A groundbreaking water project promises to transform a struggling region, potentially saving it from droughts and floods. With innovative technology and strategic planning, this initiativ...

Serzhan Serikovich grew up in the village of Terekti, is a deputy of the regional maslikhat, and a well-known entrepreneur. He currently resides in Uralsk but remains a patriot of his homeland, successfully developing his business in our area as well. We asked him to share details about the project's framework and what its implementation will bring to the region.

-Back when Arman Utegulov was the akim of the district, we discussed and planned the project. However, we couldn't implement it as Arman Karimovich was transferred to another position. I continued working on the "Northern Stream," refining it from various perspectives. A year ago, in November 2023, I presented this project to the akim of the region, Nariman Toregalievich. The head of the region also supported the project proposal, but then spring came with unprecedented floods, leading to a budget deficit, and so on. The project got stalled. Its implementation will have a tremendous impact on the district. A cascade of reservoirs from Terekti to Kemera will help accumulate around 300-400 million cubic meters of strategic fresh water. We will fill the Uzunkul Reservoir, adding another 83 million cubic meters. We will restore and construct new major hydraulic structures (sluices, locks, dams), and excess water will be directed through the Barbastau-Shalkar canal to Lake Shalkar, - shared Serzhan Serikovich.

A brief overview of the bodies of water along the cascade reservoir from the project:

The Uzunkol Reservoir is located 45 km from the regional center, Uralsk. Year of commissioning - 1982; water volume - 83 million cubic meters, currently - 40 million cubic meters. The total area is – 22.9 hectares. The average depth of the reservoir is 3.56 m, maximum - 5.2 m.

The Barbastau River, also known as Barbashova, is a lifeline for local villagers. It is a left tributary of the Ural River, merging with it approximately at the 26th kilometer. Barbastau is the only tributary flowing into the Ural River below Uralsk before it reaches the sea. The river has low water levels, with a depth of 8 - 10 meters. It is replenished by melting snow and rain. It is home to various fish species: pike, crucian carp, chub, carp, and perch.

Lake Shalkar is a brackish lake in the Ural River basin, located 70 km southeast of Uralsk, within the territory of the Terektin district in the West Kazakhstan region. The surface area varies from 190 to 200 square kilometers in different years. Its salinity is lower than that of other water bodies (S=5.9-6.59‰). It receives water from the Big and Small Ankatu rivers and has a temporary outflow to the Ural River via the Solyanka River.

According to specialists, it turns out that 80 percent of the annual water runoff occurs during the spring flood. This means that some areas of our district suffer from drought, while others experience flooding.

- I am confident that all problems will automatically disappear once we construct the cascade reservoir. However, we need to build it with new technologies in mind. In particular, we should not just create earthen dams, but equip them with sluices and locks. This will make it easier to manage spring floods through the opening sluices and locks. When there is a lot of water – they open, and when the water pressure decreases – they close. We won’t have to, as we did this year, dig up and uncover earthen dams. By doing so, we released all strategic fresh water into the Ural, and some villages had to be evacuated multiple times, - Serzhan Serikovich continues to share.

According to his calculations, the project should cover six rural districts with a population of 24,039 people, which is 61.4% of the total population of the district (39,109 people). The approximate distance of the water pipeline is 108 kilometers. Moreover, Serzhan Serikovich is confident that the costs for building the cascade reservoirs will be recouped in the shortest time, providing his economic calculations:

- On the shoreline of the pipeline, we can take at least 300 meters of irrigated land on each side, which will result in approximately 6,480 hectares of irrigated land. This will provide a significant incentive for villagers to develop crop production, melon growing, horticulture, fish farming, and livestock breeding. This, in turn, will ensure employment for hundreds of Terektin residents. With the introduction of the cascade reservoir, we will also become attractive to various investors. This means additional revenue for the district's budget. Those farmers already engaged in irrigated agriculture along the Barbastau River (Yubileynoe, Kemera) will not face the same water shortages as they do now. Additionally, the reservoirs will become habitats for commercial fish, ensuring the region's fish products. We must not overlook that these water bodies will attract geese, ducks, and other birds. In summary, there is nothing negative in constructing the cascade reservoirs, only advantages. Here are some simple economic calculations.

Water needs: 400 liters per hectare (100 m drip tape * 50 beds = 5000 tape / 25 cm emitter = 200 discharge points * 2 liters per hour * 2 hours of watering = 800 liters per hectare for 2 hours of watering). 800 liters * 6480 hectares = 5,184,000 liters (51,840 cubic meters). Pump - pipe 1000 discharges 1 cubic meter per second, per minute - 60 cubic meters, per hour - 3,600 cubic meters, per day – 86,400 cubic meters. Economic effect – with an average income of 1,000,000 tenge per hectare * 6480 hectares = 6,480,000,000 tenge.

As the entrepreneur noted, the project, among other things, perfectly aligns with the President's strategy to create a 50-kilometer "dairy belt" and "green belt" around regional centers. The farthest populated area in this regard is the village of Pokatilovka, located 48 kilometers from Uralsk.

Just recently, on November 1 of this year, Serzhan Serikovich met with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbaev, and presented his project proposal for the irrigation of the northern part of the Terektin district. The project sparked great interest, receiving support and approval. Assistance at the republican level was promised. He instructed the akimat of our region to conduct and develop a feasibility study (technical and economic justification). Of course, narrow specialists, scientists in this field, and ecologists will work on this. They will provide their objective assessment.

His mission, as a deputy of the regional maslikhat elected from the Terektin district, Serzhan Serikovich sees as creating the best living conditions for his fellow countrymen.

On this festive day, he congratulated the Terektin residents on Independence Day:

- Dear compatriots! Our country has a rich history and deep roots. Therefore, its independence is of the utmost value to us, something our ancestors dreamed of. We cherish our sovereignty and independence.

I sincerely congratulate everyone on the holiday! May it always give us strength and confidence in a better future. I am confident that new achievements and victories await us ahead! I wish everyone good health, prosperity, and well-being in families, as well as great achievements in all endeavors.

May our Independent Kazakhstan grow stronger and flourish!

Nurzhiya Sisenbayeva,

Terektin District