NATURAL-GEOGRAPHIC AND HYDROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYR DARYA RIVER BASIN

The article provides a generalized natural-geographic and hydrological description of the Syr Darya river basin based on an analysis of classical and contemporary scientific literature. The position of the basin, the structure of its relief, its climatic conditions, the sources of river feeding and the features of the seasonal and long-term runoff regime are considered. Particular attention is paid to the division of the basin into a zone of runoff formation and a zone of runoff dissipation, which, in the author's view, is the key to understanding its water resources. It is shown that discrepancies in the published values of basin area and runoff are largely explained by differences in the boundaries and periods used by different authors. The results may serve as a basis for further hydrological modeling and water management planning.