Russia, China and Kazakhstan: how to three countries share one common river

The northwestern part of China, in contrast to the prosperous eastern regions, is experiencing significant difficulties with water supply. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region found itself in a difficult situation, whose territory is located in a zone with low rainfall. In order to at least partially solve the water problems of the region with 23 million people, China built a canal in the upper Irtysh, which affected the water supply to Kazakhstan and Russia, located downstream.

Irtysh is a classic example of a transboundary watercourse that crosses two state borders and flows through the territory of China, Kazakhstan and Russia. This circumstance has led to a number of serious problems that, most likely, cannot be resolved in the near future. It all started with the fact that the Chinese side built the Black Irtysh-Karamay canal on its territory to deliver fresh water to the desert regions of the autonomous region. After that, more than 2 cubic meters of coal were annually withdrawn from the Irtysh basin. km of water. In addition, China directed part of the Irtysh river flow to replenish Lake Ulyungur, which also reduced the amount of water entering Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, on the territory of this country on the Irtysh river there is a cascade of hydroelectric power stations, the work of which has already been reflected in an increase in water intake in China. According to Kazakhstani media reports, hydroelectric stations are already experiencing problems associated with a drop in the water level in the river and the inability of hydraulic units to operate at full capacity. Moreover, the Omsk Region has already expressed its concern about the decrease in water levels in the Irtysh. And this is the Russian region, which is the first to accept the Irtysh in our country. They plan to build a reservoir here for stable water supply in Omsk, since the situation around the Irtysh runoff remains uncertain.

A similar situation has developed around the Kazakhstani Ili River, whose source and upper reaches are also located in China. China takes a significant share of the river flow and directs water to the development of the growing oil and gas sector of the economy of the autonomous region. In this regard, the water level in Lake Balkhash, the main tributary of which is precisely Ili, has already fallen by 1 meter. The Kazakhstan side offered China a number of mutually beneficial contracts in exchange for increasing the flow of the Ili river for the sake of preserving the lake, but China rejected these proposals, thereby making it clear that its favorable geographical position gives it the sole right to distribute the river flow of Ili.

As for the Irtysh, the situation around this river remains quite tense. Both China, Kazakhstan and Russia need Irtysh water. But, unfortunately, the country is located in a more favorable position, which is located upstream. Kazakhstan, and after it Russia, receive not only less Irtysh water than before the construction of the Chinese canals, but also a completely different quality. It's no secret that the concentration of harmful pollutants in the river directly depends on the volume of runoff, and it is getting smaller every year.

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