Fergana.ru reports that the Syr Darya is at record low levels, to the point where the fish population has been decimated due to inability to reach spawning grounds.
What effect could this have on the Aral Sea? The Fergana.ru story closes with the comment:
Ecologists say such low river level is unprecedented and environmental repercussions of it are yet to be seen.
The state of Aral, last I heard, was that the Amu Darya [which flows into the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan] rarely reaches the shores of the “Big” Aral sea, and that the building of the dam to create and sustain the “Little” Aral Sea in Kazakhstan was made possible by the continued contribution of waters from the Syr Darya [which flows into the Aral through Kazakhstan]. The drought/dry winter seems to have effected the rivers, which it seems to me will accelerate the shrinking of the “Big” Aral, and possibly retard the re-growth of the “Little” Aral. Any thoughts?
This post was written by...
Michael Hancock-Parmer – author of 153 posts on Registan.net.
Michael earned an MA in Central Eurasian Studies in 2011 and remains a student at Indiana University pursuing a dual PhD in Russian History and Central Eurasian Studies. He served 6 months in the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan in 2005. After the events in Andijan and the subsequent closure of the program, he served 2 years in southern Kazakhstan, returning to the Midwest in 2007. His general area of interest is on post-Timur Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, centered on the Syr Darya river valley.
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These things are hard to comment Michael, unless you have hard data on the water ballance. From what I have heard this year there is water shortage in Ili and Balkhash as well.