The Shrinking Sea

February 9 2007

The Aral Sea, located between the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the world’s forth-largest lake. The Soviet government diverted the two main rivers that feed the sea in order to irrigate desert land and grow cotton. As a result, the sea’s surface area has shrunk by approximately 60%, and its volume by 80%. This change has greatly effected the ecology of the surrounding area. The shrinking Aral Sea has even been blamed for recent orange colored snowfall in Siberia.Here are some interesting photos and satellite views of the Aral Sea.

The Shrinking Aral Sea

Satellite image from space in

1964

1973

1987

2000

ARAL SEA

2006

Ecosystem Dynamics• The large-scale

development of water resources, mostly for irrigation, has changed the hydrological cycle in the region and caused serious environmental problems in the Aral Sea Basin. The most dramatic effect has been the shrinking of the Aral Sea and disruption of its ecosystem..

Results of Shrinking Aral• loss of biological productivity, especially of fish

species in the sea, due to increasing salinity and toxic contamination

• degradation of river deltas• deforestation• transfer of dust and salts from the dried-out

seabed• lowering of groundwater levels• desertification of the Aral Sea shores