The Aral Sea Crisis: Desiccation and Perspectives on Recovery

Desiccation of the Aral Sea is one of the world's most serious ecosystem catastrophes. The cause of the Sea's degradation is massive, consumptive withdrawals of water from the Amu and Syr Daryas. Irrigation accounts for 94 percent of all consumptive uses and is situated over 8.5 million hectares of land across the Aral basin. At current rates of water use, the Aral will progressively decline in size. By the year 2000, little more than a shallow brine pool will be all that remains of this former fourth largest lake in the world. The negative impacts of desiccation range from regional climate change to socioeconomic and health problems. Restoration of the Aral Sea basin is imperative if humans wish to live and function as they once did in a pre-degraded environment a mere 30 years ago. Interbasin transfers and water management practices are not successful methods for ameliorating the problems of desiccation. Generally, restoration has not been successful in the region. A number of institutional and philosophical barriers which resist restoration are discussed. Perhaps the reshaping of these barriers will lead to the long term development of alternative restoration practices.