The water volume in the Toktogul Reservoir remains critically low at just over 7 billion cubic meters. As the weather warmed up in the last week of March, the reservoir began to fill up, but it is still significantly below the 2023 levels.
Concerns are heightened by the fact that the water inflow remains slightly below the 2023 levels, while the outflow continues to be higher. Data analysis revealed the situation in March to understand the current conditions compared to last year.
The highest water loss was recorded in February, with a decrease of 1.34 billion cubic meters. January saw a decrease of 1.17 billion cubic meters, while March had the smallest decrease of 637.17 million cubic meters. The lowest point was reached on March 23, 2024, at 7.19 billion cubic meters, showing a slight increase towards the end of the month.
Comparing the data to 2023 levels, there is little cause for optimism. The current volume is 654.4 million cubic meters, or 8.2% lower than March 2023. Last year managed to maintain water levels at 7.8 billion cubic meters. In March, the water inflow was higher only for one week compared to 2023, attributed to insufficient precipitation and low temperatures in 2024.
Water outflow remains high, with a threefold decrease from February to March 2024. While 690 cubic meters per second were used in February, March saw a decrease to 264 cubic meters per second, leading to power outages for Kyrgyzstan.
Despite using more water for electricity generation in 2024 than in 2023, the energy crisis persists. The hopes of self-sufficiency in electricity next winter seem dim, with plans to import 3.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2024. If neighboring systems do not support Kyrgyzstan, power outages may recur.
