Kazakhstan is rebuilding the Aral Sea. Over the past 20 years, there has been a marked improvement in hydrological conditions in the northern part of the reservoir. According to official data, the water level there has risen by 42% compared to the lowest recorded level, and salinity has fallen by 75%. As a result, fish species are returning to the reservoir and fishing is reviving. However, the restoration process only concerns the part of the lake located in Kazakhstan.
The Aral Sea – the road to ecological disaster
In the mid-20th century, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world. Fed by the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers flowing from the mountains of Central Asia, it shaped the living conditions in the region for centuries. The situation changed drastically in the 1960s when the Soviet authorities diverted a significant part of the waters of both rivers to irrigate vast cotton plantations. The inflow to the lake decreased rapidly, which initiated the process of its shrinkage. As a result of mismanagement, the reservoir lost about 90% of its original volume and broke up into four separate bodies of water with high salinity. The southern part, located in Uzbekistan, disappeared almost completely, leaving behind the salty Aralkum Desert. The collapse of the fishing industry and the deterioration of the health conditions of the inhabitants became a symbol of one of the greatest environmental disasters of the 20th century.
The Kokaral Dam and regional cooperation
The breakthrough came in 2005 when Kazakhstan completed the construction of the Kokaral Dam, which separated the Northern Aral Sea from the southern part. The structure stopped the outflow of water and enabled a gradual rise in its level in the northern basin. The agreement concluded by the ministers responsible for water management in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, regulating the distribution of river water inflows, was also of significant importance. Over the course of 20 years, the surface area of the northern basin has increased by 36% and its volume has almost doubled. World Bank data indicate that the water level is now half as high as it was during the period of greatest decline. Since 2023, approximately 5 billion cubic metres of water have been directed to the lake, bringing its resources to 24.1 billion cubic metres.
Aral Sea – new water policy and effects
In response to the growing problems of water scarcity in Central Asia, exacerbated by climate change, a ministry responsible for water resources and irrigation was established in Kazakhstan in 2023. New regulations on water use were also adopted, which improved the situation in the Syr Darya basin. Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov reported that water volume growth indicators were achieved faster than originally expected. At the same time, analyses are being carried out on further measures, including raising the Kokaral dam by two metres and constructing hydrotechnical facilities to stabilise the water level in nearby lake systems. Financial support for these studies is provided by the World Bank. The measures are intended to improve water quality, reduce the spread of salt deposits from the exposed bottom and strengthen the local economy.
The return of fish and the restoration of the region’s economy
The results of these efforts are also visible in the natural environment. Twenty species of fish that had previously disappeared have reappeared in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya. There are currently 10 fish processing plants operating in the region, four of which are certified to export to European Union countries. Every year, 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes of fish are exported from the Aral Sea and 160 lakes in the Kyzylorda region to countries including the EU, China and Russia. However, this encouraging improvement only applies to the northern part of the basin. The southern basin in Uzbekistan is on the verge of disappearing, the western part has almost ceased to exist, and the eastern part dried up completely in 2014. Both countries are reforesting the exposed bottom to limit the spread of toxic, salty dust.
The Aral Sea and its future
Despite these undoubtedly beneficial changes, the situation remains fragile. In recent years, the Syr Darya has experienced periods of low water levels, which directly affects the level of the lake. The condition of the glaciers in the Tienshan and Pamir mountains, which feed the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, is of key importance. Their rapid melting as a result of global warming may in the future reduce the inflow to a level insufficient to maintain the restored reservoir.
The Aral Sea – a tragedy for many countries
The tragic history of the Aral Sea is a prime example of the effects of excessive human interference in river systems. Kazakhstan’s current actions indicate that with consistent water policy and regional cooperation, partial regeneration of the degraded water body is possible, but its sustainability depends on climatic factors and further economic decisions throughout the region.
Source: euronews.com, astanatimes.com
Read also:Metamorphosis|Ecology | Kazakhstan|Recommended|whiteMAD on Instagram
The Aral Sea in the mid-19th century and today. Source: Drawing: A. Petermann – “Journal of the Royal Geographical Society”, London 1853 and Google Earth
The reservoir in 1985 and 2026. Source: NASA and Google Earth
