Why is dam safety training needed in Central Asia?
Dams and other hydraulic infrastructure are essential for the sustainable development of Central Asia. They support drinking water supply, irrigation, hydropower generation and flood protection, while also helping communities manage risks associated with floods, mudflows and droughts.
At the same time, dam failures and other safety incidents can have severe consequences for downstream communities, infrastructure, economies and the environment. These risks are particularly significant in the case of large dams.
According to the classification of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), large dams are defined as dams with a height of 15 metres or more, as well as dams between 5 and 15 metres in height that have a reservoir capacity of at least 3 million cubic metres.
Central Asia has more than 1,200 dams, including around 110 large dams. A significant share of the region’s dams was constructed during the 1950s–1980s and is now approaching or has reached the later stages of its operational life.
At the same time, approximately 200 new dams are under construction or at different stages of planning across the region. These developments require systematic attention to safety throughout the entire infrastructure life cycle — from planning and design through construction, commissioning, operation, rehabilitation and eventual decommissioning.
An interactive map of dams in Central Asia developed by the Rivers without Borders coalition is available here
Climate change is adding a further dimension to dam safety. Increasingly variable and extreme hydrological conditions can create operating conditions and loads that may differ significantly from those considered when existing infrastructure was designed. New infrastructure, in turn, needs to take projected climate risks and uncertainties into account from the earliest stages of planning and design.
Against this background, dam safety is an area where strengthening professional knowledge, technical skills and institutional capacities is particularly important.
Experience from the region demonstrates that capacity development can be more effective and sustainable when countries work together, share expertise and develop common approaches. Regional cooperation therefore provides an important platform for strengthening dam safety across Central Asia.
Establishing a Central Asia Dam Safety Academy
To support capacity development in this area, the Central Asia Dam Safety Academy is being established. The initiative is being developed under the Regional Mechanisms for the Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Transformation of the Energy-Water-Land Nexus in Central Asia (IKI Nexus Project), implemented with the participation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and funded through Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI).
The Academy will primarily operate through an online learning platform, enabling professionals and other interested participants from all five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — to access the training.
Potential key partners include the Kazakh Research Institute of Water Management, the Institute of Water Problems and Hydropower of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Tajik Research Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation, the Turkmen State Water Management Research, Production and Design Institute “Turkmensuvylymtaslama”, and the Scientific Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems based in Tashkent.
A modular approach to dam safety training
A Concept for the Central Asia Dam Safety Academy has been developed to provide a flexible and comprehensive approach to professional capacity development.
The proposed curriculum follows a multi-level modular structure consisting of:
- a core (basic) module, providing a common conceptual, methodological and governance framework; and
- technical modules addressing different stages of the hydraulic infrastructure life cycle.
The technical modules can be completed sequentially or selectively, depending on the participant’s professional responsibilities and training needs. They will be linked to the core module, ensuring that technical knowledge is complemented by a broader understanding of risk management, governance and institutional responsibilities.
The training will be delivered primarily through an asynchronous online format, allowing participants to study at their own pace and providing greater flexibility for professionals working in different countries and institutions.
Core Module: Fundamentals of Dam Safety
The core module will be mandatory for all Academy participants.
It will provide a common understanding of modern approaches to dam safety, including:
- fundamental concepts and principles of dam safety;
- risk-based approaches to safety management;
- institutional roles and responsibilities;
- relevant legal and regulatory frameworks;
- safety management throughout the infrastructure life cycle; and
- internationally recognised approaches and good practices.
The core module will have a total duration of approximately 7–8 academic hours.
Target audience for the core module:
- designers and construction professionals;
- dam operators and specialists from regulatory and supervisory authorities;
- owners and operators responsible for safe operation, maintenance and management of hydraulic infrastructure;
- project managers and project staff; and
- university students and lecturers.
Module 1: Design, Construction and Commissioning
Module 1 will focus on integrating dam safety and climate resilience considerations into the planning, design, construction and commissioning of hydraulic infrastructure. The module will help engineers and other professionals apply a systemic approach to safety requirements and climate-related risks from the earliest stages of infrastructure development. development. The total duration will be approximately 16 academic hours.
Target audience for Module 1:
- engineers and managers responsible for design, construction and technical supervision;
- regulators and specialists from state control authorities;
- owners and operators of hydraulic infrastructure; and
- university students and lecturers.
Module 2: Operation
Module 2 will focus on the knowledge and competencies required to establish, implement and maintain effective dam safety management during the operational phase. The module will promote an approach to safety management that is:
- systematic;
- risk-based;
- continuously improved; and
- focused on protecting people, property and the environment under both normal and emergency conditions.
The total duration will be approximately 16 academic hours.
Target audience for Module 2:
- owners and operators of hydraulic infrastructure;
- project managers and project staff;
- regulators and specialists from state control authorities; and
- university students and lecturers.
Module 3: Rehabilitation and Decommissioning
Module 3 will address dam safety management during rehabilitation, modernisation, drawdown and decommissioning. It will provide participants with the knowledge and competencies needed to manage safety risks systematically during periods when infrastructure may be subject to significant physical, operational or structural changes. Particular attention will be given to the protection of people and the environment under conditions of high uncertainty and changing or temporary states of the infrastructure. The total duration will be approximately 16 academic hours.
Target audience for Module 3:
- owners and operators of hydraulic infrastructure;
- hydraulic engineers, geotechnical engineers and designers;
- specialists in rehabilitation and major repairs;
- regulators and state supervisory authorities;
- project managers; and
- lecturers and students of relevant academic programmes.
Accessibility and cost of training
At the initial stage of the Academy’s operation, representatives of government authorities are expected to have free access to the training modules. The online and non-commercial nature of the Academy is intended to help minimise operating costs and increase the accessibility and affordability of capacity-building opportunities across the region.
For more detailed information about the Central Asia Dam Safety Academy, please contact Madina Ibrashеva, Water Convention Secretariat, madina.ibrasheva@un.org
