An Integrated Aquifer Management Approach for Aridification-Affected Agricultural Area, Shengeldy-Kazakhstan

Ongoing water-resource depletion is a common trend in southeastern Kazakhstan and most of Central Asia, making the use drainage water for freshwater preservation groundwater recharge key strategy sustainable agriculture. Since Ily River inflow began to decrease, levels Shengeldy study area site have fallen below pipes. As such, our main research hypothesis was that owing infiltration, regional shallow aquifer can be used as an effective additional source moistening crop root systems during irrigation period. The MODFLOW flow model simulate quantitatively assess combined hydrogeological conditions artificial both from subsurface irrigation. field showed table elevation will reach approximately 1.5 m under system influence zone develop up 300–350 drains. simulation together with full-scale experimental studies suggests certain applied maintenance.