas/communities where along with crop growing the population is also involved in livestock breeding.

Lessons learnt:

Application of the device increases the efficiency of data collection compared to the currently used equipment, as well as promotes rational and effective use of water resources due to higher accuracy, reliability and efficiency of irrigation water accounting data and saving of material and labor resources.

Recommendations:

The device is recommended for use on large canals and collector facilities as well as intra-farm water supply networks.  Today, the majority of WUAs do not have revolver meters or other water-measuring devices in their disposal, so fitting them with such units would improve WUAs overall technical capacities.

With the ongoing acute deficit of hydro-accountants, any technical college graduate would be able to use ISV-1.

Traditional tools transferred from generation to generation that proved their efficiency in modern conditions

Domestic tools (outcomes of research by domestic R&D organizations)

1. Cost of implementation: High

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha:

3. O&M costs: High

4. Expert support: Not needed

1. Cost of implementation: Moderate

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha: $1000

3. O&M costs: Low

4. Expert support: Needed at implementation stage

Project title: Fall and early spring Irrigation of arable land and pastures as an adaptation mechanism of ra-tional water use in Southern Kazakhstan

Duration: May 1, 2008 – April 30, 2009

Project goal and objectives: reduce land degradation due to climate change by way of rational use of irriga-tion water. The project was implemented to prevent loss of cattle due to forage shortage during alternating droughty years.

Project beneficiaries: local population.

Project implementer: Kogal LLC

Project title: Commercial contract engagement with 5 BISAs.

Project duration: 2015-2017.

Project goal and objectives: create an easy-to-operate tool to measure water speed (current) within the 0.2-5.0 m/s range for deployment on facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management (MAWM) of the RUz.

Project beneficiaries: BISAs of the MAWM of the RUz.

Project implementer: Head Water Administration (HWA) of the MAWM of the RUz.

1) UNDP Compilation “Climate change adaptation: ex-amples from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan”, Tashkent 2012;
2) pandia.org

Operator manual for the electronic device “Water Speed Measuring Unit”, 2015.

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC