Explainer: What Happened to the Aral Sea? | Earth.Org (2024)

Once a spectacular water heaven in the very heart of Central Asia, the Aral Sea today stands as a harsh reminder of the devastating impact of the inadequate irrigation policies that led to its disappearance, compounded by the exacerbating effects of climate change on one of the world’s most captivating ecosystems. As waters receded, they left behind salt-encrusted plains, a rather inhospitable environment where little can thrive.

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When we observe the open, sandy, and sparsely vegetated areas, it is difficult to grasp that these were once the depths of a magnificent and vast lake, nestled in the middle of Central Asia. The stark reality is that the Aral Sea, formerly the fourth-largest freshwater lake in the world with an area of 68,000 square kilometres (approx. 26,300 square miles), has transformed into the expanses of the Aralkum Desert that emerged in its place. As the lake dried up, it divided into two distinct bodies of water– the Big South and Small North Aral Seas. Only the latter remains today, with just over 10% of the water currently discernible through satellite imagery.

On the barren shores, where water once lapped against the land, the remaining flora struggles to survive in the harsh, salty environment. Plants like the saxaul shrubs, camelthorn, and other halophytes now dominate the landscape, adapting to the arid conditions left behind by the retreating sea. However, even these hardy plants face challenges as the desertification process accelerates, with saline soils and lack of freshwater threatening their fight for survival.

Background

In the 1960s, the Soviet Union began diverging the Aral Sea’s main inflowing rivers– the Amu Darya originating from the Pamir Mountains and the Syr Darya from the Tien Shan mountain ranges– for irrigation purposes, primarily for cotton farming. This led to catastrophic consequences, including biodiversity loss, the displacement of communities reliant on fishing, and the emergence of health hazards due to the exposure of toxic sediments.

Dust and salt storms, fueled by the exposed seabed, spread across the region, affecting air quality and agricultural productivity. The loss of the sea’s moderating influence altered local climates, leading to temperature extremes and disruptions in weather patterns, such as the intensification of the Siberian high in winter and the weakening of the Central Asian warm low in summer.

Once teeming with diverse aquatic life, including fish species like the Aral trout and endemic sturgeon, the shrinking water levels have devastated these populations, disrupting the entire aquatic food chain. Many species have either become extinct or are on the brink of extinction.

But besides aquatic species, the Aral Sea used to be a crucial stopover point for millions of migratory birds traveling along the Central Asian flyway. These birds, including pelicans, flamingos, and various waterfowl species, relied on the sea’s wetlands as breeding and feeding grounds. However, as the sea shrank, wetland habitats vanished, forcing birds to alter their migration patterns or face severe challenges in finding suitable resting and foraging sites.

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As the Aral Sea ecosystem underwent profound changes, human-wildlife conflicts also emerged.

Diminished fish stocks have led to increased competition between wildlife and local communities for limited resources. Additionally, the loss of wetland habitats has brought certain species, such as wild boars and foxes, into closer proximity to human settlements, resulting in conflicts over crop damage and livestock predation.

Paradoxically, the receding waters of the Aral Sea have also created new habitats. Exposed mudflats and salt pans provide breeding grounds for certain bird species and saiga antelopes, while the shallow, brackish waters that remain support adapted fish populations. These new habitats, however, often lack the complexity and biodiversity of the original wetlands, presenting challenges for the long-term conservation of wildlife in the region.

Climate Change Impact

The lengthening and intensification of summers in the Aral Sea Basin due to climate change exacerbate several environmental challenges, particularly in western Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

First, prolonged heatwaves accelerate evaporation rates, hastening the depletion of already dwindling water resources. This not only fuels the shrinkage of the sea itself but also reduces the availability of freshwater for irrigation, agriculture, and domestic use.

The increased salinity of the remaining water aggravates the challenges faced by plant life, as many species are unable to tolerate such high levels of salt. This leads to further desertification and loss of vegetation cover, accelerating soil erosion and degradation. Ultimately, these changes cascade through the ecosystem.

Furthermore, the shorter, colder winters disrupt natural rhythms and ecological processes, affecting wildlife behavior, migration patterns, and reproductive cycles. This can lead to population declines and loss of biodiversity as species struggle to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Moreover, long warmer falls and shorter winters may also impact agricultural practices, affecting crop yields and food security in the region.

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Initiatives for Restoration and Sustainability

Although the Aral Sea’s disappearance was considered the lost case by many, efforts to address “one of the planet’s worst environmental disasters,” as it was described by the former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, have seen some success today, with projects aimed at restoring water flow and replenishing the sea’s shrinking basin.

However, the challenges remain immense, requiring coordinated action at both local and international levels. Integrated solutions, investment projects, and scientific collaboration are key drivers of sustainable development and regional integration, supported by the harmonization of legal frameworks and establishment of basin authorities with sufficient powers to ensure continuity in water resource management.

The governments of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, where the lake is located, have taken proactive measures to address the environmental crisis caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea, involving multiple stakeholders. The projects entail constructing dams, planting erosion-stopping vegetation such as saxaul shrubs over millions of hectares, establishing water diversion channels, and implementing water-saving technologies in agriculture to alleviate pressure on the sea’s inflowing rivers.

For example, the 13-kilometer Kok-Aral dam has already facilitated a significant revival of fish stocks by increasing water volume in the North Aral, resulting in a nearly quarter expansion of the lake since its completion in 2005. Salinity also decreased, enabling a diverse range of fish species to thrive and leading to profound increases in fishing limits. The restoration also led to the return of rain clouds and potential changes in the region’s microclimate, offering hope to struggling farmers.

The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, comprising Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, collaborates on joint interstate environmental, scientific, and practical initiatives to preserve the Aral Sea, enhance the regional environmental situation, and address shared social and environmental challenges.

Additionally, efforts are being made to promote sustainable land management practices and enhance the resilience of local communities to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Among the latest projects is the collaborative oasis-making initiative between Kazakhstan and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at restoring the environment. Japan’s involvement in aiding Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Aral Sea recovery projects, particularly through funding innovative agricultural techniques and climate-resistant practices, underscores its commitment to environmental cooperation in Central Asia. UN-based programs, such as those for cleaning drinking water and constructing water supply networks in local communities, are also invaluable contributions to the region’s sustainability efforts.As part of the broader Belt and Road Initiative, China is actively participating in the “Green Silk Road” program, which focuses on ecological projects in Central Asia. The nation is deeply involved in addressing the environmental degradation in the Aral Sea region by implementing water-saving and ecological protection measures through collaborative efforts and innovative approaches, which have so far successfully improved the region’s ecological sustainability.

Conclusion

The Aral Sea’s plight, along with other emblematic cases like Lake Chad in Africa or Lake Urmia in Iran, serves as a poignant example of the detrimental effects environmental malpractice and climate change can have on natural ecosystems. Its rapid deterioration shows the pressing need for coordinated efforts to address the root causes of environmental degradation and implement sustainable restoration strategies. The complexities of the challenges faced by the Aral Sea region necessitate transboundary cooperation and engagement from a diverse array of stakeholders.

National strategies in the region prioritize further growth in water use for irrigation and hydropower, necessitating a coordinated regional water policy to balance water resources use and improve the ecological situation. Although strides have been taken, achieving complete recovery poses a formidable challenge, necessitating ongoing commitment and investment in environmental conservation endeavors to protect the Aral Sea.

Featured image: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr

About the Author

Orkhan Huseynli

Orkhan Huseynli is a freelance science and environmental writer. His academic journey has encompassed fields such as Public Administration, Management, and Economics, culminating in a master's degree in Environmental Economics and a Ph.D. specialization in Industrial Management. Transitioning from a career in IT, Orkhan is now dedicated to pursuing his passion for science and popular science writing. Orkhan is keen to contribute his writing skills to the world of articles and essays, covering topics like Climate Change, Biodiversity, Environmental Economics, Ecology, Paleoscience, and Environmental Politics. For him, the prospect of writing for scientific outlets represents a chance to share his knowledge and raise awareness about crucial scientific advancements, fulfilling his aspiration to engage with a broader readership.

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