The role of the Amu Darya dams and reservoirs in future water supply in the Amu Darya basin

Central Asia still remains as an area of substantial water stress problems caused by climate change, over-consumption of water resources and soil salinization. The rapid recession of glaciers along with a concurrent increasing frequency and intensity of extreme droughts has led to a progressive reduction of the already scarce resources. As in many other arid and semi-arid zones, surface waters in Central Asia are heavily regulated by extended river-reservoir systems, which affect both the quantity and the quality of water. The large dams and reservoirs of the Amu Darya Basin should not only be a matter of international dispute, but also considered as an option to adapt to climate and global change and to the future water shortage in the region. With the Nurek and Rogun dams in the upstream part of the Amu Darya Basin and the downstream dam system, the Tuyamuyun Hydroengineering Complex, the region already has a high potential for improving the future water supply by adapting the management of the dams according to site specifications. The main scope of this study is to introduce this potential as an applicable instrument for implementing a sustainable water management strategy in the Amu Darya.