Client: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Executor: Scientific-Information Center of ICWC

Duration: November 2023 - March 2024

Project goal: build, calibrate, use, and demonstrate the practical value of the new Pywr model in the Chirchik basin.

Project outputs: imulate scenarios and explore a model to independently assess changes to the Chirchik River basin management.

Results:

1. Network structure of the Chirchik River basin was developed

The entire structure of the Chirchik River basin selected for PyWR_Chirchik modeling, which shows those objects that are situated along the Chirchik River reachers (g/s on the Chirchik River, hydroschemes, reservoirs, HPP, water intakes, spillways).

Scheme of the basin on the PyWR_Chirchik project map.
The structure is implemented in PyWR_Chirchik through the interface

2. Datasets/information required for PyWR modeling and calibration for the Chirchik River basin was provided

A list of all collected datasets/information required for model input, testing, and analysis of simulation results was provided:

• Data in tabular form
• Data in graphical form
• Data in the form of maps and line diagrams

3. “PyWR” co-production and training workshops were held with the researchers from IWMI-CA and the University of Manchester

Experts from SIC ICWC and IWMI-CA took part in several meetings, including on-line ones with the developers of the PyWR model and experts from the University of Manchester. During those meetings, the issues of modeling and error corrections were raised, proposals to modify the model structure and input additional objects were given.

The following issues were raised, such as: units of measurement, assignment for management priority and its response in control parameters (water accumulation of the reservoirs, water withdrawal from canals, water discharge into Syr Darya River along the Chirchik River), physical explanation of initial HPP parameters and algorithm to calculate power generation, possibility to input data for the operation regime of reservoirs (simulation of water releases, water volumes in the reservoir, etc).

4. Management scenarios/alternatives were proposed

Based on the general basin requirements for building scenarios for water and hydropower resources management, as well as assigned task of studying the PyWR capabilities for the Chirchik River basin, the following management scenarios were proposed:

Scenario 1. The highest (same for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan) priority is set for users on water intakes from the river. Lower priority is given to the Charvak HPP & reservoir (maximum power generation and accumulation of the reservoir). The lowest priority is the environmental requirements to Chirchik River flow at the mouth (minimum feed into the Syr Darya River basin).

Scenario 2. The highest priority is set for the Charvak HPP & reservoir, the lower priority is for consumers who use water from the Chirchik River and environmental requirements.

Scenario 3. The priority is similar for all users (hydropower) and water consumers of the Chirchik river (as a total of requirement of municipal and domestic, industrial consumption including “TashGRES” and irrigated agriculture) of water resources of the Chirchik River.

5. Calculations on the proposed scenarios were performed

The PyWR tool can be used for modeling of the CA river basins, and compiling scenarios for water and hydropower resources management on this basis, subject to some modification of the tool allowing to introduce a number of new features. The PyWR_Chirchik Model is currently being improved with developers from the University of Manchester.