JSC “National Center of Space Research and Technology”

Visit of the French Delegation to NCST: Discussion on Research of Lake Balkhash

23.06.25

On June 19, 2025, a working meeting with a French delegation was held at the JSC “National Center for Space Research and Technology” (NCST), during which prospects for scientific cooperation on the study of Lake Balkhash and water resource management in the region were discussed.

The meeting was attended by representatives of NCST, the French National Geological Service, and BRL Ingénierie, as well as invited experts from the Institute of Water Management (Taraz) and staff from the Information Center. The French delegation was headed by Mr. Adrien Pierre-Antoine Celles, Project Leader, and integrated water resources management engineer Mr. Rémy Marcel Clément Gouillet.

The main objective of the event was to establish dialogue and identify areas for potential collaboration in remote sensing, geomodelling, and water balance analysis of Lake Balkhash. In particular, the participants focused on issues of sustainable water resource management in the context of climate change, ecosystem degradation, and increasing water consumption.

Staff of the Laboratory for Space Monitoring of Agricultural Production of the Department of Earth Remote Sensing at NCST presented the scientific and applied activities of the division, including ongoing projects, technical approaches to satellite data processing, and the software-analytical platforms used. The following thematic reports were presented during the meeting:

• Overview of current laboratory research and interdisciplinary approaches to the use of remote sensing data (Speaker – Kristina Konstantinova);
• Methodology for assessing irrigated lands using satellite data and vegetation indices (Speaker – Nurdaulet Zhumabay);
• Geospatial modeling of seasonal river runoff in the Balkhash basin to forecast water resources (Speaker – Asset Yegizbayeva).

The French side, in turn, presented a project aimed at monitoring the status of water systems in Central Asia, including Lake Balkhash. The project is scheduled for implementation in 2025–2026 and includes field research, collection of hydrological and meteorological data, landscape change analysis, and work with historical satellite archives. Particular interest was expressed in joint data analysis, methodological exchange, and preparation of publications in international scientific journals.

Following the discussion, the parties noted the high potential for developing bilateral cooperation and expressed mutual interest in continuing the dialogue. It was decided to promptly prepare proposals for the implementation of joint scientific initiatives, including pilot studies, methodological exchange, organization of field campaigns, and scientific events.