DUSHANBE, October 3, 2011, Asia-Plus — One hundred years ago this year, a major earthquake in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan resulted in a massive landslide that completely blocked the Bartang River; a headwater tributary to the Amu Darya river basin, a press release issued by FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance on October 3 said. This landslide completely buried the Usoi Village and resulted in the formation of a dam which is now called the Usoi Dam. As a result of the landslide in 1911, and over the course of the following three years, Lake Sarez formed behind the Usoi Dam drowning the Sarez Village in the process.
To better understand the inherent risks posed by Lake Sarez, the Government of Tajikistan and a number of international development partners and scientific organizations gathered in Dushanbe to exchange ideas, to develop options to mitigate the potential risks, and to explore various options for benefiting from the Lake’s water resources. The conference also coincides with the recent UN declaration that 2013 will serve as the “International Year of Water Cooperation.”
Over the past decade, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), with the support of international partners including the United States Agency for International Development, the Swiss Development Corporation, the Japan Social Development Fund, and the World Bank, among others, have been working to implement projects that promote disaster risk reduction, community resilience and economic development in locales neighboring Lake Sarez.
For instance, projects such as the “Lake Sarez Risk Mitigation” and “Reducing Poverty in High Mountain Environments around Lake Sarez” are key examples of such initiatives addressing the needs of these affected isolated and remote communities. FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance – Tajikistan (an affiliate agency of the AKDN) facilitated the creation of irrigation channels to reduce the water seepage that commonly leads to landslides, and strengthened the emergency response capacity through several village level initiatives such as the installation of new emergency communication equipment, establishments of safe havens and emergency stockpiles. Additionally, to stimulate local economies, the Aga Khan Foundation, Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP) and the First MicroFinance Bank introduced business development initiatives to encourage opportunities for improving rural income, and infrastructure, including mini-hydro power stations and bridges, which were built or rehabilitated in the surrounding locales.
Against the backdrop of these and other initiatives the conference also served as a platform for experts to discuss issues ranging from the impact of climate change, the use of Lake Sarez’s water for hydropower, the need for potable water and irrigation, and the monitoring of seismic waves in Lake Sarez and the Bartang valley.
The conference delegates reached a consensus on the inherent risks posed by Lake Sarez, and the importance of creating economic opportunities for the local population and the region at large. This confluence of ideas and expertise will hopefully inform important decisions about project funding and development initiatives in the years to come, and will facilitate the continued progress in managing this important resource.
