Case Study: The Aral Sea

Case Study: The Aral Sea

• The Aral Sea was once the 5th largest lake on Earth.

• It was fed by two rivers that flowed down from the Himalayas

• It sustained a vibrant fishing industry.

Soviet Union Cotton Fields • Starting in the 1940’s, the Soviet Union decided that it

needed to grow enough cotton for “self-sufficiency”.

• Cotton requires hot temperatures and lots of water. So, they diverted two rivers that fed the Aral Sea to irrigate cotton fields.

Aral Sea Starts to Shrink

• In this arid environment, the Aral Sea began to quickly evaporate without the rivers feeding it.

This Created an Ecological Disaster On A Horrific Scale

• The fishing villages were left stranded miles from shore, along with their boats.

A Desperate Attempt

• They tried to dig a canal to allow the fishing boats to make it to a deeper section of the lake, but they didn’t make it in time.

An Ecological Disaster • Cotton requires a lot of pesticides. DDT and other chemicals

were sprayed heavily and it then flowed into the Aral Sea.

• Today, DDT laden dust blows out of the old lake bed and into the communities. Birth defects, cancer, and other diseases are very common.

Aral Sea Decline in Just 10 Years

Aral Sea Dust Storm

Climate Effects

• The Aral Sea once offered moderating effects by absorbing sunlight in summer to cool the desert and releasing heat in winter to warm the cold winters.

• Today, it’s loss impacts the ability to even grow cotton in the region with a shorter growing season.

Can the Aral Sea Be Saved?

• With the Soviet Union gone, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were left to deal with the mess.

• Uzbekistan decided to diverted the Amu Darya River completely, preventing any water from flowing into the southern part of the lake.

Potential International Conflict

• With Uzbekistan deciding to divert the river completely and letting the lake dry up, Kazakhstan was left with most to lose, as prevailing winds blow the dust northward.

• Kazakhstan became very angry with its neighbor, but decided to act on the part they could control.

Kazakhstan Takes Action • Kazakhstan instead increased the amount of

river water feeding the lake (diverting less)

• Kazakhstan made a decision to save the northern part of the lake by building a 7-mile dam across a narrow strip of land.

North Aral Sea

• The North Aral Sea has now grown by 30% since the dam was built in 2003

• Fish are coming back and they hope to revive the fishing industry.

• Dust storms are milder and winter warmer in the vicinity of the northern lake.

It’ll Never Be The Same

• But, at least some small portion (about 10%) of the Aral Sea will be saved.