Managing Water in Central Asia

Book excerpt: Central Asia faces critical water management problems. The intensive development of irrigation in the Soviet period depleted the flow of the Aral Sea basin's two main rivers, leading to the Sea's desiccation and to other serious environmental, economic and social ills. This paper analyzes the complicated water resources management issues confronting the Central Asian states. In spite of a common interest in amicable resolution of these issues and considerable financial, technical and advisory aid from the international community, this is proving a difficult task. How these issues are solved for (or left unsolved) will have a critical impact not only on the economy, but on the political future of the region.