Article: Reclaiming the Aral Sea
Author: Philip Micklin and Nikolay V. Aladin
In the 1960s, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world. Since then, a lot has changed. Located in Central Asia, the Aral Sea gets most of its water from the Amu and Syr Rivers. Over the years, the Amu drifted away, causing the sea to shrink, but eventually it shifted back. Since there was a large abundance of water, it was used for irrigation for crops and plants, which reduced flow into the deltas and the sea. Following this, the sea level dropped so much that the sea was separated into 2 bodies: the Large Aral (South), and the Small Aral (North). In addition, the volume dropped from 708 to 75 cubic kilometers, and salinity rose from 14 to over 100 grams per liter. Desiccation of the Aral Sea had many severe consequences; river flows were reduced, ending floods that sustained wetlands; fish species declined because of rising salinity; there was a loss of commercial fisheries, resulting in increased unemployment. Groundwater levels dropped, intensifying desertification; the local climate was changed, and only half of the native species could be found. The Soviet Union hide the sea's devastating demise from everyone until 1985. Everyone thought the Aral Sea was gone forever. But it wasn't. Over time, it started returning back to its state in the 1960s, which was incredible and unbelievable.
I can't believe that us humans have called all of this devastation. We have so much power and we don't realize how big of an impact we can have on something, good or bad. We have so much potential to make a difference in the world if we work together. It would've been better if the Soviet Union didn't hide the Aral's Sea demise for so long; then we could've done something about it earlier and its condition could be better than what it is right now. The government needs to stop holding back information so we could be informed about problems and do something about it. If people don't know there's a problem, they won't do anything to fix the problem. In addition, to improve the current condition of the Aral Sea, we should switch out water-intensive crops for less intensive one, like cotton for winter wheat. Improving irrigation canals that cut through sand and allow large amounts of water to seep away would also help to reduce how much water is wasted. Last of all, we need to educate people about what's going on in the Aral Sea. Education is the solution to all of our problems, and it is the key to a better future.
Author: Philip Micklin and Nikolay V. Aladin
- The Aral Sea is located in Central Asia and was the fourth largest lake in the world in 1960
- The Aral Sea gets almost all of its water from the Amu and Syr Rivers; over the years the Amu drifted away, causing the Aral Sea to shrink, but it rebounded as the Amu shifted back
- Irrigation for crops and plants cuts flow into deltas and the sea
- The Soviet Union hid the sea's demise for decades until 1985; the sea level dropped so much the sea was separated into 2 bodies: the Large Aral (south) and the Small Aral (north)
- Volume dropped from 708 to 75 cubic kilometers, and salinity rose from 14 to 100+ grams per liter
- 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union divided the lake between newly formed Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
- Consequences of the desiccation of the Aral Sea: reduced river flows ended spring floods that sustained wetlands with freshwater and enriched sediment, drop in fish species because of rising salinity and loss of spawning/feeding grounds, loss of commercial fisheries=loss of jobs
- Groundwater levels dropped, intensifying desertification; only half of native mammal and bird species could be found; climate changed (hotter summers, colder winters, lower humidity, less rainfall, shorter growing season, and droughts are more common)
- "Receding sea has exposed and dried 54,000 square kilometers of seabed, which is choked with salt and in some places laced with pesticides and other agricultural chemicals deposited by runoff from area farming"
- Local population suffers from respiratory illnesses, throat and esophageal cancer, and digestive disorders caused by breathing and ingesting salt-laden air and water., liver and kidney ailments, and eye problems
- Only way for sea to return to original state is to reduce irrigation; switch out water-intensive crops for less water-intensive crops (cotton for winter wheat)
- Improve irrigation canals that cut through sand and allow large amounts of water to seep away
- Large Aral continues to shrink
- Only a long, narrow channel connects the shallow eastern basin and the deeper western basin, and this could close
- If countries along the Amu don't do anything, salinity would exceed 100 g/l, possibly reach up to 200 g/l; with the only creatures living there brine shrimp and bacteria
- Large-scale engineering and improved irrigation could improve Amu's basin
In the 1960s, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world. Since then, a lot has changed. Located in Central Asia, the Aral Sea gets most of its water from the Amu and Syr Rivers. Over the years, the Amu drifted away, causing the sea to shrink, but eventually it shifted back. Since there was a large abundance of water, it was used for irrigation for crops and plants, which reduced flow into the deltas and the sea. Following this, the sea level dropped so much that the sea was separated into 2 bodies: the Large Aral (South), and the Small Aral (North). In addition, the volume dropped from 708 to 75 cubic kilometers, and salinity rose from 14 to over 100 grams per liter. Desiccation of the Aral Sea had many severe consequences; river flows were reduced, ending floods that sustained wetlands; fish species declined because of rising salinity; there was a loss of commercial fisheries, resulting in increased unemployment. Groundwater levels dropped, intensifying desertification; the local climate was changed, and only half of the native species could be found. The Soviet Union hide the sea's devastating demise from everyone until 1985. Everyone thought the Aral Sea was gone forever. But it wasn't. Over time, it started returning back to its state in the 1960s, which was incredible and unbelievable.
I can't believe that us humans have called all of this devastation. We have so much power and we don't realize how big of an impact we can have on something, good or bad. We have so much potential to make a difference in the world if we work together. It would've been better if the Soviet Union didn't hide the Aral's Sea demise for so long; then we could've done something about it earlier and its condition could be better than what it is right now. The government needs to stop holding back information so we could be informed about problems and do something about it. If people don't know there's a problem, they won't do anything to fix the problem. In addition, to improve the current condition of the Aral Sea, we should switch out water-intensive crops for less intensive one, like cotton for winter wheat. Improving irrigation canals that cut through sand and allow large amounts of water to seep away would also help to reduce how much water is wasted. Last of all, we need to educate people about what's going on in the Aral Sea. Education is the solution to all of our problems, and it is the key to a better future.