Water Unites

irrigation is the main water consuming sector, with about 92%. Virtually the entire
cultivated area is irrigated. An extensive network of canals with a total length of about
39 000 km have been been built, most of which are unlined, inefficient earthen canals.
During Soviet times, the emphasis was on cotton cultivation. After independence, irrigation
areas were expanded in order to grow more food crops and increase self-sufficiency.
There is a little hydropower potential in the country (estimated at 5.8 GWh), but
only about 0.7 GWh (1993) is produced. Given the rich hydrocarbon resources, there is
no interest in its exploration.
Due to its extremely arid climate, water is a critical resource for the country. This
was already acknowledged in an old Turkmen proverb saying: «A drop of water is a grain
of gold», which is also the motto of a national holiday celebrated annually on the first
Sunday in April. 6
6 Kostianoy et al. 2011, Sehring 2002, UNDP 2010, WDI, AQUASTAT.
Transboundary waters in the six states of the Aral Sea
41