The 47th regular meeting of ICWC

The 47th regular ICWC meeting took place on 25 April 2007 in Almaty under the chairmanship of A.D. Ryabtsev, Chairman of the Committee for Water Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan.

The following items were on the meeting agenda:

  1. Confirming water withdrawal limits for the vegetation period 2007 and agreeing predicted operation mode for reservoir cascades in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins
  2. About the implementation of IWRM principles in Central Asia region
  3. Considering the draft Statute on ICWC and draft Regulation on Rotation of ICWC Bodies
  4. Considering the draft Agreement on the Use of Water and Energy Resources in the Syrdarya River Basin
  5. About venue and agenda of the 48th regular ICWC meeting.




ICWC members confirmed water withdrawal limits for the vegetation period 2007 and agreed on predicted operation mode for reservoir cascades in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins. A decision was made on possible correction of water withdrawal limits for the vegetation period by 15% induced by the present water situation in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins. In case of the worsening of the situation, this issue will be considered at an extraordinary meeting. In view of the expected water shortage in the vegetation period 2007, BWO “Syrdarya” and BWO “Amudarya”, were instructed to strictly control water withdrawal limits and not to infringe fixed water withdrawal amounts. BWO “Syrdarya” and SIC ICWC were instructed to study forecast calculations, alternative operation modes for Toktogul reservoir in the vegetation period 2008.

The participants of the meeting took into account the information of SIC ICWC about activities for implementation of IWRM principles in Central Asia. It was decided to ask the Asian Development Bank to consider and accept the prepared project “IWRM in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river lowlands” for financing based on the feasibility study earlier done with the support of US State Department. ICWC members together with SIC ICWC shall provide support for preparatory work of UNDP country offices on justification and development of National IWRM Plans for the Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. A search of international donor organizations for funding these projects and initiating a similar project in Turkmenistan has been started.

The participants took into account the draft Statute on ICWC (7th edition) prepared by ICWC Secretariat and SIC ICWC, combined with the draft Regulation on Rotation of ICWC Bodies. ICWC members shall send their remarks before 5 May to the address of ICWC Secretariat and SIC ICWC on items of the proposed draft Statute on ICWC. ICWC Secretariat and SIC ICWC were instructed to organize before 15 May a meeting of experts on the draft Statute on ICWC in conjunction with development of a draft Agreement on Organizational Improvement of ICWC Executive Bodies.

ICWC members mainly agreed the new draft Agreement on the Use of Water and Energy Resources in the Syrdarya River Basin. The draft shall be signed on a routine basis during a month.

The 48th regular ICWC meeting is planned to be held in the Republic of Tajikistan in September 2007.