The changing Aral Sea

The Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth largest inland lake. Its hydrological balance is strongly determined by inflows from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers which are fed by glacial melt waters from the southwestern Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan and the Tien Shan Mountains that border Kyrgyzstan and China.
The Aral Sea supports agriculture, industry, energy provision and the general wellbeing of the people in this region. However, the sea is under threat. The population in the region is growing and so are the demands for water, food and energy.
Research indicated the Aral Sea would eventually split into two by 2030. This has already happened and the situation is likely to deteriorate further if things do not change.
However, re-engineering along the Syr Darya River delta in the Small Aral Sea has shown the possibilities of deliberate intervention. The fact that it is possible to address some of the environmental degradation problems and improve the water management situation within the region makes this an important issue.