ANNUAL RIVER RUNOFF OF THE ILE-BALKASH BASIN AND PROSPECTS OF ITS ASSESSMENT DUE TO CLIMATIC CHANGES AND WATER ECONOMY ACTIVITIES

Abstract

The water regime of the rivers of arid territories caused by not only to meteorological features, but also to a greater extent to the factors of the underlying surface of the earth. In addition, changes in river flow is determined by human economic activity. Ile-Balkhash region of Kazakhstan is the most densely populated and economically developed region. Large agro-industrial complexes, numerous settlements and cities are centered here. As a result, consideration and prospects of water consumption are the most important challenges in planning the social and economic development of the region on the basis of changing water resources in modern climatic conditions. The article presents the calculated features of flow for different time periods with the development of economic activity and climate change. It is established that there has been a rather intensive increase in the water content of the basin's watercourses since the seventies of the last century. The changes in the features of the annual flow of rivers for 90-100 year periods are calculated. Thus, the average annual water consumption of the Ile River in the lower reaches has increased over the past 40-50 years by an average of about 45 %, which has led, at present, to an increase in the water level in Balkhash Lake. The level of the lake decreased significantly after the building of the Kapshagai reservoir in the riverbed in 1970, primarily due to losses on its filling and increase in evaporation. Primarily, the development of the region is determined by changes in water resources in the future, its rational use and modern water-saving irrigation systems and hydraulic structures. The calculated flowoff features of the rivers of the Ile-Balkash basin make it possible to make a system of sustainable development of the region with the possibilities of water consumption, as well as regional models of flow formation.