Author: Sergey Myagkov
Hydrometeorological Research Institute (NIGMI) of Uzhydromet, 72, K.Makhsumov Street, Tashkent, 700052, Uzbekistan
The potentials of underground water in the desert region in Uzbekistan require further studies to ensure its possible exploration. Within the framework of UNCCD, practical help was provided for the rural population who live in an area with the heaviest impacts of desertification and drought.
It also improved the health condition of 20-45% of the population. The Project territory (Bukhara province) is located in the Kizilkum Desert. Zeravshan river in this territory acts as a collector of underground water with a mineral content of more than 2 g/l.
The lack of sufficient water for washing off the soil prevents a lot of arable lands to be used for agriculture and considerably reduces the productivity of crops or natural rangeland yields. The rural population living in the territory uses underground water for drinking and economic-household needs.
Besides, a lot of hand-operated pumps were established in the territory for pumping out underground water from top layers up to 6 m in depth. The quality of used water is not homogenous (mineral content > 2 g/l). In most cases pumps are not equipped with filters and such water is muddy or frequently contains silt/sand. The use of such underground waters for food preparation usually has bad consequences for health unless it is boiled. In order to improve water supply in the region within the framework of our Project, drilling wells up to depths of 10-20 meters was done along with installation of deep filters and special electro-pumps.
The fresh underground water in this area is dated to the ancient times of Zeravshan riverbed. The depth of the resources varies from 60 up to 150 meters. Increasing mineral content is observed as one moves away from the ancient riverbank. In order to supply water from borehole to a population of “Iransha” town, one of the most remote settlements, it was decided to drill a chink at the depth of 150 meters on the distance of 20 meters from the river.
The water rises from a depth of 80 meters. The borehole started to operate in November 2002. Results of the medical examination in Iransha Village settlement (814 persons were surveyed) showed that human health improved considerably because of the use of fresh water.
For more details please contact ICARDA at the contact link above. (Link will be active for registered users only)
© International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2006
