Central Asian countries have agreed on water withdrawal volumes and reservoir operating schedules for the 2026-2027 non-growing season following the 95th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) in Turkmenbashi.

Water officials from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan reviewed the 2026 growing season in the Syrdarya and Amudarya river basins and discussed measures to improve regional water management, Qazinform reports.

Water management in the Syrdarya basin remained stable during the growing season, according to officials. Around 3.69 billion cubic meters of water flowed into the Shardara Reservoir in Kazakhstan’s Turkistan region, exceeding forecasts by 840 million cubic meters.

Inflows into the reservoir are expected to reach approximately 10 billion cubic meters during the upcoming non-growing season.

The officials also focused on improving water accounting and monitoring across Central Asia. They agreed to establish a working group to prepare a draft plan for introducing an automated water accounting system in the Syrdarya basin.

The move comes as Central Asian countries continue efforts to strengthen coordinated management of shared water resources. Kazakhstan has also announced plans to develop a groundwater management concept covering 2027-2040.