Workshop discusses improvement of seasonal runoff forecasts
Within the 2nd work package of the CAWa project, the workshop “Statistical Models to Improve the Seasonal Runoff Forecast in Central Asian River Basins” was held in Almaty, 9-10 June 2016. Overall 24 participants, among them specialists from the forecasting departments of the national Hydrometeorological services of the five Central Asian countries and researchers from regional and German institutions discussed the state of seasonal runoff forecasting in Central Asia and the potential for improvement. CAWa researchers presented first preliminary results from statistical models which promise good forecasting results in data scarce Central Asian river basins.
Policy Briefs of the "German Water Initiative for Central Asia"
Launched in 2014, the series of Policy Briefs presents the main outcomes, experiences, conclusions and recommendations from the three components of the “German Water Initiative for Central Asia”. By the end of 2015, overall four Policy Briefs have been published in English and Russian, covering the topics of how earth observation technologies may contribute to informed decision making (no. 1), how to implement joint planning and management of transboundary river basins (no. 2), future scenarios for water management in the Fergana valley (no. 3), and best practices in capacity building and developing (no. 4).
First National WUEMoCA User Forum in Uzbekistan
On 10 December 2015, the first National WUEMoCA (“Water Use Efficiency Monitor in Central Asia”) User Forum was held in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). The meeting gathered 20 representatives from the Basin Water Organisations Amudarya and Syrdarya, Basin Irrigation System Administrations, Irrigation System Administrations, and research institutions from all over Uzbekistan. Researchers and WUEMoCA developers from Wuerzburg University and SIC ICWC presented the preliminary version of the WUEMoCA web-tool, and discussed the specific requirements by users in irrigation management organisations.
Second CAWa Summer School at German-Kazakh University
Following up on the success of the first CAWa Summer School in 2014, the 2nd Summer School "Methods and Tools for the Assessment and Monitoring of Central Asian Water and Land Resources - From field measurements to spatial analysis" took place at the German-Kazakh University in Almaty 15-27 June 2015. Overall 23 young master and PhD students as well as young specialists from government agencies and research institutions from five countries particiated in the two-week training.
German TV documentary on Central Asia’s water problems
In June 2015, the German TV documentary „Dry Season – Central Asia’s Battle over Water“ was presented at the Kazakh-German University in Almaty (Kazakhstan) and at the Central Asian Institute of Applied Geosciences in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). Upon invitation of the CAWa project, the German filmmaker Arno Trümper and representatives of the German Federal Foreign Office discussed with Central Asian students, specialists and researchers past, recent and future water problems and conflicts in the region of Central Asia, and debated potential solutions.
Training on MODSNOW and seasonal runoff forecast
The use of satellite imagery on seasonal snow cover may substantially improve the runoff forecasts for the vegetation period in the Naryn river basin. This is the result of a study carried out by O. Kalashnikova (CAIAG) and A. Gafurov (GFZ). On 19th March 2015, their approach was presented in detail during the methodological training „Runoff forecast for the rivers of the Naryn basin and the inflow into the Toktogul reservoir using MODIS satellite imagery” held at CAIAG in Bishkek.
Discussion of concept for "Water Use Efficiency Monitor for Central Asia"
During the first week of February 2015, CAWa scientists from the Remote Sensing Department of Wuerzburg University visited SIC ICWC in Tashkent and CAREC in Almaty to discuss the concept for a web-based application “Water Use Efficiency Monitor for Central Asia” (WUEMoCA). The application is the focus of CAWa work package 3 during the 3rd phase of the CAWa project in 2015-2017.
Training on land use and irrigation planning and monitoring
On December 2, 2014, SIC ICWC and the Centre for international Development and Environmental Research (ZEU) of Giessen University organized a training for specialists of Water User Associations and provincial water-planning authorities at the Syrdarya-Sokh Basin Irrigation System Administration in Fergana (Uzbekistan). The focus of the workshop was on the presentation of future scenarios of socio-economic development and climate change in the Fergana valley, and the discussion of adaptation options.
Third Training on operation and maintenance of CAWa monitoring stations
The third training on the operation and maintenance of the automated hydrometeorological monitoring stations installed in the frame of the CAWa project was held at CAIAG (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan), 8-12 December 2014. 17 Participants from the Hydrometerological Services of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as from CAIAG were trained in the set-up of the monitoring stations, configuration of sensors and required maintenance works.
Second CAWa monitoring station in Uzbekistan installed
The regional hydrometeorological monitoring network of the CAWa project has been further extended with the installation of the Maidantal station in the Pskem river basin in Uzbekistan. The station was installed in September 2014 in joint efforts by the Uzbek Hydrometeorological service, the UNDP “Climate Risk Management in Uzbekistan” programme, GFZ and CAIAG. It is operated by UzHydromet.