Sardoba Reservoir is a water storage facility located in the Sirdaryo region of Uzbekistan. It was built in the area traversed by the central canal of the Southern Mirzachul aqueduct in 2017. It failed catastrophically in 2020.

Design and construction

The construction of the water reservoir began in 2010 and was completed in 2017. Its purpose was to utilize the fertile lands of Sirdaryo and Jizzakh regions and increase the crop yields of rural farmers. The creation of a catchment area around the reservoir was also considered during the construction phase.[1] The construction of the water reservoir involved the participation of more than 10 subcontracting companies, including "Sirdaryo Water Construction Invest" JSC (under the Ministry of Water Economy), "UzGip" LLC (designer), and "O'ztemiryo'lqurilishmontaj" JSC (main contractor for Uzbekistan Railways). The management and development of the Sardoba Reservoir is under the supervision of the "Directorate for the Use and Development of Sardoba Reservoir Objects" under Uzbekistan Railways. The total cost of the Sardoba Reservoir was 1.3 trillion Uzbekistani so'm (equivalent to 404 million US dollars).[2][3]

On May 1, 2020, the Sardoba Reservoir dam was breached, causing flooding in ten populated areas in the Sardoba, Akaltyn, and Mirzaobod districts of Uzbekistan, as well as the Paxtaorol district of Kazakhstan.

HPS Project

On April 21, 2020, the construction of the Hydroelectric power station (HPS) began at the Sardoba Reservoir by Uzbekhydroenergo JSC. The cost of the HPS construction, which was estimated to be completed in 2023, is 21.3 million euros and will be financed by Russia's Roseximbank. The Russian company "Silovyye mashiny – ZTL, LMZ, Elektrosila, Energomasheksport" is the main contractor, and a contract worth 19.2 million euros was signed with them. According to the project, the HPS will have a total capacity of 10.7 MW, with two hydro turbines generating 5.35 MW each. The annual electricity production capacity of the HPS is expected to be 41.1 million kWh.[4]

Flood

On May 1, 2020 at 05:55, water started overflowing from the 6th picket wall of the Sardoba reservoir, and the water flow gradually increased.

As a result, the Qo'rg'ontepa village was left under water. The residents of the "Birlik", "Qo'rg'ontepa", "Do'stlik", "Yurtdosh", "Navbahor", "Haqiqat", and "Bahoriston" neighborhoods were evacuated.[5] The water also flooded the "Ahillik", "Shodlik", "Saxovat", "Navoiy", "Do'stlik", "Ko'rkamdiyor", "Toshkent", "Yangihayot", "Obod", and "Mustahkam" neighborhoods in Oqoltin district, and their residents were relocated to the city of Gagarin in Jizzakh region. The residents of the "Beruniy", "Paxtaobod", "Baliqchi", "Haqiqat", "Bahoriston", "Yangiovul", and "Do'ngariq" neighborhoods in Mirzaobod district were relocated to the city of Yangiyer. The water flow from the reservoir was directed towards the Abay canal in Oqoltin district and then to the Arnasoy lakes. The residents of Sardoba village were also relocated to the city of Gagarin.[6] According to the information of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 11,598 people were evacuated on the first day of the disaster.[7] On May 2, 60,450 people were moved to safe places.[8]

As a result of the disaster, 4 people died (six by another source[9]) and 1 person went missing.[10] 2,570 houses and 76 multi-story buildings were completely destroyed, while 1,781 houses and 52 multi-story buildings were partially damaged.[11]

Following the Sardoba disaster, criminal cases were initiated.[12] On May 19, two individuals were detained on suspicion of "negligence with a high position" and "violation of construction regulations".[13]

According to official reports, each of the more than 4,500 homeowners affected by the flood received 40 million Uzbekistani so'm in aid from the state budget. However, not all affected individuals received this aid, and some demanded compensation but were either threatened or detained by internal affairs officials for 15 days.[11]

For the affected residents, 855.4 billion Uzbekistani so'm were allocated for the construction of 86 multi-story buildings with 2,640 apartments.[11]

Overall, 19,592 hectares of land were damaged in Sirdaryo region as a result of the disaster.[11]

Objection of Kazakhstan authorities

On May 1, 2020, after the water release from the reservoir, several settlements in the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan remained underwater. However, the Uzbek Minister of Water Resources called the Minister of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan and urged them not to discharge water to Uzbekistan, so the evacuation of the population in Kazakhstan was delayed.[14][15] In addition, Kazakh officials emphasized that the construction of the Sardoba reservoir was not coordinated with Kazakhstan. An official note was sent on this issue.[16] Later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan stated that the note should not have been sent to Uzbekistan.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Press service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (May 17, 2017). "Президент Сирдарё вилоятида бўлди" [President visited Sirdaryo region]. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  2. ↑ Gazeta.uz (2020-05-05). "Сардоба сув омборини ким қурган?" [Who built the Sardoba reservoir?]. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  3. ↑ UzReport News (2020-07-27). ""Sardoba" suv ombori to'g'oni o'pirilishi bo'yicha 9 nafar shaxs qamoqqa olindi — Bosh prokuratura" [9 people arrested in connection with the collapse of the "Sardoba" reservoir — Chief prosecutor's office]. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  4. ↑ "Ўзбекистонда қиймати 21,3 млн еврога тенг ГЭС қурилиши бошланди" [Construction of small hydro power plant with a value of 21.3 million euros has started in Uzbekistan]. kun.uz (in Uzbek). 23 April 2020.
  5. ↑ Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan. "Preliminary information on water release from the Sardoba reservoir". fvv.uz. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  6. ↑ Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Uzbekistan. "Additional information on water release from Sardoba reservoir". fvv.uz. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  7. ↑ Ministry of Emergency Situations. "Additional information on water release from Sardoba reservoir". fvv.uz. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  8. ↑ Daryo.uz (5 February 2020). "Sardoba suv omboridagi avariyadan so'ng 70 mingga yaqin fuqaro evakuatsiya qilindi" [After the accident at the Sardoba reservoir, evacuation of more than 70 thousand residents]. daryo.uz (in Uzbek). Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  9. ↑ Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska (23 Sep 2020). "Uzbeks search for answers and stability after deadly dam collapse". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  10. ↑ kun.uz. "Сардобадаги сув тошқини оқибатида 4 киши ҳалок бўлиб, бир киши бедарак йўқолган" [4 people died and one person remains missing as a result of flooding in Sardoba]. kun.uz (in Uzbek). Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  11. 1 2 3 4 OZODLIK FILMI. Sardoba: Оmon qolganlar hikoyasi (tr. "OZODLIK FILMI. Sardoba: The Story of Those Left Behind") on YouTube // Ozodlik Radiosi. year=2021
  12. ↑ Daryo.uz (2020-05-03). "Sardoba bo'yicha jinoyat ishi qo'zg'atildi. Tergov harakatlarini DXX olib boradi" [Crime related to "Sardoba" was prevented. The State Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan takes counter-terrorism measures]. daryo.uz (in Uzbek). Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  13. ↑ ""Сардоба иши" доирасида икки киши ҳибсга олинди" [Two people were arrested as part of the "Sardoba case".]. m.kun.uz. 2020-05-23. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  14. ↑ TengriNews (2020-05-03). "Узбекистан заверял, что ни капли воды в нашу сторону не идет - замакима о подтоплениях в Мактаарале" [Uzbekistan assured that not a drop of water goes to our side - Deputy Akim on floods in Maktaaral]. tengrinews.kz. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  15. ↑ Daryo.uz (2020-05-05). "Gromov: O'zbekiston suv xo'jaligi vaziri o'rinbosari qo'ng'iroq qilib, suv Qozog'istonga o'tmasligini ta'kidlagan edi" [Gromov: Deputy of Uzbekistan's water management assured with emphasis that water does not flow to Kazakhstan]. daryo.uz. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Sardoba suv ombori qurilishi biz bilan kelishilmagan – Qozog'iston O'zbekistonga nota yo'lladi" [Sardoba reservoir construction was not discussed with us - Kazakhstan sends a note to Uzbekistan]. Qalampir.uz (in Uzbek). May 5, 2020.
  17. ↑ Kazinform (2020-05-05). "Қозоғистон ТИВ: сув тошқини юзасидан Ўзбекистонга нота юборилмайди" [Kazakhstan MFA: No note will be sent to Uzbekistan due to water scarcity]. Inform.kz (in Uzbek).
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