The head of the subsoil use, environment and water resources department of Pavlodar region Aigerim Kabyltayeva proposed that the interdepartmental commission begin environmental releases from reservoirs in Eastern Kazakhstan in early April.
The releases are planned at a volume of 5.0 - 5.5 km3. According to the region's chief ecologist, they should last no more than 20 days, which would allow 70% of the Irtysh floodplain to be flooded.
As reported by Ratel.kz, because the deeply frozen ground will not have time to thaw, such a volume of water will be of little use.
Journalists believe that, due to the large accumulation of moisture reserves, it is possible this year to carry out spring releases in the volume of 9.0 - 9.5 km3. This would make it possible to flood up to 97% of the floodplain. At the same time, those areas that have not been flooded for decades would fill up, which would contribute to the development of flora and fauna in the vicinity of the rivers. In fact, this is precisely why environmental releases were conceived.
"Every spring, a certain amount of water must be discharged from Shulba and Bukhtarma for a certain number of days without generating electricity. Of course, this is not beneficial for the energy companies. But even when the East Kazakhstan hydroelectric power plants were transferred to a concession with the American energy company AES in 1997, the contract stipulated that investors were obliged to give water to the floodplain to prevent the degradation of floodplain lands and forests.", the publication reports.
It is reported that last year, former Minister of Ecology Zulfiya Suleimenova gave instructions to deviate from the planned water releases. She was warned at the time: "this will lead to a decrease in the yield of hayfields". Which subsequently happened.
Journalists explain the former minister's ill-considered action by suggesting that she was perhaps "pressured by those who own holiday homes on the Bukhtarma". They supposedly need the water not to recede too far from their beaches. This was stated in a letter to the Akim of Pavlodar region by energy expert Dauren Sarsenbaev.
"It was precisely the 'tourist lobby' that last year forced the young Minister of Ecology, during a period of cold weather (and consequently a decrease in the water flow of the Uba and Ulba rivers), to reduce releases from the Ust-Kamenogorsk reservoir from 500 m3/s to 380 m3/s, justifying this on the grounds that the filling of the Bukhtarma reservoir was insignificant.", the letter states.
The energy expert believes that because of this, the Pavlodar floodplain was left without water, and afterwards the yield of fodder grass for livestock sharply decreased.
"In 2024, in the event of a decrease in the water flow of the Uba and Ulba rivers, Pavlodar region needs to push for maximum releases from the Ust-Kamenogorsk HPP. With such moisture and snow reserves in the Altai mountains, we should be careful that the opposite situation doesn't occur – the Bukhtarma reservoir will begin to fill intensively, and if the Bukhtarma reservoir fills to over 43 cubic kilometres, it will start to flood the holiday resorts.", Dauren Sarsenbaev stated.
In his opinion, the second reason the river floodplains suffer is the recent Pavlodar akims' fight against gnats (biting midges).
"Pavlodar scientists want the environmental release to end no later than 15 May every year, so they can treat the Irtysh floodplain for gnat larvae before they take wing. <…> Where did this date of 15 May come from? Gnats are not soldiers, to wake up at the same time; they are subject to natural instincts, and they cannot take wing on the same day every year.", the letter to the Akim of Pavlodar region states.
The energy expert claims that mosquitoes and midges have always been, are and always will be, regardless of the timing of the release. He is convinced that, given the large snowpack in the mountains, it is necessary to increase the duration of the environmental release to 30-35 days.
"I believe it is better to be with mosquitoes, but with good hay reserves, a numerous and well-fed livestock herd, and an abundance of milk.", concluded energy expert Dauren Sarsenbaev.