despite the limited amount of data made available thus far a significant number of predictions stress the vulnerability of water resources in central asia an increase in air temperature and a shortterm increase in river flows due to the melting of glaciers is one such likely consequence in the long term river flows arc predicted to decrease and the levels of aridity and evapotranspiration to rise which would increase irrigation requirements for water and increase the risk of scarcity and droughts the willingness of all the riparian countries to cooperate establish an open dialogue and compromise to find a consensus between their positions is necessary for agreement