Aral Sea

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Water Basin Profile: Physical and Hydrological Characteristics

The Aral Sea basin, located in Central Asia, has undergone many changes in the recent past. The Aral Sea, the world's fourth largest lake before 1960, has been progressively drying up. With the end of the Soviet era, the international community has become aware of this problem and focused on what is considered one of the major anthropogenic environmental degradations in the world.

Water Availability in the Aral Sea Basin (Source: ENVSEC)

Higher Temperatures, More Rainfall, Increased Flood Risk

The Aral Sea basin contains over 14,752 glaciers with a total area of some 1,043 km². The ones located in Uzbekistan account for 1.1% of the total glaciated area in Central Asia. Recent assessments indicate that the country’s glaciers and ice reserves are receding. Since 1957 the glaciers have shrunk by almost 20%, losing 104 billion m³ of water. A fluctuation in water resources ranging from -7% to +3% is forecast for the near future, which falls within the range of normal variability. An expected rise in ambient temperatures is likely to be accompanied by higher rainfall, potentially causing a 30% to 35% increase in floods by 2030. Another negative impact of increasing temperatures will be higher evaporation rates and a likely rise in agricultural water consumption of up to 10%.

Water Basin Profile: Socio-Economic and Environmental Issues

Water Basin Profile: Transboundary Political and Institutional Setting

Water Basin Profile: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities for the Future

Aral Sea - Jun 2009 (Source: Modis Rapid Response System, downloaded May 29, 2009; courtesy by Prof. Philip Micklin)

A recent MODIS natural color image (May 28, 2009) of Aral Sea shows The Eastern Basin of the Large Sea - now a separate lake only connected to the Western Basin by a long, narrow channel - drying up very rapidly.

The estimate (June 2009) is that it will likely almost entirely dry up by October of this year (2009), as average depth now is less than one meter and no water is reaching it from either Amu Darya or Syr Darya Rivers (by overflow of the North Aral Sea regulating dam).

Articles

Recently updated articles on Aral Sea

1. Aral Sea/projects ‎(228 views) . . WikiBot
2. Aral Sea/publications ‎(201 views) . . WikiBot
3. Aral Sea/who is who ‎(218 views) . . WikiBot
4. Aral Sea/Maps ‎(74 views) . . WikiBot
5. Aral Sea/articles ‎(209 views) . . WikiBot
6. UNESCO Aral Sea Basin Initiative (2003) ‎(5,673 views) . . WikiBot
7. Image:Water Availability AralSeaBasin ENVSEC.jpg ‎(71 views) . . Juerg.staudenmann

See the complete list of WaterWiki articles on Aral Sea

Projects and Case Studies

Projects in or about Aral Sea

(this is a list of the 15 most recently updated entries. To see all projects click here)

1. Central Asia – Regional and National Water Sector Review ‎(1,497 views) . . Juerg.staudenmann
2. The Swiss Support to Hydro-meteorological Services in the Aral Sea basin Project ‎(385 views) . . WikiBot
3. Regional Research Network Water in Central Asia (CAWa) ‎(392 views) . . WikiBot
4. Capacity Building of Water Users for Sustainable Development in the Aral Sea Basin ‎(1,910 views) . . WikiBot
5. Aral Sea Basin Capacity Development Project ‎(2,039 views) . . WikiBot
6. Syr Darya Control and Northern Aral Sea Project - Phase II ‎(581 views) . . WikiBot
7. Syr Darya Control and Northern Aral Sea Project - Phase I ‎(426 views) . . WikiBot

Case studies in or about Aral Sea

(by popularity)

1. Facing Water Challenges in the Aral Sea, Uzbekistan:A WWDR3 Case Study ‎(2,637 views) . . WikiBot
2. Water Conflict and Cooperation/Aral Sea Basin ‎(2,555 views) . . Katy.norman
3. Lessons on Cooperation Building to Manage Water Conflicts in the Aral Sea Basin ‎(790 views) . . Katy.norman

See the complete list of WaterWiki documented projects in Aral Sea

Publications

5 most recently updated publications on Aral Sea

1. Original:ST. PETERSBURG STATEMENT ON THE ARAL SEA ‎(156 views) . . Juerg.staudenmann
2. Suitable Water Saving Strategies for Bozkol Village in the Aral Sea Basin of Kazakhstan ‎(1,501 views) . . WikiBot
3. St. Petersburg Statement on the Aral Sea ‎(107 views) . . WikiBot
4. Aral Sea Basin Water Projects ‎(1,409 views) . . WikiBot
5. Irrigation and Poverty in Central Asia: A Field Assessment ‎(424 views) . . WikiBot

5 most popular publications on Aral Sea

1. Water Conflict and Cooperation/Aral Sea Basin ‎(2,555 views) . . Katy.norman
2. Suitable Water Saving Strategies for Bozkol Village in the Aral Sea Basin of Kazakhstan ‎(1,501 views) . . WikiBot
3. Aral Sea Basin Water Projects ‎(1,409 views) . . WikiBot
4. Lessons on Cooperation Building to Manage Water Conflicts in the Aral Sea Basin ‎(790 views) . . Katy.norman
5. International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea Action Report (2002-2008) ‎(463 views) . . WikiBot

See the complete list of WaterWiki documented publications on Aral Sea

Who is Who

People working in Aral Sea

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See the complete list of Waterwiki users working in Aral Sea

Organizations working in Aral Sea

1. SIC ICWC ‎(164 views) . . Juerg.staudenmann
2. IFAS ‎(2,365 views) . . Juerg.staudenmann

See the complete list of WaterWiki documented organizations in Aral Sea

References

See also

Original:ST._PETERSBURG_STATEMENT_ON_THE_ARAL_SEA

External Resources

FAO-Aquastat - provides an overview about the Aral Sea basin, the causes of the drying up of the lake, the present trends and the solutions being studied by the governments of the countries of the region is presented.

Video documentation of the Aral Sea

Attachments