Category: <span>Central Asia</span>

A year after Sardoba dam collapse secrecy prevails: All we know – the catfish and rodents not guilty!

A year passed since May 1, 2020, when on the territory of Sirdaryo region of Uzbekistan, a breakthrough of the reservoir dam occurred, causing a flood. Buildings, roads, communications were destroyed. More than 60 thousand residents were evacuated in Uzbekistan and similar number in flooded districts of Kazakhstan. According to …

Ageing Dams Pose Growing Threat

A report by the United Nations University has said that by 2050, most of the world’s population will live downstream of dams operating at or beyond their design life, which could have implications on public safety, escalating maintenance costs, and reservoir sedimentation. The report, “Ageing Water Infrastructure: An Emerging Global …

Externalities of the Belt and Road across Central Asia

Since the announcement of its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, China has overtaken Russia to become the largest investor in Central Asian economies, attracted by the region’s mineral deposits and hydrocarbons, economic opportunities for Chinese products and the desire to ensure stability and security in its western …

Two months after Uzbekistan dam collapse: is there a hope to avoid the next one?

The tragic failure of the Sardoba dam has sparked fresh debate around water conflicts and the need for cooperation between countries in Central Asia At 5.55 am on May 1, after five days of severe storms, a dam wall at the Sardoba reservoir in the region of Sirdaryo, Uzbekistan, collapsed …

STATUS OF THE DAM DAMAGE : The IHA reports how dwindling hydropower sector destroys biodiversity riches and social stability…and calls for its recovery.

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) published its 7th “Hydropower Status Report”. Report illustrates further decline of annually installed hydropower capacity, with “optimistic” estimate of only 15 GW added worldwide in 2019. We still tend to believe that the 12.5 GW figure from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is more …

Sardoba Dam Failure: Unexpected Tragedy or Consequence of Poor Planning and Corruption?

A dam that burst in the Uzbeksitan’s Sirdaryo region late last week has flooded thousands of homes and sent water rushing into villages in neighboring Kazakhstan. The newly built Sardoba Reservoir bursted short after construction of a hydropower plant started at its outlet. By the end of May 2, at …