DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED HYDRO-ENVIRONMENTAL ATLAS FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KARAKALPAKSTAN, UZBEKISTAN

ABSTRACT

Reliable environmental information is essential for sustainable water resources management, environmental protection, and evidence‑based policymaking. In many regions facing environmental stress, including the Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, environmental data are fragmented, scarce, and difficult to access. This study presents the concept, development process, and preliminary results of a web‑based hydro‑environmental atlas designed to improve environmental data management, visualization, and dissemination. The system integrates standardized metadata structures, thematic hydro‑environmental layers, and multi‑format dissemination tools. The web-based implementation demonstrates the feasibility and usefulness of the atlas in supporting research activities, institutional cooperation, and science‑based decision‑making. The platform’s scalable and modular architecture offers strong potential for future expansion toward a comprehensive environmental data management system.

АННОТАЦИЯ

Надежная экологическая информация имеет важное значение для устойчивого управления водными ресурсами, охраны окружающей среды и принятия решений на основе фактических данных. Во многих регионах, сталкивающихся с экологическим стрессом, включая Республику Каракалпакстан в Узбекистане, экологические данные фрагментированы, скудны и труднодоступны. В данном исследовании представлены концепция, процесс разработки и предварительные результаты веб-ориентированного гидроэкологического атласа, предназначенного для улучшения управления, визуализации и распространения экологических данных. Система интегрирует стандартизированные структуры метаданных, тематические гидроэкологические слои и инструменты распространения в различных форматах. Веб-реализация демонстрирует осуществимость и полезность атласа для поддержки исследовательской деятельности, институционального сотрудничества и принятия решений на основе научных данных. Масштабируемая и модульная архитектура платформы открывает большие возможности для дальнейшего расширения в направлении создания комплексной системы управления экологическими данными.

Keywords: Geoinformation systems; environmental data management; hydro‑environmental atlas; web GIS; Karakalpakstan.

Ключевые слова: Геоинформационные системы; управление экологическими данными; гидроэкологический атлас; веб-ГИС; Каракалпакстан.

1. Introduction

Reliable environmental data constitute the foundation for effective environmental governance and sustainable water resources management. Decision‑makers, researchers, and practitioners depend on accurate and accessible information to understand environmental dynamics, identify risks, and develop appropriate technical and policy interventions. However, in many regions, environmental data are often fragmented across institutions, stored in incompatible formats, or maintained in non‑digital archives.

This situation is also identified in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, where hydro‑environmental challenges are closely linked to arid climatic conditions, land degradation, and the long‑term impacts of the Aral Sea crisis (Johansson et al., 2009; Asamatdinov et al., 2025; Aimbetov and Bekimbetov, 2022). Although significant environmental data have been collected over decades by various governmental and research institutions, limited accessibility and lack of integration hinder their effective use for research and education.

Recent advances in data management tools and web‑based geoinformation technologies offer new opportunities to address these limitations (Abdullaev et al., 2012; Aimbetov and Bekimbetov, 2021; Aimbetov and Rakhim, 2023). Digital platforms can support centralized data storage, standardized metadata documentation, and interactive visualization tools that enhance data usability. Within this context, the development of a Hydro‑Environmental Atlas represents a promising solution for improving environmental data accessibility, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and strengthening science‑based decision‑making processes.

This article presents the conceptual design, methodological framework, and preliminary results of developing a web‑based hydro‑environmental atlas for Karakalpakstan.

2. Objectives

The overall objective of the project was to improve environmental data management and accessibility through the development of a geospatial information platform. Two specific objectives were defined.

First, the project aimed to develop a conceptual framework for a geoinformation system capable of storing, organizing, and managing hydro‑environmental data relevant to the region. This included designing data classification structures, metadata templates, and system architecture.

Second, the project sought to implement and test a preliminary prototype of a web‑based hydro‑environmental atlas. The prototype was intended to demonstrate practical functionalities such as interactive visualization, standardized data access, and multi‑format dissemination.

3. Methodology

The development of the hydro‑environmental atlas followed a structured methodology consisting of several phases.

The first phase involved reviewing existing web‑based environmental data management systems and geoinformation platforms. This review identified best practices in data classification, metadata standardization, and visualization approaches. A very similar approach found is the HydroATLAS for Zambia, a compendium of hydro-environmental sub-basin and river reach characteristics for Zambia (Lehner, 2020).

The second phase focused on conceptual framework development. The atlas follows the general methodological approach of the Zambia atlas, with some adaptations needed due to particular administrative and environmental conditions of Karakalpakstan. Environmental data were organized into thematic hydro‑environmental variables (Figure 1), each subdivided into individual attributes (Table 1). Standardized metadata templates were developed to ensure transparency, consistency, and traceability of data sources and methodologies.

Figure 1. Categories of hydro-environmental variables offered in the Atlas of Karakalpakstan, based on the hydro-ATLAS Zambia

Table 1.

List of atlas categories with the corresponding hydro-environmental variables

Figure 2. Example of attribute assignment through a standardized syntax – consistent abbreviations are used to explain the structure of the attribute table for all GIS files

The third phase involved spatial structuring of data. To facilitate consistent visualization, datasets were aggregated primarily at district level while maintaining flexibility for future adaptation to different spatial and temporal scales. Finally, a web‑based prototype was developed integrating selected thematic layers into a geospatial database. The prototype included interactive visualization tools and multi‑format export capabilities.

4. Results and discussion

A consistent data classification system was developed, enabling structured organization of hydro‑environmental datasets. Standardized metadata templates were established to document data sources, spatial coverage, and methodological characteristics. Several thematic layers were implemented to demonstrate system functionality (Figure 3). These layers illustrate the ability of the atlas to integrate diverse environmental datasets within a unified platform.

Figure 3. The hydro-environmental atlas of Karakalpakstan includes a preliminary list of 14 thematic layers but the system is ready to accommodate additional maps in the future

A key achievement of the prototype is its support for multiple data dissemination formats (Figure 4). Users can access datasets as downloadable geodatabases suitable for research analysis, as structured PDF reports for decision‑making processes, and through interactive web‑based visualization tools like the INOWAS DataHub (Figure 5), a free web-based geoportal for management and sharing of geospatial data (https://www.datahub.inowas.com).

Figure 4. Data can be downloaded either as single GIS archive, as a PDF report or visualized online on the INOWAS DataHub repository

Figure 5. Screenshot with an example of hydro-environmental variable implemented in the web-based DataHub Atlas

The atlas framework also supports collaborative data sharing by enabling stakeholders to publish additional datasets and derivative products within the system.

5. Discussion

The hydro‑environmental atlas addresses several critical challenges related to environmental data management. By consolidating datasets from multiple institutions, the platform significantly reduces data fragmentation and improves accessibility. The system enhances science‑based decision‑making by providing structured, standardized, and easily interpretable environmental information. Visualization tools further improve usability by allowing users to explore spatial patterns and relationships interactively. Another key strength of the atlas is its scalability. The modular system architecture allows for integration of additional datasets, thematic layers, and analytical tools over time. This flexibility ensures long‑term relevance and adaptability. However, certain limitations remain. The current prototype includes only a limited number of thematic layers, and further development will require continued institutional cooperation and data sharing agreements.

6. Conclusions

The Hydro‑Environmental Atlas represents an important step toward improving environmental data accessibility and governance in Karakalpakstan. The project demonstrates the feasibility of integrating diverse datasets into a unified web‑based platform supported by standardized metadata and visualization tools. Future work should focus on expanding thematic coverage, strengthening institutional partnerships, and enhancing system functionalities. With continued development, the atlas has the potential to evolve into a comprehensive regional platform supporting sustainable environmental management and science‑based policymaking.

Acknowledgement

This article is supported by the bi-lateral project “FARM - Promoting sustainable groundwater solutions for rural farming communities in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) and the Uzbek Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (MHESI).

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