Kazakhstan and France Advance Long-Term Plan to Protect Lake Balkhash

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ASTANA – Kazakh and French experts have presented interim findings for a master plan to safeguard the Lake Balkhash ecosystem, with the final strategy expected by the end of this year. Photo credit : advantour. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times. The project will provide a scientific framework for managing water resources in one of Central Asia’s most important lake basins amid growing climate challenges. During a working group meeting, specialists reviewed research on hydrology, glacier runoff, groundwater resources, agriculture, and water allocation across the Lake Balkhash basin. Particular focus was placed on assessing the impacts of climate change and developing tools to forecast future water availability. The project, being implemented jointly by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the French Development Agency (AFD), and the French Geological Survey (BRGM), will also examine water management scenarios through 2040 and support long-term planning for the basin, reported the ministry’s press service on June 11. According to project participants, the master plan will integrate findings from multiple fields into a unified assessment of the lake’s watershed and help guide future decisions on ecosystem conservation and sustainable water use. The post Kazakhstan and France Advance Long-Term Plan to Protect Lake Balkhash appeared first on The Astana Times.