Overview

The initial work on water productivity mapping (WPM) in the Syr-Darya river basin began in the later part of year 2005. The overwhelming emphasis has been in preliminary visits to the field for familiarization, understanding systems, developing linkages with potential partners, establishing core working teams, and conduct “test of concept” ground truth missions. Conceptualization of WPM using satellite sensor data has been outlined (see set of relevant documents and .ppts in the WPM folder) and are being discussed.

A plan of action for detailed and systematic collection of field-plot data for a well understood WPM is planned for year 2006 in the Syr-Darya (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan) river basin. Specific focus within the river basins will be irrigated command areas of Ferghana valley.

Goals of WPM in year 2006 and beyond

The overarching goal will be to produce a consistent set of water productivity maps (WPM), methods, and models at river basin level across the World, with specific focus on irrigated command areas, using satellite sensor data, secondary data, and field-plot data.

The ideal long-term goal will be to work towards a single Global Water Productivity Index (GWPI), developed in benchmark river basins, through normalization, harmonization, and synthesization of satellite sensor data of different eras.

The immediate near-term goals will be to understand, develop, and map indicators of water productivity (WP) using satellite sensor data at various scales or pixel resolutions. We will work on irrigation water productivity, agriculture water productivity, and the basin water productivity.

Three major study areas within the Syr-Darya will be (See the Figure above):

• Upper (Kyrgyzstan)
• Middle (Uzbekistan)
• Lower (Kazakhstan)

Core Group

Other Staff