Introduction : Challenges and problems -- A geographical review -- The cost of water is life : A revival of the will -- The development of flood irrigation -- Irrigation in oases -- Ancient irrigation in Khorezm -- Water is the great educator -- Water is the basis for central Asian economies -- Irrigation in the time of Timur and Timurids -- Progress of science and historical development of irrigation in central Asia -- The origin and dynamics of the Aral Sea -- Russian colonization and the soviet era in central Asia : Water management during Russian colonization -- Surveys, research and design in the pre-soviet time -- The water sector of Turkistan during the first years of the soviet period -- After demarcation of the national republics -- The water sector of central Asia–a new uplift for agricultural development -- Integrated development of deserts in the USSR–the Golodnaya steppe and other lands -- The plenary session of the central committee of the communist party of the Soviet Union in May 1966 and the great leap forward -- Climbing a road that goes down -- Water for independent states : The first steps new expectations -- Independence – a new policy and economy -- The complicated issue of water sharing in the Aral Sea basin -- Irrigation or hydropower, or irrigation and hydropower? -- Agreements are the Legal Basis for Future Sustainable Management -- Capacity Building in the Water Community -- Water and the future for central Asia : Geopolitical perspectives -- Visions, forecasts and realities -- Globalization and the future of central Asia -- Basic approaches to the development of scenarios and models for future water resource development -- The future is rosy... And not so rosy -- Lessons learned

1. Water-supply -- Asia
2. Central -- Management
3. Water resources development -- Asia
4. Central