Cooperation on transboundary rivers between China and Kazakhstan shows results: ecological improvement in the lower reaches of the Ili River and rising water levels in Lake Balkhash.
According to the press office of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, as of May 5, the water storage volume of Kapchagay Reservoir in Almaty Region is about 18.5 billion cubic meters. It is worth noting that last year, the reservoir reached full capacity for the first time in nearly a decade.
The water storage in the reservoir will fully ensure the irrigation needs of the Akdala and Shenglerde irrigation areas in Almaty Region.
Kapchagay Reservoir mainly regulates the runoff of the Ili River. Since the beginning of this year, 3.8 billion cubic meters of water have been discharged from the reservoir to Lake Balkhash. Last year at the same time, this figure was 2.9 billion cubic meters.
Thanks to adequate water supply, the water level of Lake Balkhash has risen by 12 centimeters in one year, and the water volume has increased by 2 billion cubic meters.
"The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation continues to maintain contact with China regarding the allocation of water resources in transboundary rivers such as the Ili River. The joint efforts of both sides have ensured the irrigation water needs of Almaty Region for the second consecutive year and effectively improved the ecological environment in the Lake Balkhash basin," said Serik Melambekov, director of the Basin Authority of the Balkhash-Alakol Basin.
As previously reported, by early 2025, the water level of Lake Balkhash has risen by 12 centimeters, from 341.52 meters to 341.64 meters (based on the Baltic Sea measurement system). During the same period, the total water volume in the lake increased by 2 billion cubic meters.
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