Kumtor Gold Company is rehabilitating the irrigation infrastructure of Jety-Oguz and Ton regions

published: 06 April 2016

Two daily runoff ponds (DRP), a water reservoir, a water settling pond and eight ditches have been cleared with the support of Kumtor Gold Company before the start of irrigation works in Jety-Oguz and Ton regions. The total budget of earthworks to be held at 12 sites in 2016 has amounted to about KGS 14 million.

This is not the first project of Kumtor Gold Company aimed at restoration and rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure in the region. As recently as last year, four daily runoff ponds and a water reservoir were cleared with the support of Kumtor. The mechanical earth moving in water reservoirs and ditches is held by local contractors, and the heavy equipment is provided by the Kumtor mine.

This year, the authorities of Ton region and representatives of Issyk-Kul oblast have decided to continue cleaning the large water reservoir in Tort-Kul village, and the company took a decision to support them. According to the local farmers, continuation of the water reservoir cleaning is the most optimal solution for supplying the most arid part of the region with irrigation water. The reservoir can provide water to 3,743 hectares of land. Owing to the earthworks, 125,000 cubic meters of soil have been cleared away this year. According to the arrangements reached with the local authorities and representatives of villages receiving irrigation water from the reservoir, earth-moving works will be continued in 2017.

The company has cleared daily runoff ponds and water settling ponds in Ak-Oston and Yrdyk villages of Jety-Oguz region and restored ditches in Tosor, Ak Dobo, Yrdyk, Lipenka and Kyzyl-Suu villages. 35,000 cubic meters of silt and soil have been removed from two DRP and water settling ponds in the course of works. And the total length of cleared irrigation ditches has reached 33,370 meters.

“For our company, investments in agriculture are one of the priority areas of support of Issyk-Kul oblast, because most of the local residents are involved in the agricultural sector. We are pleased that our joint efforts help to provide the local farmers with access to irrigation water,” said Aktilek Tungatarov, Kumtor Gold Company’s Director, Sustainable Development.