Problems and trends in water resources use in the Russian-Kazakhstan transboundary region

Abstract

Abstract This article considers the trends in use of water resources of transboundary rivers in the adjacent regions of Russia and Kazakhstan. The problems of transboundary water use in the river basins of the Ural and the Irtysh in the Russian-Kazakh region as well as the influence of economic activity in China are outlined. Among the regions under study, we identified those areas of the three countries whose water economy depends on the transboundary rivers of neighbouring regions or significantly regulates the hydrological regime of these rivers. To study and calculate water use trends, data on the water use from 2010 to 2019 was used. The structural specifics of water use are shown and the ratio of water consumption to available renewable water resources for the regions of Russia, Kazakhstan and the Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region of China is determined. General trends and differences in water use in the water sectors of the transboundary river basins of the Ural and Irtysh have been identified.