Vakhsh River Basin (VRB),
Tajikistan
Institute of Water Problems, Hydropower and Ecology AS RT,
734002, Dushanbe, 12, Parvin street,
e-mail:obid.76@gmail.com
Name(s) of Investigators (Key organization /Contact persons):
Normatov Inom Sherovich
Professor
Bokiev Obid Sodikovich
Scientific employer
Institute of Water problems, Hydropower and Ecology of the
Academy of Sciences of Republic of Tajikistan (IWPHE, ASRT)
12, Parvin Street, Dushanbe, 734002, Tajikistan
Tel: +992-934450757
E-mail: inomnor@mail.ru
obid.76@gmail.com
Name of Sponsoring organization:
Institute of Water problems, Hydropower and Ecology of the
Academy of Sciences of Republic of Tajikistan (IWPHE,
ASRT)
12, Parvin Street, Dushanbe, 734002, Tajikistan
Office tell: +992-934450757
Fax: +992-37-2510404
E-mail: inomnor@mail.ru
Present State-of -art methodology
Vakhsh River Basin is one of the main basins which supports the
life and livelihoods of several hundred thousands people in
Tajikistan. From the beginning of 30s of the last century water
resources development has been taking place in VRB. Since Vakhsh
is a transboundary river system- other downstream countries of the
Central Asia also have strategic interest on is water resources. The
problem of water resources, use and environment aspects of VRB
can be classified as follows:
Energy: Nurek, Baypazin Hydro Power Structures and cascade of
Vakhsh HPS are functioning as planned. Construction of
Sangtuda -1 HPS is ongoing and the construction of Roghun HPS
and Sangtuda HPS are waiting for decision. Small hydropower
programme is also developed in the VRB. The general scheme of
water resources of VRB and its tributaries were developed more
than 25 years ago. Since then there country endured political,
economic and social changes. It is necessary to update and
reformulate the scheme based on the current conditions. Already
developed HPS system also needs modern operating schemes
with the hydro regulation covering the interest of irrigation and
power sector. For already working HPS there is a need for
optimum operating modes
Irrigation: Irrigation development in the vast territories has led to
the serious negative consequences: exhaustion and degradation of
soil and water resources. Although agriculture is a main stay of the
national economy but is not technologically advanced and
developed, not so profitable to support the life and livelihoods of the
population. This said, requires development of new strategy of
development of the country in the sphere of water resources use
(hydro-power and irrigation engineering). Irrigation efficiency and
use of new technologies are required to save water losses.
Ecology: Land degradation and deterioration of water quality are
main issues in the VRB. “Tigrovaya balka” is under the ecological
threat. There is a urgent need for the development of water supply
sustem to «Tigrovaya balka» for it’s preservation. Which needs to
be coordinated with hydro power and irrigation sector. Monitoring
is very essential (based on the chosen and approved indicators) of
water resources use.
Climate: at present there is no sufficient information to describe
climate change impact on VRB water resources. It is necessary to
analyze various mathematical models of climate changes developed
elsewhere. However it can be said that adaptation strategy is
necessary to deal with climate change impact on water resources.
Main issues
a) Significant water losses together with ecological and economic
problems in VRB are connected with unsatisfactory condition
of infrastructures, hydraulic structures such as irrigation canals
and drainage systems. Taking this account, it is necessary to
carry out restoration and maintenances of technical facilities
and improvement of water related structures and facilities. The
local irrigating systems worsened to the greater degree in
comparison with regional irrigating systems. The newly
established organizations such as agricultural farms and water
user associations are economically weak and do not have ability
to operate and maintain irrigating systems properly.
The Vakhsh is the main river of Republic of Tajikistan, merging with
Pyanj river it forms Amu-Darya - the biggest river of the Central Asia.
The Vakhsh is 691km long. The Vakhsh has a basin area of 39160
km2-almost is a quarter of Tajikistan. The Vakhsh source is located at
glacier at an altitude of 4685 m above sea level near to Kokui-Bel
pass. The river drop is about 4350 m from source to bottom. Glaciers
occupy one tenth of VRB. The Vakhsh River has 6276 tributaries and
20 lakes covering the total area of 4 km2. Glacier and snow are the
main source of Vakhsh. More than 40 % of its flow comes during July
to September from thawed glaciers. Thawing of seasonal snows,
springs and rains constitute Vakhsh flow. The mean discharge at the
head structure of the Vakhsh main canal is 2273 m3 per second, the
maximum discharge is about 4500 m3 per second, and the minimum
discharge is 1420 m3 per second. March to October flow constitutes
about 87 % of annual flow. Like many other Central - Asian rivers,
Vakhsh is formed from merging of two rivers Surkhob from right and
Obikhingoy from left. Each of these tributaries also receives flows
from upstream streams.
Table 17. Sub basin charactersistics of VRB rivers
level
Length, Basin area, difference, m
km
km2
source silk
River
inflow
Kizilsu
Surkhob(r)*
254
8380
3800
1835
Muksu
Surkhob (l)*
88
7070
2714
1835
Surkhob
Vaksha (r)
146
7286
1835
1163
Koksu
Surkhob (l)
11
1294
1823
1708
Yarkhich
Surkhob (r)
48
1170
3309
1570
Yasman
Surkhob (r)
30
208
3400
1568
Sarbog
Surkhob (r)
81
1780
3580
1246
Sangikar
Surkhob (r)
42
291
3400
1242
Obikhingoy
Vakhsh(l)
196
6660
2960
1163
Obimazor
Obikhingoy (l)
38
1030
3200
2168
Rangov
Obikhingoy (r)
62
781
3210
1958
Syrkhsu
Obikhingoy (l)
36
266
3800
1446
Note: *(r) - right (l) - left
№
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Irrigation in VRB
Name of regions of
Area of
irrigated
VRB
regions, ha land, ha
456147
7567
Dzhirgatalskyi
74785
3971
Tajikabad
353704
6398
Rasht
478135
1444
Tavildara
82830
2620
Nurobad
63265
630
Ragunsikyi
30773
574
Nureksikyi
93185
26979
Yavansikyi
90199
19036
Khodzhamastonsikyi
13986
2380
Sarbandsikyi
Mechanized
irrigation, ha
74
1496
875
270
13411
1379
№
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Irrigation in VRB [continued]
Name of regions of
Area of
irrigated
VRB
regions, ha land, ha
88499
10533
Gozmaliksikyi
168878
21507
Vakhshsikyi
133742
22972
Kolkhozabadsikyi
104536
19744
Dzhilkulsikyi
110845
22450
Kumsangirsikyi
59766
26010
Bakhtarsikyi
faizabadsikyi
Dangarinskyi
Kabodianskiyi
Total on VRB
2404375
194815
Mechanized
irrigation, ha
2851
2034
15637
10001
8542
3438
140
1691
711
62550
(c) Land Forms and Land uses:
Areas and percentages of
Land use type
Irrigation land
Pasture
Resident
Reservoir
Lake
Glaciers
Mountains
Forests
principle land uses in the VRB
Area (m2)
Percentage (%)
2023000000
6.48
8800000000
28.20
24043750000
77.06
620000000
1.99
17370000
0.06
3150000000
10.10
18720000000
60
312000000
1.0
Average glacier contribution to Vakhsh river and its tributaries (1990s)
Area of Degree of
Annual
Glacier contribution,
Area ,
River
Volume
2 glaciations, glaciation, average flow,
km
km2
%
mln. m3
mln. m3
1
3
4
5
6
7
Muksu
6550
2088
31.9
3244
1685
Vakhsh
20000
3138
15.7
10277
3065
Vakhsh
31200 3850,4
12.3
19097
5040
Yarkhich
1170
106,8
9
1588
302
Sorbog
1760
105,6
6
2180
338
Sangikar
291
8,9
3
378
19
Pitaukul
531
61,8
12
960
221
Tamdikul
398
90,8
22.5
507
198
Obikhingoy 1880
398,2
21.2
1568
685
Obikhingoy 6600
712,4
10.8
6883
1522
Obimazor
1030
171,5
16.7
832
283
List of Hydropower stations (HPS) in use and under construction in the
VRB
№
Name
Parameters
Capacity, Production, Head,
MWt
TWt.h/year
m
Useful Volume of
reservoir,km3
Cascade of HPS on Vakhsh river
1 Roghun**
3600
13,3
300
8,6
2 Shurabad
800
3
55
0,02
3 Nurek*
3000
11,2
250
4,5
4 Baypazin*
600
2,5
54
0,08
5 Sangtuda- 1**
670
2,7
58
0,02
6 Sangtuda- 2
220
1
19
0,005
7 Golovnaya*
240
1,3
26
0,004
8 Perepadnaya*
30
0,25
39
0
9 Centralnaya*
18
0,11
22
0
9178
35,36
Total
13,229
List of Hydropower stations (HPS) in use and under construction in the VRB
[continued]
Parameters
№
Name
Capacity,
Production, Head,
Useful Volume
MWt
TWt.h/year
m
of reservoir,km3
Cascade HPS on Obikhingoy river
1 Sagvor
800
2
268
1,5
2 Urfatin
850
2,1
280
0,01
3 Shtienskaya
600
1,5
150
0,01
4 Evtachskaya
800
2
185
0,02
5 Kaftarguzarskaya
650
1,7
140
0,01
Total
3700
9,3
1,55
Cascade of HPS on Surkhob river
1 Dzhadbulak
600
2
200
1,4
2 Sayronak
500
2,2
135
0,01
3 Gorgenskaya
600
2,7
138
0,02
14978
53,36
16,229
* - working, ** - building
Baseline information availability:
- observation networks;
One of the primary goals of the hydrometeorology agency is to provide
information on current and expected hydro meteorological conditions
and climate changes, the level of pollution of the natural environment,
and the information on hydro hazards in the country.
« The hydrometeorological agency » provides information to various
sectors and populations on current and future conditions of the natural
environment and climate: expected changes of hydrometeorological
conditions. The information provided by agency is used for taking
decisions for the agricultural planning and crop plantation.
Thank You!