Effective water resource management is essential for sustainable regional development and maintaining quality of life in the environmentally sensitive Issyk-Kul Lake Basin. The main objective of the study is to examine existing water resource management issues, including transboundary distribution, as well as the impact of water usage on the water level in Lake Issyk-Kul. The study employed a secondary-data research design combining quantitative analysis of long-term hydrological and water-consumption records with qualitative analysis of water-management policies and institutional conditions based on long-term data (1980-2024), documentary analysis of water management reports, and seasonal comparisons of water consumption and precipitation patterns in the Issyk-Kul Lake Basin. The results show a substantial long-term reduction in irrigation and domestic water consumption, although agriculture remains the dominant water-consuming sector in the Issyk-Kul Lake Basin. It was also found that agriculture remains the largest consumer of water, especially between April and August, when increased rainfall is observed. However, the lack of synchronisation between natural water cycles and water consumption practices leads to negative effects on the water level of Issyk-Kul Lake. The analysis reveals that anthropogenic pressures, particularly agricultural expansion, outdated irrigation practices, and seasonal mismatches between water demand and availability, continue to exert significant stress on the lake’s hydrological balance and coastal ecosystems. These findings indicate that existing water management practices are insufficient to ensure long-term ecological stability and sustainable regional development, highlighting the need for adaptive and integrated water resource management approaches. The practical value of this research lies in the development of specific recommendations for optimising the use of water resources, including the strategy for using rainwater during periods of maximum precipitation.
