The e-Journal “IWRM in Central Asia” – the value and benefit from a Mongolian perspective

Michael Walther

June 08, 2015

Short Communications

Abstract

Mongolia belongs to the most eastern Countries of Central Asia and has wide spread untouched and unique landscapes and natural resource. So due to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Water Security Assessment Outlook 2013 ranged Mongolia in terms of Environmental Water security on grade 4 of 5 possible grades. Mongolia’s total water resource mount up to 608.29 km3, which is classified into Rivers (34.6 km3 (5,121 rivers, 9,340 streams and creeks), Lakes (500 km3in 3.732 lakes) permanent frost and glacier areas (62.9 km3including 262glaciers), subsurface water (0.79 km3 including about estimated140 groundwater resources). Steppe and deserts zones cover 76.6% of the entire territory including episodical or periodical river reaches. Low precipitation (annual average 241 mm/year), high evaporation, unevenly distributed water resources and insufficient drinking water quality characterize the present water situation, which should be adapted to national and international standards. Total water consumption in Mongolia was estimated at about 500.0 million m3in the year 2012. The gain of negative impacts of climate change due to the supply of water resources increases annually.