Enhancing flood management in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan suffered severe flooding last spring, particularly in April, when heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt caused the significant swelling of rivers, especially the Ural River, Europe's third-longest river. The floods affected several regions, displacing over 120,000 people and causing widespread damage. The emergency response was critical, and Kazakhstan sought international support to manage the situation and strengthen their flood prevention and management policies. The Netherlands, known for its advanced flood management expertise, provided first assistance through the Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support (DRRS) Programme.
Since then, Dutch experts have worked closely with Kazakh authorities to assess the situation, map flood risks, and improve flood response strategies. In an interview with Dutchwatersector.com, Fredrik Huthoff, Associate Professor of Hydraulic Engineering at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and DRRS team leader, talks about this year's activities.
Huthoff arrived in Kazakhstan last April as part of a DRRS mission to assist Kazakhstan in developing a Flood Management Plan. The Plan addresses diverse aspects of flood risk management, covering all the stages from the preparation and early response to the planning of adaptation measures. “A particular area of attention is innovation in information management to serve these different stages. For example, it includes ideas on the development of hydrological forecasting models, using space-based observations, mapping of flood hazards, and anticipating potential impacts. Methods like these can help in decision making on reducing or avoiding flood-related damage,” explains Huthoff.
Following the DRRS mission, two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to further strengthen ties between the Netherlands and Kazakhstan. The MoUs aim to both enhance capacity development through the exchange of water management knowledge and technology, and improve flood management and water resilience in Kazakhstan through flood forecasting, and planning flood control measures.
Under these MoUs, the collaboration with Kazakhstan continued throughout the summer period. In August, training was given in Astana on using advanced flood risk management (FRM) information technologies to anticipate, respond to, and adapt to flood risks. In Huthoff’s words, “various technologies were applied to Kazakh cases showing the value of assimilating hydrological data from various sources, and the possibilities and limitations of modelling and forecasting. These pilot applications helped in identifying the most urgent and most effective approaches for Kazakh settings.”
As part of the efforts to design long-term solutions, a second training on flood management was given last October. Representatives from Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, and other relevant institutions, participated in the session. Huthoff emphasised the potential synergy between the two countries, particularly in using satellite technology to improve flood prediction. He pointed to satellite observations being able to fill gaps in data from ground stations, offering a comprehensive picture of flood development and helping to improve flood management.
Dutch and Kazakh stakeholders have coordinated several activities in 2024 to enhance Kazakhstan's flood risk management, but the work needs to continue in the coming years. The Kazakh authorities have expressed gratitude for the Netherlands’ support so far, and are dedicated to continue the collaboration to improve national Flood Risk Management. Talks are ongoing to assist Kazakhstan in developing a national flood forecasting system.
About the DRRS Programme
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support programme is an initiative of the Government of the Netherlands that aims to prevent and reduce the impact of water and climate-related disasters worldwide and increase the resilience of affected areas and populations.
The programme operates in all disaster management cycle phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Every intervention is tailor-made, based on the needs of the requesting country and the expertise needed.
The DRRS programme is coordinated by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). International governments and humanitarian actors can request support by emailing drrs@rvo.nl.
