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The Vanishing Sea<\/h1>\n
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By Jenny McGlone<\/p>\n
Chapel Hill, NC, United States<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
These days, you would be hard pressed to find someone who hasn\u2019t experienced climate change. The implications of this global phenomenon seem to be as ominous as they are widespread. It\u2019s easy to feel helpless when confronted with the impact of this increase in average temperatures across the planet.<\/p>\n
But what if we tried to learn from a large-scale environmental disaster? Would that give us hope?<\/p>\n
Beginnings<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n One hundred years ago, the fourth largest inland lake in the world was located in Russia, between what is now the southern part of Kazakhstan<\/strong> and northern Uzbekistan. Geologists estimate that the Aral Sea formed about 5.5 million years ago, fed by the Syr Darya river to the north and Amu Darya river to the south. It covered 28,000 square miles and contained a mild 10 grams of salt per liter (g\/L).<\/p>\n By the mid-twentieth century, the fishing industry of the Aral Sea supported thousands of families in 19 villages and two cities. More than 40,000 tons of fish each year were processed by canneries and transported by train to surrounding regions.<\/p>\n Irrigation Problems<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to the thriving human population, the Aral Sea also contained numerous species of fish, birds, and other wildlife. This healthy ecosystem was placed in jeopardy in 1918, when authorities in the former Soviet Union decided to divert water from the Syr Darya and Amu Darya to irrigate nearby deserts. They envisioned creating an agricultural economy based on cotton, a profitable but thirsty crop.<\/p>\n By the 1960s, the number of cultivated acres had risen from 6.4 to 15.9 million. Unfortunately, with its two major inflows redirected, the Aral Sea began to shrink.<\/p>\n Consequences<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n From 1961 to 1970, the Aral Sea\u2019s depth fell an average of 20 centimeters per year. In the following decade, the rate sped up to 50 to 60 centimeters per year. As the lake continued to disappear, more water was taken for irrigation, with the amount doubling from 1960 to 2000. Despite 30 to 75 percent of the water being lost to leakage or evaporation, Uzbekistan became the world\u2019s largest exporter of cotton in 1988. The cost of this agricultural success was that the Aral Sea forfeited nine-tenths of its original volume.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”9px” text_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”-30px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Photo credit: NASA Earth Observatory (left), Sentinel Hub via Flickr (right)<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The Amu Darya, the sea\u2019s primary source, now ends 120 miles short of the lakeshore. With an increase in salinity to 30 g\/L, many native fish species either dramatically decreased in numbers or disappeared altogether. Over 60,000 jobs were lost.<\/p>\n Divided Sea<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n As the water receded, the lake split into two sections in 1986. Five years later, the Soviet Union collapsed. In order to address the plague of dust storms, summer heat, and health ailments in areas around the sea, a newly independent Kazakhstan permitted the construction of a dam to preserve the entirety of the Syr Darya\u2019s inflow for the northern half of the lake. By 2005, the World Bank and national government were persuaded to contribute US$85 million for an eight-mile dam and improvements to irrigation canals.<\/p>\n Surprise Reversal<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Scientists predicted that the water level would not reach the top of the new dam for five years. Instead, in a stunning victory for Mother Nature, water was spilling over the dam in eight months. The North Aral Sea has now regained about 4.5 percent of its original surface area.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over 1,000 square miles of former lakebed are now underwater, thanks to a rise in lake level of nearly 65 feet. Native plants, fish and birds have reappeared. The fishing industry has seen yearly catches back in the thousands of tons, such that two fish processing plants have reopened. In 2025, the Northern Aral Sea’s water volume was reported to be 24.1 billion cubic meters.<\/p>\n To the south, decades of water mismanagement have turned the South Aral Sea into dry land, creating a desert now called the Aralkum. It stretches over 24,000 square miles, making it one of the newest deserts in the world. When the wind blows, it picks up sand, salt, and leftover chemicals from farms, sending polluted clouds into nearby towns. These dust storms happen often and can make people sick, especially with breathing problems. Scientists have even found dust from this region as far away as parts of Europe.<\/p>\n Emerging Solutions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In response to the ongoing environmental crisis, grassroots initiatives have emerged. While government programs struggle against the legacy of Soviet-era economic incentives, innovative organizations are addressing the region\u2019s challenges. For example, researchers are developing new, drought-resistant vegetation and more efficient irrigation methods. Additionally, 1.9 million hectares of forests have been planted on Uzbekistan\u2019s portion of the dry seabed, increasing forest cover across the region\u200b. Such targeted efforts may generate hope that this once-vibrant ecosystem can regain its resilience.<\/p>\n Have a suggestion for this story? We\u2019d love for you to\u00a0submit it<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/21780467158_7826584bfb_c.jpg” alt=”stilt fisherman in Sri Lanka” title_text=”21780467158_7826584bfb_c” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3877873838_2a47ea4e8d_c.jpg” alt=”Stilt fisherman in Sri Lanka” title_text=”3877873838_2a47ea4e8d_c” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”4.27.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Blank” open=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_css_main_element=”display: none; ” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Blank<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Math Resources” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Social Justice Questions” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n How do you feel about the role that the cotton industry played in the loss of the Aral Sea? Do you think those companies that profited from the water diversion should compensate the fishermen who lost their jobs?<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Explore Further” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.27.2″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Share Your Story” open_toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_color=”#0a1766″ toggle_font_size=”18px” open=”off”]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mathkind.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Aral-Sea-aerial-view-Kazakhstan-GMS.png\")
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