South-Fergana canal (SFC) is interstate and inter-oblast canal and on the territory of Fergana and Andijan provinces in Uzbekistan and Osh province in Kyrgyzstan. The total canal length is 114.9 km (57.1 - in Andijan province; 57.8 - in Fergana province).

Total canal command irrigated area is 81,6 thousand ha (48,8 thousand ha - in Fergana province, 30,2 thousand ha – in Andijan province of Uzbekistan and 2,6 thousand ha - in Osh province of Kyrgyzstan). Water diversion in SFC is fulfilled on Andijan province territory from Shakhrikhansai canal with head structure and flow capacity 100,0 m3/s. Water diversion (Palvantash structure) on Fergana province border has flow capacity 60,0 m3/s.

SFC delivers water to irrigated fields of 6 districts (Alty-Aryk, Akhunbabaev, Kuva, Tashlak, Fergana, Yaz'yavan) and in Kuvasai city, Fergana province, to 4 districts of Andijan province and to 1 district of Kyrgyzstan.

The canal length is 57,0 km passing concrete channel. To allocate water along canal there are 7 secondary distributors of total length 14 km equipped with water intakes.

SFC technical state is appropriate to general state of water infrastructure in Fergana Valley. The canal was constructed tens years ago. Accumulated deprecation (canals, hydrostructures, hydrometry, etc.) is quite significant. It is necessary to carry out permanently repair works and rehabilitation measures in canals, hydrostructures, hydrometric facilities, equipment, etc. At the same time, amount of financing allocated for implementing required works and other material resources are insufficient especially during the last ten years.

South-Fergana management was implemented within Andijan province - by BFC Management Organization (the fifth department); Fergana province -  by Isfaram – Shakhimardan Inter-district Canals Management Organization (ISh IDCMO) under the direct direction of Provincial Department for Water Resources.

Water Use Department makes up water use plan before the beginning of growing period for the whole year over every district and according to this plan water limits are being distributed in districts. Limits are allocated to structural district subdivisions of Provincial Department for Water Resources every month and every year according to water availability. ISh IDCMO, in its turn, informed District Department for Water Resources on the above mentioned water limits and according to which water is delivered to them. There are 4 hydroplots along SFC in order to supply water directly and control it: Akbarabad, Beshalysh, Margilan and Fayzaabd. 55 shirkats, 76 farms and 78 other water users use water from SFC.

SFC water resources management is under ISh IDCMO and practically excludes a possibility to manage and distribute water in equitable manner independently, brings to a number of negative consequences.

Water distribution between administrative districts brings to significant inequality of water distribution. For example, in 2000 under total canal water availability within 97 % water has been supplied over separate districts in the following way: lands in Tashlak and Fergana districts have been supplied with water on 117 % and 124 % of planned volume, appropriately; Akhunbabaev district on 68 %; Kuva district on 83 %; Yaz'yavan district - on 98 %. Such unevenness in water distribution in SFC is explained, beside insufficient independence of waterway management, by interference of local administration bodies.

Restructurization of SFC management is foreseen within project implementation during Phase I within Fergana province with transference to IWRM organization along the whole SFC during next Phase.

Aravan-Ak-Bura canal (AABC) is inter-district canal and supplies water to irrigated lands of two administrative districts – Karasu and Aravan.

Total canal command irrigated area is 16136 ha. Main water source is Ak-Bura river. Additional water sources are not available. The canal has independent dam water diversion with flow capacity 25 m 3 /s.

Total canal length is 31,5 km, 20,6 km of which have concrete lining. Canal technical state is satisfactory. However partial capital and regular repair is demanded. There is partial accumulated deprecation of hydrostructures, gauging stations, etc. Permanent preventive measures and regular and capital repairs of canals, hydrostructures and gauging stations are required. Parts of structures and gauging stations should be replaced. 

Organizational functioning of AABC is not corresponding to hydrographical principle – all its activity on its command area is implemented by two District Departments for Water Resources: from picket 0 to picket 215 by Karasu District Department for Water Resources powers and from picket 215 to picket 315 by Aravan District Department for Water Resources powers. The above mentioned two District Departments for Water Resources are structural sub-divisions of Osh Basin Department for Water Resources. Thereby, water allocation on AABC is resolved at provincial level, i. e. every district submits application independently on receiving required water within its administrative boundaries. Water supply on district boundaries is determined in required volumes by Osh BDWR water distribution.

Primary water distribution over the canal to water users is carried out separately by Water Use Departments in Karasu and Aravan District Departments for Water Resources based on WUA and other water users' applications. Water users pay for receiving water to District Department for Water Resources.

Existing organizational structure of water resources management in AABC command area, developed not on hydrographical principle and remained administrative-territorial division, has a number of important drawbacks and brings to negative consequences. Mainly it is related to a possibility of equitable water distribution over the canal. Thus under source water availability – the Ak-Bura river within 95 %, water supply to Aravan district is 73 %and to Karasu district - 83 %. Water supply to water users is inequitable according to their needs. It is necessary to marked out that pressure of district executive authorities impacts on water distribution within AABC considerably.

It is natural that it is impossible to transfer AABC water resources management to integrated management based on hydrographical principle under existing organizational structure.

Restructurization of AABCMO is foreseen within implementation of this project with establishing independent single Management based on hydrographical principle.

Gulyakandoz canal is inter-district canal and delivers water to irrigated lands of two administrative districts: D. Rasulov and B. Gafurov. Total canal command irrigated area is 8089 ha, including the first district – 4462 ha and the second district – 3627 ha. The main water source is river Khodzha-Bakirgan. Water diversion to the canal is carried out from river independently by dam structure. Total canal length is 30,4 km, including within Dzh. Rasulov district – 20,4 km and B. Gafurov district – 10,0 km.

At the present time there is no independent Canal Management Organization. The whole activity on its command area is implemented by two District Departments for Water Resources which are under Sogd Provincial Enterprise. There are two 2 hydrotechnical plots along the canal, in one in every district. Total amount of water users is 11 units, including 7 - within B. Gafurov district and 4 – Dzh. Rasulov district. Water allocation issues along Gulyakandoz canal are resolved at provincial level, by determining water supply limits to every of two districts according to applications on receiving required water. The primary water distribution directly to water users is carried out separately by water use departments of two the above mentioned District Departments for Water Resources based on water users' applications. Water users also pay for receiving water to District Departments for Water Resources. 

Beside irrigation, canal water is used for drinking needs and providing industrial water supply (Mining combine in Chkalovsk city).

Canal technical state is satisfactory. Repair and partially construction works should be carried out. There are some difficulties with financing required works.

Existing organizational structure of water resources management on canal Gulyakandoz command area, remained administrative-territorial basis, has a number of significant drawbacks and brings to a number of negative consequences. First of all, it is related to water availability and possibility of equitable water distribution. Due to sufficient low water availability of the main water source of Gulyakandoz canal, water diversion (in 2000) was 68 % of planned volume. As a whole low canal water availability was cause of insufficient water availability on district boundaries especially at the beginning of growing  period: in Dzh. Rasulov district it was 60 % and in B. Gafurov – 78 %. So water supply to water users is not sufficient and equitable according to their needs. Although inter-district water allocation issues are the prerogative of Provincial Department for Water Resources, the role of local district authorities as well as governing bodies of district water structures is very important under local conditions. By virtue of their interventions in water allocation issues, conflict situations are raised often.

It is quite clear that retention of existing organizational structure of water management in Gulyakandoz canal excludes the possibility to transfer to IWRM.

Restructurization of Gulyakandoz canal management is foreseen within implementation of this project by establishing independent single water resources management based on hydrographical principle.