Located in Central Asia, the Aral Sea was once the fourth-largest lake in the world. Its sea basin primarily spans across the countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, though the Aral Sea itself lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. For these land-locked nations, the Aral Sea was a crucial source of water, food, and livelihood for thousands of people and home to countless species for centuries.
Today, the Aral Sea is nearly unrecognizable. What once was 1.5 million kilometers of deep blue water, thriving fish populations, and bustling sea vesicles has been replaced by mountains of sand, dust storms, and abandoned fishing gear.
The fishing towns surrounding the Aral Sea were not prepared for this drastic change. Their economies plummeted, having been heavily reliant on the healthy fishing industry provided by the Aral Sea. The high salinity in the water also meant that most crops struggled to grow. Many people were forced to move away for job opportunities, while others began traveling to other bodies of water to find fish.
“The fish factories closed, the ships were stranded in the harbor, and the workers all left,” said Madi Zhasekenov, a local whose town was affected by the Aral Sea’s decline.
This change did not happen overnight.
History
The Aral Sea had been on a dangerous decline for decades due to overuse, mistreatment, and failed projects by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) during its occupation of Uzbekistan starting in the 1920s and until the USSR’s dissolution in 1992. At one point, the sea was transporting up to 48,000 tons of fish a day to the Soviet Union, making up a considerable portion of their fish stock.
In the late 1950s, the USSR began irrigation projects that diverted the Amu Darya and Syr Darva, the two rivers feeding into the Aral Sea. The goal was to use the rivers to plant cotton and other crops.
Though the project succeeded in planting the cotton, it also removed the Aral Sea’s only direct sources of water, resulting in decreased water levels, increased salinity levels, and a reduced shoreline. This disrupted the natural habitat of the area as well as the many people who relied on the Aral Sea for their food supply and income.
“Everyone goes further in search of water,” said Bayniyazova, a resident of the area. “Without water, there’s no life.”
Recovery Efforts
By the late 2000s, it had split into the Northern Aral Sea and the Southern Aral Sea, located in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, respectively.
In the early 2000s, Kazakhstan collaborated with the World Bank in an effort to revive the Aral Sea through the construction of the Kokaral dam and the development of existing dams with the goal of improving the flow of water into the Aral Sea.
NASA’s Earth Observatory tracked the Aral Sea between 2000 and 2018, showing its gradual decrease in size. While the sea looked nearly drained in some years, others showed small glimpses of recovery.
Though there were signs of hope by 2018, when water levels rose significantly, these improvements did not last long. Climate change has proven to be a considerable challenge to these efforts and continues to hinder recovery.
Still, the success of the dams made it possible to revive some of the fishing business in Kazakhstan, once again providing locals with jobs and a food source. The part of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan has yet to see the same success.
The Aral Sea Now
Without water, towns now face powerful dust storms that have released chemicals into the air, affecting the health of residents in the affected areas.
The lack of work opportunities and potential health hazards have pushed many people out of their homes; others have stayed behind and tried to adapt to the new reality of the Aral Sea. For some, the Aral Sea’s drastic change was an opportunity for new business and growth.
Though not as busy as it once was, some of the towns and villages that once relied on the Aral Sea continue to house small communities. New stores and cafes have popped up in Aralsk, Kazakhstan, which once bordered the sea, and capsized or abandoned boats and ships now act as tourist destinations and playgrounds for children.
While the Aral Sea may have a long way to go in terms of recovery, signs of life continue to shine through in both the sea and the communities built around it.
