How Kazakhstan is saving the North Aral Sea from disappearance

The North Aral Sea is coming back to life. A unique environmental project has achieved what seemed impossible just 30 years ago. The division of the once-unified body of water into separate parts became the key to saving its northern section. Today, the first man-made sea — the Small Aral — is taking on new contours, reports «24KZ».

In the 1960s, the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest lake in the world by surface area, covering nearly 70,000 square kilometers. However, unsustainable water management practices led to an environmental disaster. The Aral Sea lost three-quarters of its volume and more than half of its surface area.

Zhorabek Nurymbetov, Member of the Regional Maslikhat:

- In the first years of independence, there were serious plans to dissolve the region altogether. The Aral Sea was rapidly retreating, factories were shutting down, and residents were leaving their homes en masse. Salvation came through the Syr Darya River Regulation and Northern Aral Sea Preservation Project. It brought water back, and with it, life returned to the coastal villages.

Built in 2005 as part of the project, the Kokaral Dam became the main symbol of the Aral Sea’s revival. The 13-kilometer concrete structure stopped water from flowing away and helped refill the northern section of the sea, known as the Small Aral. While the city of Aralsk was once separated from the sea by 70 kilometers, the distance has now been reduced to just 17 kilometers.

Zeinulla Kaztoganov, Head of the Aral-Syr Darya Basin Water Inspection:

- Today, more than 23.5 billion cubic meters of water have been accumulated in the Small Aral. The Kokaral Dam has raised the water level to nearly 41 meters according to the Baltic elevation system. The current inflow stands at 45 cubic meters per second, which is twice as much as last year. Since the beginning of the year, 830 million cubic meters of water have already flowed into the sea. The annual target is two billion cubic meters.

In the past, the Aral Sea’s highly saline waters could support only flounder. Today, more than 20 species of fish inhabit the Small Aral. The fishing industry has been revived, and fish-processing plants have reopened. Local authorities emphasize that the region has moved beyond the rescue stage and entered a phase of sustainable development.

With support from the World Bank, a new project aimed at preserving the North Aral Sea has already been developed.

Bakhyt Zhakhanov, Deputy Akim of Kyzylorda Region:

- A decision has been made to maintain a single-level sea while raising the current water level by an additional two meters to 44 meters under the Baltic system. This project will increase the surface area of the Aral Sea from 3,100 to 3,900 square kilometers and raise the total water volume to the projected level of 34 billion cubic meters. That means an additional seven billion cubic meters of water. In the future, this will help develop the fishing industry, with annual commercial catches potentially reaching 15,000–16,000 tons.

Today, the Aral Sea has not yet returned to its former shores, but it is no longer a symbol of tragedy. Instead, it has become a symbol of hope.

Authors: Raikhan Tazhibayeva, Nurzhan Muzarapshin, Akan Aliyev