North Aral Sea
Encyclopedia
The North Aral Sea is the portion of the former Aral Sea
that is fed by the Syr Darya
River. It split from the South Aral Sea
in 1986 as water levels dropped due to river diversion for agriculture. The poorly built Dike Kokaral
intended to contain the North Aral Sea and save its fisheries failed twice, but in 2005 the government of Kazakhstan
was able to fund a more robust design. Since then, water levels have risen faster than expected and fish stocks have increased. Plans to build a second dike to increase water levels further are due to begin in 2010.
began shrinking in the 1960s, when the Soviet Union
decided that the two rivers feeding it, the Amu Darya
and the Syr Darya
, would be diverted to irrigate
cotton
and food crops in Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan
. In 1986, due to an accelerated loss of water, the Aral Sea was split into northern and southern parts; the southern part is the current South Aral Sea
.
, the government of independent Kazakhstan
decided to restore the northern lake fed by Syr Darya
. In 2003, the lake was 30 m (98 ft) in depth and 2550 square kilometre in area (JAXA source: 3200 square kilometre); by 2008 it had reached 42 m (138 ft) in depth and 3300 square kilometre in area (JAXA source: 3600 square kilometre).
Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was a lake that lay between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south...
that is fed by the Syr Darya
Syr Darya
The Syr Darya , also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo, is a river in Central Asia, sometimes known as the Jaxartes or Yaxartes from its Ancient Greek name . The Greek name is derived from Old Persian, Yakhsha Arta , a reference to the color of the river's water...
River. It split from the South Aral Sea
South Aral Sea
The South Aral Sea is a lake in the basin of the former Aral Sea which formed in 1986 when that body divided in two, due to diversion of river inflow for agriculture...
in 1986 as water levels dropped due to river diversion for agriculture. The poorly built Dike Kokaral
Dike Kokaral
Dike Kokaral is a levee across a narrow stretch of the Aral Sea, splitting off the North Aral Sea from the much larger South Aral Sea . Work was completed in August 2005....
intended to contain the North Aral Sea and save its fisheries failed twice, but in 2005 the government of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
was able to fund a more robust design. Since then, water levels have risen faster than expected and fish stocks have increased. Plans to build a second dike to increase water levels further are due to begin in 2010.
Background
The Aral SeaAral Sea
The Aral Sea was a lake that lay between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south...
began shrinking in the 1960s, when the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
decided that the two rivers feeding it, the Amu Darya
Amu Darya
The Amu Darya , also called Oxus and Amu River, is a major river in Central Asia. It is formed by the junction of the Vakhsh and Panj rivers...
and the Syr Darya
Syr Darya
The Syr Darya , also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo, is a river in Central Asia, sometimes known as the Jaxartes or Yaxartes from its Ancient Greek name . The Greek name is derived from Old Persian, Yakhsha Arta , a reference to the color of the river's water...
, would be diverted to irrigate
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
and food crops in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
. In 1986, due to an accelerated loss of water, the Aral Sea was split into northern and southern parts; the southern part is the current South Aral Sea
South Aral Sea
The South Aral Sea is a lake in the basin of the former Aral Sea which formed in 1986 when that body divided in two, due to diversion of river inflow for agriculture...
.
Salinity
There is now an ongoing effort in Kazakhstan to save and replenish the North Aral Sea. As part of this effort, a dam project was completed in 2005; in 2008, the water level in this lake had risen by 22 m (72 ft) from its level in 2007. Salinity has dropped, and fish are again found in sufficient numbers for some fishing to be viable.Current situation
After the fall of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the government of independent Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
decided to restore the northern lake fed by Syr Darya
Syr Darya
The Syr Darya , also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo, is a river in Central Asia, sometimes known as the Jaxartes or Yaxartes from its Ancient Greek name . The Greek name is derived from Old Persian, Yakhsha Arta , a reference to the color of the river's water...
. In 2003, the lake was 30 m (98 ft) in depth and 2550 square kilometre in area (JAXA source: 3200 square kilometre); by 2008 it had reached 42 m (138 ft) in depth and 3300 square kilometre in area (JAXA source: 3600 square kilometre).