According to the Bank’s website, the proposed project will undertake a long-term and strategic approach to deliver climate adaptive solutions for water resources management in the Amu Darya River Basins in Uzbekistan. Predicted climate change impacts include increased temperatures, increased frequency and severity of extreme events such as floods and droughts, and a reduction of water availability and increased variability of water flows in the major river basins. Decreasing availability and increased water requirements by different sectors are leading to a growing seasonal and absolute supply-demand gap. The water imbalance will contribute to the instability of agricultural production.

The proposed project intends to address these climate change challenges by creating reservoirs to reduce the risks of drought and floods, improve irrigation, improve agriculture practices, and improve management of the reservoir and related project components.

Environment: A
Involuntary Resettlement: A
Indigenous Peoples: C

The safeguard classification for the program is expected to be category A for environment. This is because of the greenfield maximum height of 69.7 meters for the Ayakchi dam and 87.5 meters for the Obizarang dam. The dams and their associated infrastructure and facilities will also have a significant impact on the environment during both construction and operation. Environmental impact for river flow downstream, in particular, should be considered.

The project has potential for involuntary land acquisition and economic displacement. For the Ayakchi reservoir, the investment component will affect residential structures, farmland, livestock barns, trees, and public infrastructure such as rural roads, distribution lines, and bridges. Because of these impacts, about 30–40 households are expected to experience physical and economic displacement. The number of affected households could change depending on the final investment component scope and design. For the Obizarang reservoir, the proposed site for the reservoir is close to the Tajikistan border, with relevant border area restrictions. Due to the rugged mountainous area and the proximity to the international border, no households will experience displacement in the upstream from the proposed dam site. However, expansion of the rural road may cause economic and physical displacement for households that reside along the rural road. This will be confirmed during due diligence.

Loan (Concessional ordinary capital resources lending): US$ 130.00 million

Loan (Ordinary capital resources): US$ 50.00 million

No contacts available at the time of disclosure.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.adb.org/forms/request-information-form

ADB has a two-stage appeals process for requesters who believe that ADB has denied their request for information in violation of its Access to Information Policy. You can learn more about filing an appeal at: https://www.adb.org/site/disclosure/appeals

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB

The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main.