The intensifying effects of climate change have led to increased flooding, even in desert regions, resulting in significant socio-economic and ecological impacts. This study analyzes the causes and consequences of flooding in the Zhem River basin using data from ground stations, including Kazhydromet, and satellite platforms such as USGS FEWS NET and Copernicus. Spatial analyses conducted in ArcGIS utilized classified raster data to map the dynamics of flooding, snow cover, vegetation, and soil conditions. This enabled a geoecological analysis of flood damage on the vital components of the local landscape. Results show that flooding in the Zhem River basin was driven by heavy winter precipitation, rapid snowmelt, and a sharp rise in spring temperatures. The flood damaged Kulsary city and also harmed the region’s soil, vegetation, and wildlife. In July 2024, the flooded sail area tripled compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, the area of barren land or temporary water bodies (pools) formed three months after the water receded also tripled, increasing from 84.9 km² to 275.7 km². This study highlights the critical need for continued research on the long-term environmental effects of flooding and the development of adaptive management strategies for sustainable regional development.

To provide the population with food, it is very important to re-cultivate “abandoned lands” that have been retired from agricultural use. The conversion of arable land into agricultural abandoned lands in the south of Kazakhstan is, first of all, primarily associated with salinity. For the purposes of sustainable development, there is a need to develop proposals for re-mastering by studying their current state and reviewing world studies on the reclamation of salt-affected soils. Therefore, this study is devoted to the study of the current environmental and reclamation conditions of the abandoned areas of the Otyrar region in southern Kazakhstan. The proposed directions of changes in their development were also presented. In the course of the research, the historical method is used in the study of the emergence and formation of abandoned lands; the method of geographical analysis during the territorial analysis of the research object; the statistical and comparison methods in showing the complexity and intensity of the problems; the cartographic, geo-informational and field research (reconnaissance) methods in the study of the condition of the abandoned lands in the research object and methods of grouping and analysis were used in the work with scientific data on the topic of research. Using Sentinel-2 images, the GIS program created phenological dynamics of crops based on NDVI vegetation indices during the vegetation period of the irrigated range. By classifying them, abandoned lands due to salinization were separated from fields. By deciphering space images with the help of geoinformation technologies, it was revealed that the area of abandoned lands in the research object is 13,688.9 ha, including the area of non-saline soils—83.9 ha, weakly saline soils—984.4 ha, medium saline soils—2398.3 ha, and highly saline soils—10,222.1 ha. A review of the methods and technologies proposed by scientists for the development and amelioration of salt-affected lands was made. Taking into account the ecological and reclamation state of the object of research along with the material and technical capabilities of farms, two methods of developing abandoned lands (organic and agro-innovative) in the research object are proposed and the need for their use in case of soil salinization has been scientifically justified.

The water regime is the main factor contributing to the formation of landscapes in the river deltas of arid zones, any fluctuations in which lead to a change in the integral hydromorphic landscape. After the construction of the Kapshagai reservoir, the anthropogenic load on the ecosystem of the...

Soil salinization and their annual increase in volume is not only one of the main problems of arid and subarid regions, but it is becoming global. Studying the problem of salinization and its spatial distribution using operational remote sensing methods is very important for Kazakhstan, where...

As a consequence of global population growth and increasing demand for agricultural commodities, vast areas of cultivable land have been brought under cultivation, while natural ecosystems are being converted for agricultural use. This transformation has led to various forms of soil degradation, with excessive salinity emerging as a critical concern. Drought-prone ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to salinization processes, resulting in an annual reduction of arable land by approximately 1% to 2%. In the Kazakhstan, salt-affected soils account for approximately 43% of all agricultural land. The aim of this study is to assess the extent and spatial distribution of soil salinity in the Talas district of Kazakhstan and to identify the dominant chemical characteristics of soil salts across different land types. To achieve this, soil samples were collected from river valleys, desert pastures, irrigated lands, and sandy areas. The analysis focused on salinization processes, ion toxicity thresholds, and the chemical composition of soil salts. Results reveal that salt accumulation varies between the 30 cm and 80 cm soil layers in river valleys and desert pastures, whereas the highest concentrations are observed in the upper layers of irrigated soils. The greatest variation in average salt content by soil texture was ?0.81% in loamy soils and ?0.62% in silty loam soils. These findings highlight the urgent need for ecologically sound land management strategies to mitigate soil salinization, especially in irrigated areas. They also offer valuable insights for enhancing irrigation efficiency and preserving soil fertility in Talas and other comparable regions.