Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plant Contention: France Donates €1.35 Million for Protection of Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan
On May 14, the Kazakh International News Agency reported that Kazakhmys Group will allocate $5 million for the protection of Lake Balkhash. The French Development Agency (AFD) will also contribute €1.35 million for the overall planning of the protection roadmap. This information was revealed by Nurzhan Nurgizigetov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, during a session of the Mazhilis government.
"The French Development Agency is cooperating with several universities in our country to develop an overall protection plan for Lake Balkhash. Meanwhile, Kazakhmys Group has already allocated $5 million for the implementation of this plan," said Nurgizigetov.
According to him, this overall plan will clearly outline key projects and critical measures required for the protection of Lake Balkhash. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation will complete all implementation work before 2040.
The compilation of the overall plan will start with scientific research, including systematic studies on the changes in water volume of transboundary rivers flowing into Lake Balkhash and domestic tributaries, comprehensive investigations of the ecological status of the lake's watershed, groundwater dynamic changes, and the impact of energy projects in the lake area on the natural environment.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has developed a roadmap for implementing this plan. The document covers building a digital platform for monitoring the water level of the Ili River-Lake Balkhash system, promoting the automation and digital transformation of hydraulic facilities, and prioritizing the development of hydraulic infrastructure.
It is understood that the future of Lake Balkhash is closely linked to the changes in the water volume of the Ili River, which flows from China to Kazakhstan. Therefore, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation plans to cooperate with relevant Chinese departments to jointly implement cooperation projects involving water resource protection and sustainable use of rivers in the Ili River-Lake Balkhash basin.
Currently, the French Geological Survey is collaborating with Kazakh experts to collect relevant data under the framework of the overall plan. Experts from the agency plan to conduct field investigations at wells, hydrological stations, and irrigation areas in the Lake Balkhash basin.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832069675635785/
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