Sabitova et al. (2026) Hydrological extremes and flood-related hazards across Central Asia: a systematic review and evidence-based synthesis of drivers, regional patterns, and research gaps

Identification

• Journal: Frontiers in Water
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-29
• Authors: Saltanat Sabitova, Parya Broomandi, Mehdi Bagheri, Elizabeth Arkhangelsky, Michael Leuchner, Jong Ryeol Kim
• DOI: 10.3389/frwa.2026.1890812

Research Groups

• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
• Department of Physical Geography and Climatology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

Short Summary

This systematic review synthesizes the current knowledge on hydrological extremes and flood-related hazards in Central Asia under changing hydro-climatic conditions. The study identifies dominant hydro-climatic processes, regional variability, methodological approaches, quality of evidence, and implications for climate adaptation.

Objective

• Research question or principal hypothesis: What are the most common studies conducted on hydrological extremes and hazards linked with flooding in CA? What are the major hydro-climatic and anthropogenic processes that contribute to flood hazards in the region?

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tian Shan, Pamir, Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Ili River, Naryn River, and transboundary basins.
• Temporal Scale: Studies published from January 2021 to December 2025.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Various climate models (e.g., RCP4.5, RCP8.5), hydrological models (e.g., ISBA, mHM), and machine learning methods.
• Data sources: Satellite data, observation datasets, reanalysis products, and peer-reviewed literature.

Main Results

• Key findings:
  • Hydro-climatic processes interact to contribute to flood hazards in CA.
  • Extreme precipitation, snowmelt timing, glacier and alpine runoff, seasonal redistribution of river flow, and human-climatic interactions are the most prominent drivers.
  • Regional variations exist due to physiographic setting, hydro-climatic conditions, and availability of evidence.

Contributions

• This review synthesizes existing studies on climate-induced hydrological extremes and flood-related hazards in CA, providing a comprehensive overview of dominant drivers, regional patterns, methodological approaches, and implications for adaptation measures.
• The study identifies knowledge gaps and research priorities relevant to adaptation in CA.

Funding

• Not specified.

Citation

@article{Sabitova2026Hydrological,
  author = {Sabitova, Saltanat and Broomandi, Parya and Bagheri, Mehdi and Arkhangelsky, Elizabeth and Leuchner, Michael and Kim, Jong Ryeol},
  title = {Hydrological extremes and flood-related hazards across Central Asia: a systematic review and evidence-based synthesis of drivers, regional patterns, and research gaps},
  journal = {Frontiers in Water},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.3389/frwa.2026.1890812},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2026.1890812}
}