Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan both share the Aral Sea, a body of water that is steadily disappearing. The Aral Sea provides a picture of effects of Soviet eco-engineering. In the 1940’s, the Soviet government took the equivalent of payday loans. The water level of the Aral Sea has been dropping since then.
History of Aral Sea changes
The Soviet government started building canals to divert up to 60 cubic km per year as part of the “Great Prepare for the Transformation of Nature”. The Aral Sea covered 68,000 sq km of land. The goal of this plan was to irrigate desert cropland to grow crops like cereal, melons, cotton, and rice. The preparation was partially successful, as Uzbekistan is now one of the world’s largest cotton exporters.
Shrinkage of the Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was diverted as part of the Soviet Government’s loans for people with bad credit. The Aral Sea started shrinking after twenty years of diversion. . Agriculture diversions started causing significant water drops. The Aral Sea also dropped because of evaporation. In 1986, a Russian attempt to refill the Aral Sea was abandoned. By 2004, the Aral Sea was less than one-quarter its original size.
Ecological and economic impacts of the Aral Sea
The Aral Sea had been an essential hub of fishing and commerce. The fishing industry has since practically disappeared. The salinity of the Aral Sea has also skyrocketed, to the point that the salt has destroyed crops in nearby areas. Because of industrial, chemical, and agricultural pollution that ran to the Aral Sea, the dirt and dust now blows into toxic dust storms. Some theorize that severe climate change within the area can also be blamed on the Aral Sea.
Repairing the levels of the Aral Sea
Many groups are working on restoring at least some of the Aral Sea. Many countries as well as the World Bank and UNESCO have worked to restore the Aral Sea. While the Aral Sea might never return to former glory, but some projects have restored about 98 feet of depth.
Sources:
AP News
Aral Sea Foundation
