Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is increasingly being realized as an important approach to improve water security in arid and semi-arid environments where there is a low amount of surface water and high climatic variability. This paper introduces a unified approach to the process of locating appropriate MAR locations and estimating recharge potential in Central Kazakhstan through a multi-criteria analysis using geographic information systems (GIS) and hydrogeological field exploration, water balance modelling. Remote sensing datasets and evapotranspiration (ET) analyses were conducted for the 2014–2024 period, while field investigations, infiltration tests, and hydrochemical sampling were performed during the 2025 field campaign. The suitability testing was preliminarily performed in the Google Earth Engine (GEE; Google LLC, Mountain View, CA, USA) environment as a weighted overlay test with the combination of terrain, vegetation, hydrological, and land cover parameters. According to the suitability map obtained and patterns of activity in agricultural activities, eleven candidate sites were identified, out of which eight were found to be suitable after hydrochemical analysis. The Nesterov and Boldyrev techniques of field-based infiltration tests produced a range of 0.05 to 1.42 m/day of hydraulic conductivity. Water balance analysis shows that the total amount of water that could potentially be added to groundwater recharge is about 40.2 million m³/year and that the effective amount of water could be recharged is about 11.0 million m³/year, which is limited by the infiltration processes. This means that about 27 percent of the available water is added into ground water recharge, which is a significant boost to the original estimates. The assessment of the storage capacity of the aquifers indicates that at all locations, the pore space is much greater than the recharge volumes that have been calculated and, therefore, storage is not a limiting factor in the implementation of MAR. It is estimated that the potential MAR rates range between 174 and 5282 m³/day depending on local hydrogeological conditions. The suggested method offers a powerful and generalizable site selection and measurement framework of MAR in arid areas with limited data. The findings highlight the significance of combining remote sensing, field measurements, and process-based modeling to aid sustainable groundwater management and climate adaptation strategies.

Water scarcity and the degradation of natural ecosystems in the Aral–Syrdarya Basin remain among the most critical environmental challenges throughout the region. Within the framework of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, this territory is recognized as highly vulnerable, requiring targeted and scientifically grounded approaches to sustainable water and land resources management.The Aral–Syrdarya Water Management Basin comprises the Syrdarya River Basin and its tributaries and is associated with the Syrdarya Complex Hydrogeological Basin formed within a large tectonic depression. Groundwater resources are mainly confined to Quaternary alluvial and alluvial–proluvial deposits, Pliocene–Quaternary sandy formations, and Cretaceous aquifer systems, which are hydraulically separated by a regionally extensive Paleogene aquitard.The regional assessment of groundwater runoff was conducted for major hydrogeological units within the basin, including river valleys, near-surface aquifers, and extensive sandy massifs. The use of several complementary assessment methods allowed for a reliable estimation of groundwater runoff and provided a solid scientific basis for its spatial representation. This approach is particularly important for the support of long-term planning and sustainable water resources management in the Aral–Syrdarya Basin.The selection of the applied methodology is based on a critical review of national and international practices, while also accounting for the specific geological, hydrogeological, and hydrometeorological conditions of the study area. Renewable groundwater resources are characterized by using long-term average groundwater runoff values over periods of 10 to 30 years. This allowed for the assessment of groundwater availability and for the evaluation of the relationship between groundwater and surface runoff components.Groundwater runoff is quantified using discharge values, runoff depth, and the runoff modulus, ensuring the consistency and comparability of results across different spatial units. According to estimates reported for different periods, renewable groundwater resources of the Syrdarya Complex Hydrogeological Basin range from 37.9 to 93.44 m³/s. Updated calculations based on recent hydrometeorological data and groundwater regime observations indicate an average groundwater runoff depth of approximately 14.8 mm/year and an average runoff modulus of 0.47 L/s·km².

В условиях засушливого климата южных регионов Казахстана развитие пастбищного животноводства напрямую зависит от наличия устойчивого водоснабжения. Подземные воды, как более надёжный источник по сравнению с поверхностными, играют ключевую роль в обеспечении питьевых потребностей скота и обслуживающего персонала в связи с природно-климатическим изменениями и антропогенным фактором, а также с проблемой, которая возникает с трансграничной рекой Или. Река Или протекает по территории двух стран, Китайская Народная Республика и Республика Казахстан. В статье рассмотрены результаты гидрогеологических исследований, проведённых в Алматинской области, направленных на оценку состояния и потенциала подземных вод в контексте обводнения пастбищных угодий. Проведён анализ качества, минерализации и дебитов подземных вод в различных геологических условиях - предгорных равнинах, песчаных массивах и межгорных впадинах. Полевые обследования включали отбор проб из действующих колодцев и скважин, оценку степени износа водозаборных сооружений и картирование водопунктов. Результаты показали наличие значительных ресурсов пресных и слабосолоноватых подземных вод, пригодных в том числе и для нужд животноводства. Вместе с тем выявлена критическая деградация инфраструктуры водоснабжения: большая часть скважин требует реконструкции, а уровень механизации остаётся низким, так как почти все гидрогеологические скважины были пробурены в Советское время. Предлагаются меры по восстановлению и модернизации системы обводнения на основе актуальных данных, включая внедрение инновационных технологий и усиление межведомственного взаимодействия. По линии сельского хозяйства, в том числе и для бурения новых гидрогеологических скважин субсидий от государства доходят до 70%. Обоснована необходимость восстановления водозаборных сооружений и внедрения современных подходов к управлению подземными водами для устойчивого развития пастбищного животноводства.

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is increasingly being realized as an important approach to improve water security in arid and semi-arid environments where there is a low amount of surface water and high climatic variability. This paper introduces a unified approach to the process of locating appropriate MAR locations and estimating recharge potential in Central Kazakhstan through the multi-criteria analysis using GIS and hydrogeological field exploration, water balance modelling. The suitability testing was preliminarily performed in the Google Earth Engine environment as a weighted overlay test with the combination of terrain, vegetation, hydrological, and land cover parameters. According to the suitability map obtained and patterns of activity in agricultural activities, eleven candidate sites were identified out of which eight were found to be suitable after hydrochemical analysis. The Nesterov and Boldyrev techniques of field-based infiltration tests, produced a range of 0.05 to 1.42 m/day of hydraulic conductivity. Water balance analysis shows that the total amount of water that could be recharged into the suitable sites is about 40.2 million m³/year and that the effective amount of water could be recharged is about 11.0 million m³/year, which is limited by the infiltration processes. This means that about 27 percent of the available water is added into ground water recharge which is a significant boost to the original estimates. The assessment of the storage capacity of the aquifers indicates that at all locations, the pore space is much greater than the recharge volumes that have been calculated and, therefore, storage is not a limiting factor in the implementation of MAR. It is estimated that there are recharge rates of between 174 and 5,282 m³/day, with a high degree of spatial variability which is caused by local hydrogeological circumstances. The suggested method offers a powerful and generalizable site selection and measurement framework of MAR in arid areas with limited data. The findings highlight the significance of combining remote sensing, field measurements, and process-based modeling to aid sustainable groundwater management and climate adaptation strategies.

The increasing water shortage caused by climate change, rising water consumption, and uneven distribution of surface runoff necessitates the implementation of effective groundwater management methods in arid regions. For Central Kazakhstan, characterized by a sharply continental climate, a limited river network, and high seasonal runoff variability, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) technologies are one of the most promising approaches. The objective is to substantiate standard MAR technological schemes considering the region’s physiographic, hydrogeological, and hydrological conditions. A regional zoning assessment was conducted based on a set of criteria, resulting in the identification of four groups of areas: areas suitable for the development of large, medium, and small groundwater reservoirs, as well as areas considered unsuitable for MAR implementation. River valleys, buried valleys, and carbonate structures were identified as the most promising settings for MAR. It was established that up to 80–90 % of the annual river runoff occurs during the spring period, providing a substantial seasonal water resource for aquifer recharge. Infiltration basins were identified as the primary technology for shallow unconfined aquifers, while infiltration wells and recharge wells were recommended for deeper and fractured-karst aquifers. The MAR technological schemes developed in the study, including both open and closed systems, allow engineering solutions to be adapted to specific natural conditions. The use of infiltration basins, regulated water-intake structures, and recharge wells can not only increase groundwater reserves but also provide effective control over groundwater levels and flow regimes.