Cooperating countries: Kyrgyzstan and Austria

Coordinating institution: University of Salzburg

Project coordinator: Ainura Nazarkulova

Partner institution: Kyrgyz State Technical University, Naryn State University, Osh Technological University, Austrian Academy of Sciences

Project duration: 01.10.2023 - 30.09.2026

Continuity of water supply is critical for sustaining livelihoods of (Central Asian) mountain communities, which are typically not connected to any regional water utility. Water supply is indispensable for household usage incl. sanitation, livestock, agricultural crops and small-scale hydropower generation. In mountain environments seasonal as well as multi-annual buffering and storage are limited, surface runoff through streams is the main source of water. The project will explore and quantify the impact of regional climate change scenarios on streamflow as a basis for assessment of future village-level livability and potential mitigation efforts.

For a sample of local watersheds fully distributed surface runoff models will be established, based on digital terrain models, land cover and downscaled climate parameters. These models will be run based on alternative climate scenarios with a 2050 and beyond horizon, with and without land cover change assumptions. A major focus will be on snow line variability resulting in different short term retention periods, exploration of extreme weather events, and the quantification of storage potentials.

In situ empirical evidence will be collected with the ‘CrowdWater’ citizen science app for streamflow indication, and sense:Box installations for weather records, complemented by phenological observations using an app similar to ‘ClimateWatch’. These tools are chosen for their low training and maintenance thresholds, aiming at enabling easy access and sustained operation in a collaboration between graduate students and local citizens.

One major objective of the WaterFlow initiative is the development of science-based local capacity for environmental monitoring, within the explicit context of appreciating the potential impacts of likely climate changes on the local water balance. As a key factor in the sustainability of livelihoods, this serves as a foundation for exploring, discussing and developing mitigation actions.