Irtysh in the spotlight again – this time because of the agreement between Kazakhstan and Russia. The authorities of the Abay and Omsk regions signed a protocol on cooperation: until 2028 they will work together on ecology, industry, education and even digitalization. Main Focus – Irtysh River, a vital water resource for millions of people.
An artery for all of Kazakhstan
The transborder Irtysh River supplies water to five regions of the republic – East Kazakhstan, Abay, Pavlodar, Akmola and Karaganda regions. The latter receives water through the Kanysha Satpayev Canal.
Of course, the largest amount of water goes to the industry of the east – enterprises in the region use over 2.2 billion cubic meters per year. Agriculture uses a little more than 1 billion cubic meters, and the needs of the population account for about 137 million. The Ministry of Water Resources of Kazakhstan shared statistical data with us. They also assured that there is enough water from the Irtysh for everyone: there is no shortage today.
«The permitted volumes of water in the basin fully satisfy the needs of industrial enterprises. To date, there is no shortage of water resources in the river basin», – the response says.
The industrial giants of Pavlodar and Ust-Kamenogorsk directly depend on the river. It provides them with technological needs, participates in the water treatment system, and supplies water to homes and production. Energy, metallurgy, chemical and food industries – all this works thanks to the Irtysh.
Accident at «Kurchatov»
However, here, too, it’s not that simple. In 2024, in the Abai region, wastewater entered the river due to an accident at the Kurchatovsky water utility. No one reported it on time – and this, by the way, is a violation of the law.
Environmentalists of the region and sanitary doctors of the Pavlodar region took samples after the emergency discharge. The fact of pollution of the Irtysh was officially confirmed. Kurchatovsky Vodokanal has previously been fined for insufficient biological water purification –since the beginning of 2024‑, the organization has received fines in excess of 10 million tenge ($18,353).
Kazakhstan and Russia
So far the parties are talking about the importance of environmental control, but there are no clear steps –. Meanwhile, almost 180 enterprises with Russian participation are already operating in the Abay region; in less than six months, trade turnover between the regions amounted to $129 million.
How economic cooperation will affect the river – Anatoly Ryabtsev, ex-chairman of the water resources committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and director of the international research center Water Hub of KazNAIU, shared his thoughts.
Unlike the official department, which believes that there is enough water, the expert is less optimistic: water volumes are declining, and this is already affecting the regions. And if in Russia for Omsk – the city that drinks water from the Irtysh – they built a dam in order to maintain the river level at critical moments. For Kazakhstan, the Irtysh – is not only a source of drinking water, but also a potential transport artery. The decrease in level threatens this channel too.
According to the Ministry of Water Resources, the flow from Kazakhstan to Russia is regulated by the rules for the use of water resources of the Upper Irtysh cascade of reservoirs. Its volume is recorded annually at the Priirtyshskoye gauging station. In 2024, the volume of flow was 33.74 km³, significantly higher than in previous years.
«We have a stable situation with the Russian Federation – there is an interstate commission, and cooperation is taking place at the level of basin inspections. Today, Kazakhstan no longer has the same volumes of irrigated land that it had in Soviet times, and water intake for the agricultural sector has been reduced. But there is another important function of the Irtysh – transport. Timber is imported from Russia along the river. And Russia itself uses the Irtysh primarily to provide drinking water to Omsk», – added Ryabtsev.
Confirmation of the development of cooperation between the countries was the meeting on July 2 of the akim of the Abay region Berik Uali with a delegation from the Omsk region. The delegation included representatives from the fields of education, science, industry and trade. It was headed by the deputy chairman of the government of the Omsk region and the official representative of the region to the government of the Russian Federation, Andrei Shpilenko. The parties discussed specific areas of interaction, including joint projects, water issues and strengthening interregional ties.
He also invited Berik Uali to the international cross-border forum «Irtysh – River of Friendship and Development», which will be held in Omsk in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Joint projects
In 2023, in the village of Novopokrovka, Borodulikhinsky District, East Kazakhstan Oblast, the course of the Zhura River (a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, a left tributary of the Chulym (Obi basin) began to be deepened and cleaned for the first time. In 2024, the work was continued, more than 1.5 million tenge ($2.7 thousand) from the district budget was allocated for this. They plan to carry out river cleaning activities this year too, the akimat of the Abai region reported.
«In addition, design and estimate documentation is currently being developed for the reconstruction of sewerage treatment facilities located in the village of Mukur, Zhanasemeysky district. The planned implementation period of the project is 2025-2027», – the department added.
Water limit
By the way, Kazakhstan cannot simply take as much water as it wants from the Irtysh. And exactly how much is possible – is determined by water use limits. They are approved by the state so that there is enough for everyone: people, industry, and agriculture.
New limits are currently in effect for the period 2027-2036; they were approved by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan in June 2025. Before this, the country lived under different limits, designed for 2016-2025.
China — Kazakhstan — Russia
According to the ministry, on the Chinese side, water supply is controlled at the Boran gauging station. Transboundary flow has varied significantly in recent years, from 5.69 km³ in 2022 to 11.9 km³ – in 2024. However, no firm interstate agreements on the distribution of this resource have yet been signed.
«In the past, the volume of water coming from China was about 12 cubic kilometers per year. Now the Chinese side is taking almost 4 cubic kilometers – there are about 8 left. But this figure is not stable either. In dry, low-water years, the volume decreases and can fluctuate from 6 to 8 cubic kilometers», – Ryabtsev noted.
The flow of water from Kazakhstan to Russia is regulated by the rules for the use of water resources of the Upper Irtysh cascade of reservoirs. Its volume is recorded annually at the Priirtyshskoye gauging station. In 2024, the volume of flow was 33.74 km³, significantly higher than in previous years.
Is the Irtysh navigable?
The Irtysh is still a navigable river, but only up to a certain section.
«It is quite possible to travel along the river to Ust-Kamenogorsk – both passenger ships and small barges operate here. The main traffic goes to Semey, ships get there without problems thanks to the water level and the presence of a canal in the Shulbinsky reservoir, through which they enter and rise upstream», he noted.
But there is almost no shipping above Ust-Kamenogorsk. There is too little water there, there is not enough depth, and the river becomes unsuitable for ship traffic. Sometimes barges still reach Ust-Kamenogorsk, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
Can Russian rivers feed Kazakhstan
The expert suggests returning to the idea of transferring part of the flow of Siberian rivers, such as the Ob, Lena and Yenisei, to Central Asia.
«I raised this issue at a large conference in Uzbekistan. That is, it was an international conference where water issues of the region were discussed, including the problem of the Aral Sea and Amu Darya», he emphasized.
Theoretically, such projects were carried out back in Soviet times. Then their value was estimated at $500 billion. Today, even with the agreement of all parties, implementation may take 15-20 years. But if you don’t start moving now, the expert is sure, tomorrow may be too late.
«Freshwater today makes up only about 2% of the planet’s total water. And rivers in Siberia simply carry billions of cubic meters of fresh water into the salty ocean. The issue needs to be resolved now –at the level of heads of state, otherwise the consequences will be not only environmental, but also economic», – noted the director of the Water Hub of KazNAIU.
The situation in the south, according to the expert, is also alarming. After the loss of the Aral Sea on the brink of survival – Syr Darya and Amu Darya. A new canal has been built in Uzbekistan, which, according to forecasts, will take up to 10 km³ of water from the Amu Darya. This will hit the tributary to the Syrdarya, on which the water supply of southern Kazakhstan depends. And Uzbekistan, where irrigated agriculture is developed, is likely to use more water to the detriment of its neighbors.
Anti-river
According to Ryabtsev, depending on the water content of the year, the numbers fluctuate greatly. For example, last year was favorable, and more than 25 km³ of water went to Russia.
«About 26 cubic kilometers of water are formed on the territory of Kazakhstan in the Irtysh. Of this volume, more than 20– goes to Russia. If the issue of water intake from Russian territory is not resolved, Kazakhstan can implement an alternative project – transferring part of the Irtysh flow within the country. This is the most realistic option, since it does not depend on other countries, and only our own water is used», — said the speaker.
Part of the unused runoff can be used to solve the capital’s water problems – both for drinking needs and for recreational purposes.
«It is also possible to transfer water to the central regions of Kazakhstan, right up to the Aral basin. These two project options have not yet received due attention and require a political decision at the state level», – the expert explained.
One of the local solutions – construction of a canal from the Irtysh to Astana. This will be a giant hydraulic system, the first stage of supply – about 2 cubic kilometers of water.
«At the first stage, it is planned to send about 2 cubic kilometers of water. This is approximately the same amount as is supplied today through the Irtysh–Karaganda canal, which is already in operation. Water is supplied through 22 pumping stations and rises to a height of almost 500 meters. Quite high marks. This is a kind of anti-river. Previously, a river flowed in this direction, but now its bed is used in the opposite direction, pumping water from the Irtysh to Karaganda, – emphasized the ex-chairman of the water resources committee.
Let us remind you that in the next four years they plan to build 42 reservoirs in Kazakhstan.
Bakhytgul Zhilkibaeva (Sputnik Kazakhstan)
