The Link Between Aral Sea Bed Uplift and Massive Water Loss
The Aral Sea, once one of the world’s largest lakes, has lost over 1 billion tons of water in the past 80 years, according to a recent study published in Nature Geoscience. The drying up of the Aral Sea, a process that began in the 1960s, has led to the Earth’s crust rising due to swelling in the mantle.
Satellite measurements taken between 2016 and 2020 have shown a dome-shaped uplift in the dried-up seabed, with the ground rising at an average rate of 7 millimeters per year over a 500-kilometer radius. This gradual uplift is the Earth’s mantle adjusting to the reduced weight of the missing water, causing the land to rise like a compressed spring.
The Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once fed by the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. However, massive irrigation projects in the 1960s diverted water from these rivers to support agriculture, leading to a significant decrease in inflow to the sea. Leaky canals, evaporation, and inefficient water usage further exacerbated the sea’s decline.
By the 2000s, the Aral Sea had nearly disappeared, leading to increased salinity, ecosystem collapse, and adverse health effects on the surrounding population. Dust storms, droughts, extreme temperatures, and air pollution became common in the region.
In an effort to address the crisis, Kazakhstan launched the Kok-Aral Project in 2005, which aimed to partially restore the northern section of the sea, known as the Small Aral Sea. The project has had some success in replenishing water levels and reviving local ecosystems.
The study of the Aral Sea’s decline serves as a stark reminder of the environmental consequences of human activities and the importance of sustainable water management practices to prevent further ecological disasters.
