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Science 2 September 1988:
Vol. 241. no. 4870, pp. 1170 - 1176
DOI: 10.1126/science.241.4870.1170
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Articles

Desiccation of the Aral Sea: A Water Management Disaster in the Soviet Union

PHILIP P. MICKLIN 1

1 Professor in the Department of Geography, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008.

The Aral Sea in the Soviet Union, formerly the world's fourth largest lake in area, is disappearing. Between 1960 and 1987, its level dropped nearly 13 meters, and its area decreased by 40 percent. Recession has resulted from reduced inflow caused primarily by withdrawals of water for irrigation. Severe environmental problems have resulted. The sea could dry to a residual brine lake. Local water use is being improved and schemes to save parts of the sea have been proposed. Nevertheless, preservation of the Aral may require implementation of the controversial project to divert water from western Siberia into the Aral Sea basin.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of River Systems in the Northern Third of the World.
M. Dynesius, M. Dynesius, and C. Nilsson (1994)
Science 266, 753-762
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)