The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

Recommendations for the amelioration of  salt-affected lands within the 
Kulanak Valley (Naryn District, Kyrgyzstan)
On the basis of  climate-forming factors (according to Z.A. Ryazantseva) the Kulanak Valley is 
attributed to Climate Region 4 - ‘Inner Tian Shan’, Subregion - ‘Middle Naryn Bolson’, Belt Type 
4, with a sum of  temperatures of  2500°C, a mean July temperature of  +20°C and a precipitation 
to evaporation ratio of  0.24. The site is found at altitudes of  1770-1900 m a.s.l. (the Chuy Valley 

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Annex F. Dissemination of knowledge on the amelioration of salt-affected and waterlogged soils in the Kyrgyz Republic 
is 650-900 m a.s.l.) and has a total area of  11500 ha, with a patchy distribution of  strongly and 
medium saline soils that have a total area of  4500 ha.
Soil  salinization  develops  under  the  influence  of   parent  materials,  which  contain  soluble  salts, 
combined with specific water and temperature conditions. The thickness of  the sediment layer 
overlying bedrock varies from 0.5 m in the foothills to 10 m by the Naryn River.
The main method of  the desalinization of  local soils is leaching, which requires special preparations 
such as soil levelling, salt concentration testing, gypsum application, ploughing, harrowing, dividing 
fields into compartments bordered by earth ridges, installation of  portable irrigation pipes within 
the compartments, etc.
Each type of  preparatory operation requires professional expertise, experience and the input of  
significant  financial  and  labour  resources.  Leaching  and  chemical  amelioration  treatments  are 
needed for areas of  3700 and 1300 ha, respectively. Such large-scale operations are impossible for 
farmers to undertake on their own, therefore, these operations need to be undertaken by specialized 
amelioration groups of  the RAHE.
Considering that crop yields decrease by 10-80% depending on the degree of  soil salinity, it 
is recommended that the RAHE and the Kyrgyz Institute of  Irrigation take responsibility for 
organizing actions to combat the loss of  agricultural lands due to salinization within the Naryn 
Dystrict.