KAZAKH WATER RESOURCES NEED BETTER UTILIZATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600260702-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 702
• Publication Date: November 10, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

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NO. OF PAGES 2
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Kazakhstanskapa Pravda, No 162, 1949.
Ke+,Tkhatnn has abun ,'nt water resources, :.ncluding seas, lakes, rivers,
springs, etc., but they have been insufficiently studied. The natural water
reserves are unequally distributed or,r the vast territory of the Kazakh SSR,
The northern and weeter.s parts of Kazakhstan have a larger number of lakes than
the southern and eastern regions. ,
Artificial water reservoirs built in pre-Revolution years are extremely
primiti%e and technically imperfect. During the last fa?s years, the construction
of wate, reuervc.iis has become more advanced. In aouth:.rn and southeastern
oblasts reservoirs were built for irrigation, and in northern, western and
central oblaets they were 'built mostly for water supply.
According to statistical data of recent years, there were 1,470 artificial
reservoirs in the republic, out of which number 703 had been recorded in a system
c,f regiattatlon (pasportizatsiye). Thesis A-eservoire have an irrigation area of
870,000 hectares and supply water to 880,000 head of cattle. The 1948 figures
show that 364 reservoirs were used for water supply, 282 for irrigation, 123 for
pasture irrigation, 12 for hydroelectric povar, 32 for fish culture, and 9 for
rai_ing waterfowl. These figures show that most of the water reservoirs are in-
adequately utilized.
In the interests of national economy it is necessary to improve and utilize
fully the existing water reservoirs and speed ap.tbe construction of new ones.,
During the next Five-Year Plan, it will be necessary to build not less than
3,000 - 4,000 water reservoirs, for taree basic purposes: reservoirs f,.-
trial centers, cities and aettlements; reservoirs for crop cultivation; and
reservoirs for animal husbandry.
The northwestern and central oblasts of Kazakhstan have large rivers, which
carry a considerable amount of water in spring when the snow melts. For instance,
the Ural River with its tributaries has a yearly flow of 11,400,000,000 cubic
meters, Ull, 250 million; llaba, 290 million; Temir, 180 million; Sagyz, 90 million;
Turgg, 190 million; Tobol, 250 million; Ishim, 550 million; and Nura, 550 million.
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
STATE NAVY NSRB DISTRIBUTION
ARMY AIR FBI
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CLASSIFICATION SECRET g
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
REPORT
CD NO.
PATE OF
INFORMATION 1940,
COUNTRY. USSR - Kazakh SSR
HOW
WHERE
DATE
PUBLISHED 20 Aug 1949
LANGUAGE Russian
TNYf DOCUYINY CONYAI N9 INIOENAIYON A116CTINg TN[ NATIONAL AERATES
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in addition, there are a number of smaller rivers in these oblasts, which can supply.
an additional 7,400,000,000 cubic meters of water. 'therefore, the water resources
of the Kazakh SSR are considerable. The only trouble is that the co.:fficient of
utilization is inadequate. Of all registered artificial reservoirs, only 282 are
meant for irrigation. The area under irrikAtion is very small, only 20,000 hectares.
A great deal of work has to be done to regulate the supply of water in the
lower parts of the Syr-Dar'ya River, and in the basins of the Chirchik, Pelee, Ar't's',
Talas, Chu, F.askelen, I]i, Irtysh, Ural, Tobol, Nura, lehim, Kh.obda, Ull, Emba, and
other rivers. It will also be necessary for the development of agricultural mechani-
zation to build kolkhoz hydroelectric power plants, wind-driven electric installa-
tions, and steam-electric power plants operating on local fuel,
Most of the lakes in Kazakhstan contain salts: Glauber salt in East Kazakhstan
and sulfates in the northern oblasts. Therefore they present a valuable source for
the salt industry.
The water resources of Kazakjistau are insufficiently utilized for fish culture,
in spite of the fact that theta are unlimited possibilities in this connection.
A special study has shtwn that 1,661 lakee ant. ponds with a total water surface of
8,103,000 hectares can be used for fish culture. It should be possible to obtain an
additional 57,000 tone of fish per year, if this branch of fish industry were prop-
erly organized. The type of fish prevalent in Kazakhstan is carp. Carp ponds must
be bull'. in Talda-Kurgan, Kzyl-Orda, and some of the northern oblasts.
Rivers, lakes, ponds, and ad,oining meadows present favorable cons.1ticros for
fowl breeding. It has been estimates that 217 million ducks could be raised in
Kazakhstan.
Kazakh SSR also offers possibilities for muskrat raising. This valuable fur-
bearing animal now inhabits the waters of 55 rayons. Muskrat-raising should be
more widely developed and should become a profitable trade.
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