Aral Sea

Page 1

Background:

Lied between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

4th largest lake in the world

By 2007 it had declined to 10% of its original size. By 2009 the south-eastern lake had disappeared and the south-western lake had retreated to a thin strip

From 1960 to 1998 the surface area dropped by 60% and volume by 80%

Reasons for Insecurity:

Soviet Government diverted rivers that fed Aral sea to irrigate the desert in order to grow rice, melons, cereals and cotton

Dam building

Poor water management

Global warming - temperature rise means more evaporation - sea shrinks - less to evaporate so clouds don't form meaning less rain to top up sea

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Impacts of Scarcity:

Life expectancy drops from 65 to 61

3000% increase in bronchitis due to salt particles

Increase in poverty

Dried up land blown south causing disease

Number of species of fish dropped 32 to 6

65% of Uzbekistans GDP comes from cotton

Loss of income

Benefit to Russia and local farmers because of cash crops

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Solutions to Water Insecurity:

Making sure water from main river is evenly split between sea and agricultural

Controlled weir allows more water to flow into sea. 13km long dam allows it to connect and build up

Fish hatchery to breed species

Aim to release 150,000 juvenile fish in Autumn

Killing southern Aral sea to get life into northern Aral sea

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Impacts of Solution:

More jobs - reduce poverty - multiplier effect

Fish are returning

Issues with overfishing

Increase in biodiversity

Southern Aral sea will eventually dry up

More jobs - more industry

Decline in soviet union - can get aid and funding from world bank

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Key Players:

Soviet Government - diverted rivers that feed Aral Sea to grow crops

Local farmers - irrigation - very little impact, need water to live

Industrial farmers - increasing irrigation

World Bank - funding

Fisherman - overfishing