ABSTRACT
Cropland salinization, waterlogging, and land abandonment in the former Soviet republics in Central Asia are reportedly triggered by water scarcity, flooding or low water quality for irrigation. The emergence of the new, independent states in Central Asia resulted in new issues over water management that consequently required new institutional settings to solve the challenges that used to be associated with sharing water resources and the use of infrastructure. The early irrigation expansion in Central Asia had mainly been driven by the increasing needs of the SU and its satellite states for securing irrigated production, in particular of the “white gold” cotton. The coordination of the basin resources, which was previously conducted by a unified water management system, has become extremely challenging for water managers and policymakers alike. The basin-wide coordination of water resources that considers interests across sectors and boundaries is advisable for preventing artificial water abnormalities caused by water reservoir mismanagement.
