Aral Sea

From AquaPedia Case Study Database
Jump to: navigation, search
article content disputed!
This page has been flagged as not being up to date. This means that significant developments or other important facts have occurred for this topic and are not addressed here. Check the discussion page to see comments about the current issues with this entry. Consider improving it.
needs references
This page could use the addition of additional references and citations. Consider improving it. Check the discussion page to see comments about the work requested.
sections need more detail
This page contains 1 or more sections that lack detail and need improvement! Please consider adding to it. Check the discussion page to see comments about the work requested.

Aral Sea Facts

Basin Area: 1231400 1,231,400 km²
475,320.4 mi²
km2
Type:watershed or basin, lake

Includes Riparians: Kazakhstan; Republic of Uzbekistan; Tajikistan; Kyrgyzstan; Afghanistan; Turkmenistan; China; Pakistan;
Facts about included riparians are at the end of the article. Fact References[1]

All Facts about Aral Sea



The Aral Sea was, until comparatively recently, the fourth largest inland body of water in the world. Its basin covers 1.8 million km 2 , primarily in what used to be the Soviet Union, and what is now the independent republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The environmental problems of the Aral Sea basin are among the worst in the world. Water diversions, agricultural practices, and industrial waste have resulted in a disappearing sea, salinization, and organic and inorganic pollution. The problems of the Aral, which previously had been an internal issue of the Soviet Union, became international problems in 1991. The five new major riparians- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-have been struggling since that time to help stabilize, and eventually to rehabilitate, the watershed.[2]

By 1990, the sea had split into two distinct bodies, the Large Aral in the south and the Small Aral to the North [3] Restoration efforts in the Small Aral have increased water quantity and quality and improved fish stocks. However, the Small Aral does not resemble the Aral Sea of decades past. [3]



Case Studies linked to Aral Sea[edit]


Articles linked to Aral Sea[edit]

Riparians Water Features

Located in this basin- Tajikistan
Located in this basin- Kazakhstan
Located in this basin- Pakistan
Located in this basin- Turkmenistan
Located in this basin- Kyrgyzstan
Located in this basin- Republic of Uzbekistan
Located in this basin- China
Located in this basin- Afghanistan





Projects and Initiatives Agreements and Treaties






External Links

  1. ^ Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database accessed online: http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/publications/register/tables/IRB_asia.html and Query: http://ocid.nacse.org/tfdd/map/result.php?bcode=ARAL on February 25 2013
  2. ^ Product of the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database, Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University. Additional information about the TFDD can be found at: http://www.transboundarywaters.orst.edu/research/case_studies/Aral_Sea_New.htm
  3. ^ 3.0 3.1 See Philip Micklin and Nikolay V. Aladin. Reclaiming the Aral Sea. Scientific American. April 2008. online:http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=reclaiming-the-aral-sea


Facts about Included Riparians

RiparianPopulation in BasinArea within Basin in sq. kmIrrigated Lands within Basin in sq kmAverage Discharge in cubic m per second
Tajikistan7.094 million7,094,000 people135,700 km²52,394.063 mi²36,700 km²14,169.949 mi²31,688.69 m³/s1,119,075.536 cfs
1,000 km³/y
Kazakhstan2.621 million2,621,000 people424,400 km²163,861.756 mi²102,100 km²39,421.03 mi²31,688.69 m³/s1,119,075.536 cfs
1,000 km³/y
Pakistan5.4e-4 million540 people200 km²77.22 mi²0 km²0 mi²0 m³/s0 cfs
0 km³/y
Turkmenistan1.272 million1,272,000 people70,000 km²27,027.151 mi²16,100 km²6,216.245 mi²950.661 m³/s33,572.266 cfs
30 km³/y
Kyrgyzstan2.808 million2,808,000 people111,700 km²43,127.611 mi²14,500 km²5,598.481 mi²31,688.69 m³/s1,119,075.536 cfs
1,000 km³/y
Republic of Uzbekistan27.701 million27,701,000 people382,600 km²147,722.686 mi²153,200 km²59,150.851 mi²9,506.607 m³/s335,722.661 cfs
300 km³/y
China0.0017 million1,700 people1,900 km²733.594 mi²0 km²0 mi²0 m³/s0 cfs
0 km³/y
Afghanistan5.489 million5,489,000 people104,900 km²40,502.116 mi²9,500 km²3,667.971 mi²63,377.381 m³/s2,238,151.073 cfs
2,000 km³/y