The Aral Sea Disaster

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The Aral Sea Disaster

• The quiet Chernobyl
• Since 1960, the Aral Sea has
• lost 50 of its surface area
• lost 66 of its volume
• left behind 3.6 mln ha of polluted soil
• contributed to the environmental degradation of
  water quality, air quality, and the melting of
  glaciers
• Central Asia has
• lost its fishing industry and other supporting
  industries
• had an increase in public health problems
• decreased its agricultural production
• experienced changes in climate (longer, colder
  winters and shorter, hotter summers

http//www.eurasianet.org/departments/culture/arti
cles/photo_pages/kohn1.html
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Desiccation of the Aral Sea
http//www.grida.no/enrin/graphics.cfm?data_id993
6countrycentralasia
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• Aral Sea Basin
• Central Asia
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Afghanistan
• Rivers
• Syr Darya
• Amu Darya

http//www.grida.no/aral/maps/geo.htm
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Central Asia Population (million) GDP (US) GDP from Ag / employed by Ag GDP from Ag / employed by Ag Land River Basin
Kazakhstan 14.8 22.3B 10 23 Steppe Syr Darya
Kyrgyzstan 5 1.5B 39 55 Mountainous Syr Darya Amu Darya
Tajikistan 6.7 1.03B 20 50 Mountainous Syr Darya Amu Darya
Turkmenistan 5.5 5.9B 25 44 Desert Amu Darya
Uzbekistan 25 7.5B 25 44 Desert steppe Syr Darya Amu Darya
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History

• Soviet-rule
• Direct water in the basin to lower riparians
  (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan) for
  irrigation of cotton fields
• Post-Soviet Era
• Each republic trying to establish its
  self-sufficiency in government and economy
• Developing agriculture and hydroelectric
  potential
• Several different funding organizations have
  offered assistance
• Building a free-market democracy
• Actualizing energy potential (hydroelectric, oil)
• Improving water management
• Improving health

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Socio-economic

• Agriculture
• Largest percentage of countries GDPs
• Largest consumer of water
• Land has decreased in productivity due to water
  logged and high saline soils
• Fishing
• Was once a profitable industry, but is now
  virtually non-existent
• Industry
• Some textile factories now closed or working at
  reduced loads
• Soviet influence is still felt
• Bureaucracy used to be Soiviet officials and are
  not open to change
• Citizens often still act as subjects as opposed
  to participants in democracy

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Discussion

• The republics are moving from a centralized
  government to free market democracies. What
  avenues should be taken to help the populace move
  from the Soviet culture (citizens as subjects) to
  this new culture (citizens have an active voice)?

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Hydropolitics

• Central Asian republics have recognized they
  needed to cooperate on water management issues
• 1992, Interstate Coordination Water Commission
  (ICWC) for control, rational use and protection
  of interstate waters
• Continue to use existing Soviet structures and
  principles for resource management
• World Bank / UN
• 1993, International Fund for the Aral Sea (IFAS)
  attract funding for programs to overcome the
  desiccation of the Aral Sea
• 1993, Interstate Council for the Aral Sea (ICAS)
  manage programs of IFAS
• 1997, merger of IFAS and ICAS

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Hydropolitics

• USAID
• 1998, Executive Committee of the Interstate
  Council of the Central Asian Economic Community
  (EC CAEC) - barter system agreement between
  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan on the use
  of water and energy resources

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Discussion

• USAID has focused on working separately in the
  two river basins, as opposed to the Aral Sea
  basin-wide approach that other donor
  organizations have taken. Which is more
  effective, given that each river basin has global
  and local concerns?
• If the World Bank is funded by the United States,
  why does USAID not cooperate with World Bank and
  other donor organizations? If donors get
  frustrated with inter-donor conflict, will the
  donors leave the region?

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Discussion

• USAIDs goals are broader than just environmental
  protection therefore several of its other aid
  programs have conflicted with its water and
  environment programs. How should USAID balance
  its interests with that of the basin? Whose
  responsibility is it to justify the soundness of
  each project?
• Are donor agencies playing too big of a role in
  the development of these republics (replacing
  Soviet control over the decisions of the region
  with donor control)?

12
Discussion

• Will the barter agreement developed in the Syr
  Darya basin have longevity?
• Three attempts have been made to create a dike to
  separate the Small Aral Sea from the Large Aral
  Sea, however it keeps getting washed away. When
  the dike is in operation, positive results are
  seen in the Small Aral Sea increases in water
  levels, moderation of the climate, increases in
  biodiversity and decreases in salinity.
• Should efforts be made to create a permanent
  dike? Is it feasible to restore the Aral Sea (in
  part or whole) or should it be considered a loss?
  Should the focus of donor money be placed on
  development of water resources and energy in the
  river basins, or to preserve and restore the Aral
  Sea?