GEOENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDIES FOR HYDRO-ENERGY PROJECTS: NARYN RIVER IN KYRGYZSTAN

Abstract

Kyrgyzstan is the only country in Central Asia where water resources are fully formed in its own territory; these are its hydrological features and benefits. The country has considerable water and hydropower resources on its territory. There are over 25 thousand rivers and streams flowing from the mountains to the surrounding valleys carrying more than 50 cubic km annual water volume. The mountain rivers have a huge potential of water and hydro energy resources allowing Kyrgyzstan to reduce the traditional energy consumption. The hydro-energy projects enforces the socio-economic development of regions to meet the needs in the water, energy, flood control, etc., on the other hand they have a negative impact on the environment. Intensification of landslides, reservoir–induced seismicity, rise of groundwater level and land erosion and other environmental hazards need detailed investigations before, during construction and exploitation of hydropower stations. The geoinformation systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies are recommended in the geoenvironmental impact studies of hydro-energy projects in the Naryn river basin. The efficiency in the use of integrated information systems created by combining the capabilities of GIS and remotely sensed data confirmed by numerous examples of successful use in practice, e.g. in the modeling of technical, natural and climate parameters to avoid disasters.