Water Consumption of Agriculture and Natural Ecosystems along the Ili River in China  and Kazakhstan

Thevs, Niels; Nurtazin, Sabir; Beckmann, Volker; Salmyrzauli, Ruslan; Khalil, Altyn

doi:10.3390/w9030207

Cited by 55 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…ETc values of this study are in the range of other studies, e.g., water consumption of corn with values between 741 mm and 841 mm measured in Texas with a lysimeter under sprinkler irrigation [22]. Wheat ETc calculated from climate data from Almaty [23] was the same as wheat ETc under open field conditions of this study. Annual corn water consumption of 668 mm was found in the Heihe Basin in NW China [24].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Tree Shelterbelts as an Element to Improve Water Resource Management in Central Asia

Thevs

Strenge

Aliev

et al. 2017

Water

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Abstract:In Central Asia, agriculture, notably irrigated agriculture, is the largest water consumer. Currently, flood and furrow irrigation are the dominant irrigation methods in Central Asia, in particular in the post-Soviet countries. Against the background of current and increasing competition for water-e.g., through reduced river runoffs in the course of climate change-water consumption of agriculture needs to be reduced. On the field plot level, improved irrigation technologies, like drip irrigation or plastic mulch, can reduce water consumption substantially. Alternatively, tree lines as wind breaks (shelterbelts) also can reduce crop water consumption, as shown by research from many drylands around the world. As previous research has concentrated on crop water consumption and not on tree water consumption, this paper brings the two together, in order to approach a more holistic picture, in how far shelterbelt systems, including the trees, may have the potential to save water or not. Crop water consumption was assessed through the Penman-Monteith approach for corn, wheat, potato, barley, and pear under open field conditions and under an assumed influence of a tree shelterbelt. Tree water consumption was investigated through sap flow measurements. Crop water consumption was reduced by 10-12% under influence of a shelterbelt compared to open field conditions. When water consumption of shelterbelts was added, a slight reduction of water consumption of the whole crop-shelterbelt system was found for corn, potato, and pear under the assumption 25 ha (500 × 500 m) field sizes. Under an assumption of 4 ha (200 × 200 m) field size, water consumption of the whole crop-shelterbelt system was higher for all crops investigated except for pear. The results suggest that shelterbelts may play a role in improving water resource management in Central Asia in the context of water demanding crops, like corn or cotton. In further research, other effects of shelterbelts, like increased crop yields and additional income from trees, need to be investigated.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Tree Shelterbelts as an Element to Improve Water Resource Management in Central Asia

Thevs

Strenge

Aliev

et al. 2017

Water

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“…Groundwater and surface water in the Aral Sea Basin, for example, have been heavily polluted due to fertilizer and pesticide residues, and desiccation of water bodies may lead to eolian transports of such pollutants over long distances (Glantz 1999;Groll et al 2015;Opp et al 2016). Moreover, agricultural activities are a frequent source of soil and water salinization (Crosa et al 2006;Kuba et al 2013;Olsson et al 2013;Thevs et al 2013) and facilitate erosion and the influx of fine sediments, nutrients and agrochemicals into surface water bodies (Chalov et al 2013;Groll et al 2015;Pietroń et al 2017;Theuring et al 2015) where they may adversely affect the aquatic ecosystem (Hartwig and Borchardt 2014). In contrast to other parts of Central Asia, rapidly rising water consumption from the agricultural sector is evident in Mongolia.…”

Section: Water Quality and Aquatic/riparian Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Water in Central Asia: an integrated assessment for science-based management

et al. 2017

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Central Asia contains one of the largest internal drainage basins in the world, and its continental location results in limited availability of both surface and groundwater. Since the twentieth century, water resources of the region have been exploited beyond sustainable levels. From small Mongolian headwater streams to the mighty Aral Sea, surface waters have been partially desiccated. Demands from the agricultural, energy and raw material sectors as well as population growth have not only increased water abstractions, but also left a diverse and strong pollution footprint on rivers, lakes and groundwater bodies. Such changes in water quantity and quality have not only led to a degradation of aquatic and riparian ecosystems, but also they have placed the region's socioeconomic development at risk. Because of the complexity of Central Asia's water problems, integrated assessment and management approaches are required. Despite some shortcomings in practical implementation, the widespread adoption of the Integrated Water Resources Management and water-food-energy nexus approaches may be keys to a more sustainable future. This thematic issue aims to provide documentation of the current state of scientific knowledge, ranging from hydrological research to water quality investigations, and offers an assessment of ecosystems and the services provided by them. Reviews and case studies on different management options conclude the thematic issue by providing insights into field-tested solutions for the region's water challenges.

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“…Lake Balkhash lies in a particularly arid region that receives only about 130 mm of precipitation per year in comparison to more than 400 and 600 mm, respectively, in northern Kazakhstan and the Almaty region [1]. The Ili River ecosystem has been examined from a variety of perspectives, both because of its uniqueness and its fragility [43,[54][55][56][57]. The river is interrupted by one major dam at Kapchagay in eastern Kazakhstan and by several smaller dams along its headwaters in China.…”

Section: Observations From the Ili River And Lake Balkhashmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Newly available data for the years 2010, 2011, and 2016 confirm that although this level was exceeded well into the 21st century, capture is now falling and approaching the 7000 tons per year estimate ( Table 4). The makeup of the catch also seems to be changing, as yields of valuable carp and The Ili River ecosystem has been examined from a variety of perspectives, both because of its uniqueness and its fragility [43,[54][55][56][57]. The river is interrupted by one major dam at Kapchagay in eastern Kazakhstan and by several smaller dams along its headwaters in China.…”

Section: Observations From the Ili River And Lake Balkhashmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Current Status and Future of Central Asia’s Fish and Fisheries: Confronting a Wicked Problem

Graham

Pueppke

Uderbayev

2017

Water

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Central Asia's arid lowland ecosystems are dependent on water that originates in nearby mountains and is carried by rivers to terminal lakes and freshwater seas with no outlets to the ocean. Fish traditionally thrived in these waterways, but they have become increasingly jeopardized by water impoundment and diversion for energy and crop production. Fish capture in the five new Central Asian republics consequently entered a period of long decline, a trend that was accelerated by removal of the centralized controls imposed by the former Soviet Union. Production levels have recovered during the past decade, but only in some countries. A similar trend is evident with aquaculture, which reached its lowest production levels in 2003-2008 but now is partially recovering. In both cases, progress is most evident in water-deficient Uzbekistan. Fish capture in Kazakhstan's Ili River ecosystem, including Kapchagay Reservoir and Lake Balkhash, is now dropping precipitously. Effects on the lake's fisheries have been magnified by the disproportionate rates of disappearance of valuable carp and pike-perch. The interrelationships between water, energy, and food underlie these threats to Central Asia's fish and define a classic "wicked problem" that must be addressed regionally with explicit attention given to fish as important components of the ecosystem. Recent developments, although not all positive, give reason for cautious optimism that the region's fisheries and aquaculture industries can be stabilized.

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Water Consumption of Agriculture and Natural Ecosystems along the Ili River in China and Kazakhstan

Cited by 55 publications

References 29 publications

Tree Shelterbelts as an Element to Improve Water Resource Management in Central Asia

Tree Shelterbelts as an Element to Improve Water Resource Management in Central Asia

Water in Central Asia: an integrated assessment for science-based management

The Current Status and Future of Central Asia’s Fish and Fisheries: Confronting a Wicked Problem

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