TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 26. Uzbek President
Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a government meeting on improving the
use of water infrastructure and mudflow waters, outlining new
measures aimed at boosting water conservation, economic activity,
and flood prevention, Trend reports via the presedential press service.


The meeting highlighted Uzbekistan’s ongoing efforts to
modernize irrigation systems and strengthen water-saving
technologies amid growing climate-related challenges.


According to officials, current projects to concrete riverbeds
and canals across the country are expected to save 1.3 billion
cubic meters of water annually — roughly equal to the yearly water
consumption of Navoi region. So far, authorities have concreted
2,000 kilometers of major canals and built 721 kilometers of canals
and 525 kilometers of closed irrigation networks and water
trays.


The government has allocated 3 trillion Uzbek soms (about $235
million) for the projects, which officials say have improved water
supply on 858,000 hectares of farmland and brought 51,000 hectares
back into agricultural use.


Mirziyoyev said water infrastructure should be treated not only
as a technical system but also as an economic asset capable of
supporting tourism, services, and private business development.


Officials said nearly 100,000 hectares of land within
Uzbekistan’s water fund areas could be used for tourism,
entertainment, and commercial projects, potentially creating
100,000 jobs and generating an additional 220 billion soms (about
$17 million) in annual revenue.







As part of the new measures, Uzbekistan will allow sand and
gravel extraction in river areas vulnerable to erosion and
flooding. Entrepreneurs will also be permitted to participate in
cleaning reservoirs, canals, and hydraulic facilities without
tender procedures. Land exposed after water levels recede from
reservoirs and mudflow basins will be leased through auctions for
agricultural production.


The government also plans to launch a digital system for
managing water fund land leases, monitoring, contracts, and
reporting processes online.


The meeting further addressed growing mudflow and flood risks
linked to climate change and increasingly frequent heavy rains.
Mountainous and foothill areas in Samarkand, Jizzakh, and Tashkent
regions were identified as particularly vulnerable.


Officials said around 690 million cubic meters of mudflow water
currently go unused each year along 60 major high-risk waterways.
Better management of those resources could help restore 13,000
hectares of land, improve irrigation, and support fish farming
projects.


Mirziyoyev instructed officials to adopt an integrated approach
to mudflow management that combines flood prevention with water
storage, agriculture, energy, tourism, and fisheries
development.