Eco-Global Water Supply Project
An underground mainline carrying water to Mongolia's Southern Gobi — and generating renewable electricity along the way.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia · 10 August 2026
Figures as stated in the project brief. All parameters are indicative and subject to feasibility study.
The Challenge
Mongolia's Southern Gobi is among the driest parts of the country. The mining, industrial and agricultural activity taking shape there depends largely on groundwater — a finite resource in an arid basin, drawn from aquifers that recharge slowly, if at all.
At the same time, desertification and rising water stress are reshaping the landscape and the livelihoods that depend on it. Surface storage in this climate loses water to evaporation in summer and to ice in winter.
The question is not whether the Gobi will develop. It is whether that development can be supplied with water without drawing down the aquifers beneath it.
The aquifers recharge slowly, if at all.
The Project
The Eco-Global Water Supply Project proposes an underground mainline carrying water from domestic sources to Mongolia's Southern Gobi region, developed as a public-private partnership.
One of its principal components — Hydropower Generation within the Underground Mainline — treats the line as more than a pipe. At four points along the route, natural elevation differences are used to drive turbines, so the same infrastructure that delivers water also produces renewable electricity.
01
A buried water-transmission line running approximately three metres below the surface, from a domestic source to consumers across the Gobi region. Burial is intended to minimise surface disturbance and reduce exposure to extreme weather.
02
Turbines at four locations use the flow, hydraulic head and natural elevation differences already present on the route. No large artificial reservoirs or conventional dams are proposed.
Objective
To establish a sustainable and reliable water supply and energy infrastructure for the Southern Gobi — supporting new economic activity while reducing pressure on groundwater and contributing to the long-term protection of the Gobi ecosystem.
Film
The project team's own presentation: Turn Water Into Resilience, Combat Desertification.
The Route
The mainline runs south from its source and divides into a western and a south-eastern branch. At four points, natural elevation differences make generation possible. Select a site to see its available head.
Combined available head
247m
across 4 generation sites, from 27 m at Gantsmod to 90 m at Khermen Tsav.
Select a site on the map
Sites are shown in order of available head, as listed in the project brief. This is not a longitudinal profile of the mainline.
| Site | Available head | Province | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 m | Ömnögovi | Canyon system in the far south-west Gobi | |
| 70 m | Dundgovi | Sedimentary cliff formation, 'the white stupa' | |
| 60 m | Ömnögovi | The Flaming Cliffs | |
| 27 m | Ömnögovi | Southern border crossing and mining corridor |
Schematic representation. The alignment shown is indicative and the source location is subject to hydrological survey; it is not a surveyed route.
Ninety metres of fall, already there.
Features
The project is designed to draw on water resources located within Mongolian territory. Source arrangements would be developed in accordance with national legislation and applicable environmental and water-management requirements, and designed to avoid impacts associated with the diversion of transboundary waters.
The line is planned to run roughly three metres below the surface, minimising surface disturbance and impacts on existing land use and ecosystems. Environmental and social impacts would be assessed under Mongolian law and relevant international standards as the project moves through feasibility, design, permitting and implementation.
The system is intended to deliver a stable supply through all four seasons. Burial may also reduce exposure to extreme weather and limit the evaporation and freezing losses associated with surface storage — advantages to be confirmed through detailed engineering study.
Generation relies on natural elevation differences and flow within the mainline rather than large reservoirs or conventional dams. This has the potential to reduce the scale of civil works and the associated capital requirement, subject to technical and economic assessment.
The generation facilities are designed to operate as part of the water-transmission system rather than alongside it: water is conveyed continuously through the line and electricity is produced along the route. The feasibility of a fully recirculating configuration is to be confirmed through detailed hydraulic study.
Reliable water and energy could create the conditions for broader activity in the Gobi — responsible mining and mineral processing, agriculture and livestock, industry, local business and services, new employment, and improved living conditions for communities.
A dependable supply opens the door to water harvesting, landscape restoration, vegetation development and other measures aimed at reducing the impacts of desertification. Proposals involving artificial waterfalls or atmospheric humidification would be subject to scientific, environmental and technical assessment before implementation.
A water-supply backbone lets industry, agriculture and services develop in phases. The long-term objective is an integrated infrastructure platform that supports sustainable development while strengthening the region's resilience to water scarcity and desertification.
Climate Resilience
The project is intended to contribute to the broader objectives of water security, climate resilience, land restoration and combating desertification in Mongolia's arid and semi-arid regions.
By improving access to reliable water and integrating water with renewable-energy infrastructure, it could support adaptation to increasing water stress and help create the conditions for sustainable development in vulnerable areas.
Water first. Everything else follows.
Impact
By establishing a water-supply backbone for the Gobi region, the project could support the phased development of water-dependent activity across several sectors.
Mineral extraction and processing supplied without further drawdown of local aquifers.
Irrigated production and watering points for herding communities.
Processing and manufacturing that today cannot be sited for lack of water.
Local enterprise supported by predictable basic infrastructure.
Construction, operation and the activity that follows the supply.
Improved living conditions where water is currently trucked or rationed.
Team
Initiator
TUVSHINBAT Jaltsan
Project Initiator
Advisors
Batjargal Zambia
Former President of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification; State Award Recipient; Honored Environmental Worker
Byambajav Erdene
Distinguished Economist; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; Professor
Enkhjav Ayurzana
Executive Director, Veterans Committee of the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs
Supporting organisations