Water levels in the Northern Aral Sea have risen significantly
The water volume in the Northern Aral Sea has increased to 22 billion cubic meters, said the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation’s spokesperson Moldir Abdualiyeva, during press conference at the Central Communications Service, reported Kazinform.
Abdualiyeva noted that during this irrigation period, 418 million cubic meters of water were supplied from Kyrgyzstan via the Talas River, with an additional 163 million cubic meters coming through the Shu River. Last year, these rivers delivered 324 million and 133.5 million cubic meters, respectively. This increase in water supplies has aided in the restoration of the Northern Aral Sea, with up to two billion cubic meters of water directed to the sea this year.
She added that after years of declining water levels, the Northern Aral Sea began recovering in early 2024. During the peak irrigation season, the Syr Darya River's flow surged to 80 cubic meters per second, compared to just six cubic meters per second last year.
In June, Kazakh Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov announced the second phase of a project, in partnership with the World Bank, to preserve the Northern Aral Sea. The goal is to increase the water volume by five billion cubic meters, covering an additional 1,000 square kilometers of the sea’s bed, which would help reduce salt-dust storms and stabilize nearby delta lakes Kamyshlybat and Akshatau.
Kazakhstan used 11 billion cubic meters of water during this irrigation season, which began on April 1 and will end in September. Despite drought forecasts, water was delivered uninterrupted, with major allocations going to the Kyzylorda (3.5 billion cubic meters), Turkistan (3.2 billion cubic meters), Zhetysu (1.2 billion cubic meters), and Zhambyl (1 billion cubic meters) regions.(Source:astanatimes)
