The research project “Transboundary Water Management Adaptation in the Amu Darya Basin to Climate Change Uncertainties” was implemented by the SIC ICWC of Central Asia, BWO Amu Darya and the Analytical Agency “Ynanch-Vepa” (Turkmenistan) as part of the program called Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The general aim of implemented work was to build resilience to the impacts of climate change on transboundary water management in the Amu Darya Basin countries. To this end, a study in a holistic manner was carried out of transboundary water management issues in the Amudarya Basin for the long run under conditions of climatic and other changes along with the national plans on irrigated agriculture and hydropower development. Particularly, the following objectives were reached:

• Estimated plausible deviations in hydrological regime and in future water consumption rates as a result of climate change;

• Studied scenarios of the impacts of multiyear flow regulation by a system of large reservoirs on hydrology of rivers and available water supply for irrigated land and aquatic ecosystems in the basin;

• Evaluated  irrigated crop water requirements in the basin under an array of future climate change and river flow regulation, based on national agriculture and hydropower development plans and with account of technological innovations and water conservation technologies as adaptive measures;

• Elaborated possible tradeoffs between national priorities and requirements at the basin level inter alia on the basis of legal and institutional analysis focused on global water conventions, such as 1997 UN Convention and 1992 UNECE Convention;

• Drafted recommendations for decision makers. 

Given publication describes the results of the comprehensive research. Section 1 provides general information about the Amu Darya Basin (geography, population, climate, water resources, key water uses) and analyzes the current state of interstate water management in the basin, including legal, institutional, and technical aspects. Key achievements and future tasks for more adaptive and effective water management in the basin are summarized in the final chapter of this Section. 

Forecasts and recommendations for future development in the Amu Darya Basin until 2050 are discussed in Section 2. 

Broad conclusions and recommendations are provided in the final section of the publication. Additionally, the key research conclusions regarding the future of the Amu Darya are stated below.