Article​​​​​​​ 131. Establishing coastal areas of channels, irrigation, and collector-drainage networks

Only coastal strips shall be designated along water management facilities whose waters are used for irrigation and technical needs, including canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks, for the purposes of their operation, reconstruction, repair and restoration, as well as the rational management and accounting of water resources and the implementation of other related measures.

The conduct of economic activities and the construction of any type of buildings and structures within such coastal strips shall be prohibited, except for the construction of water management facilities.

The establishment of coastal strips shall provide for the following:

protection of the waters of canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks from pollution by surface water flows, silting of their channels, erosion and collapse of banks and slopes, and other actions adversely affecting the condition of the waters;

ensuring the operation, reconstruction, repair and restoration of canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks, the rational management and accounting of water resources, the placement of soil removed during channel cleaning, as well as the establishment of protective forest belts in areas subject to wind erosion.

Where canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks pass through the territories of cities, district centers and rural settlements, the soil generated during their reconstruction, repair and restoration shall be removed from such territories by machinery, and no additional land plots shall be allocated for the placement of soil mounds within the coastal strip.

The inner boundary of the coastal strip of canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks shall be determined from the normal water level line. The outer boundary shall coincide with the boundary of the land allocated for such facilities, taking into account the provision of an access road for the movement of motor vehicles, machinery and equipment required for the operation, reconstruction, repair and restoration of canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks, the rational management and accounting of water resources, the placement of soil removed during channel cleaning, as well as the establishment of protective forest belts against wind erosion of soils.

The width of the coastal strip and the land plots allocated for canals, irrigation and collector-drainage networks, as well as other water management facilities, shall be determined on the basis of their standard cross-sections and the projects for their construction, reconstruction, repair and restoration, in accordance with the applicable rules on land allocation, taking into account the actual conditions identified during on-site inspections.