Land irrigation
Irrigated agriculture is one of the main sectors of the economy of the Republic of Tajikistan, ensuring food security and employment of the rural population.
The total area of potentially irrigable land in the country is estimated at 1,570 thousand hectares, of which, as of January 1, 2018, irrigated lands amount to 757.8 thousand hectares, of which 289.1 thousand hectares are irrigated by using the pumping stations. The water supply service during this period covered the area of 542.9 thousand hectares. To service irrigated lands in the country there are 26.7 thousand kilometers of irrigation networks, main canals and 11.4 thousand kilometers of drainage networks, 7,099 hydraulic structures, 385 pumping stations (total length of pressure pipelines are 624.67 km) with 1,500 units, 505 vertical wells, 169 inverted syphons, 110 aqueducts, 5,455 water distribution points, 3,858 gauging stations.
For the development of foothill lands, large cascade pumping stations were built, reaching 2-7 lifts. In total, there are 228 cascade pumping stations with 922 units, which irrigate 213.2 thousand hectares.
It should be noted that the main canals, drainage networks, pumping stations and other hydraulic structures due to use for many years are worn out and in need of regular repair and rehabilitation including 1,500 pumping units, 1,124 of them (75%) were produced in 1958-1970 and 252 units (17%) - in 1970-1986 and their technical life time exceeded 2-4 times the standards. To date, 124 of them (8%) have been completely repaired and rehabilitated. To fully replace the remaining units, electric motors and supply irrigated lands with irrigation water, it is necessary to replace 1,274 units with electric motors and 620.2 thousand meters of pressure pipelines and 6.2 billion TJS is needed.