Community of Practice

USAID Central Asia’s Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment (WAVE) Activity promotes long term planning using Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) and the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) software to help countries manage water use more effectively. The software allows users to generate future climate scenarios through which to predict and forecast optimal levels of water use for energy, food and domestic needs, and protect ecosystems as well.

Starting in 2022, USAID has been developing a comprehensive water-energy model for Syr Darya and training scientists from all five Central Asian countries in using this software. In turn, these trained specialists continue their work in their respective countries, conducting trainings at research institutes and universities to form a pool of specialists equipped to analyze and plan improved rational use of water resources for industry, agriculture, hydropower and ecosystem conservation.

With this training, USAID is helping to establish a regional knowledge base to sustain the use value of this modeling software for improved basin planning, building opportunities for stronger water future in Central Asia.

Last year, USAID published a policy brief and full report on the modeling work conducted for the Syr Darya River Basin, which are stored on our Community of Practice platform.

Policy brief and full report: https://riverbp.net/eng/community_of_practice/hub/weap_leap/