 |
|
| News | Events | Sites | Database | Knowledge Base | Forum |
|
DEGRADATION OF THE ARAL SEA AND SOUTH PREARALIE (2) Characteristics of Prearalie habitat degradation under impacts of the sea desiccation are presented in the paper “Assessment of Socio-Economic Effects in Result of Ecological Disaster – Aral Sea Desiccation” prepared within the framework the INTAS/RFBR-1733 Project (August 2001), and published by the SIC ICWC (Tashkent). Summary of the basic degradation effects are given below:
All these affects have resulted in economic losses amounting to US$115 million and social losses estimated in the amount of US$28.8 million annually. It should be noted that ecological changes related to the sea desiccation have been accompanied by water inflow reduction and, consequently, deterioration of potable water supply (increase in salinity and decrease in groundwater inflow). This fact, in turn, has caused a growth of sickness rate of the population. It was clearly demonstrated by Dr. O. Ataniyazova and others (Nukus, 2001) in their paper “The Aral Crisis and Medical-Social Problems of Karakalpakstan”. In the early 1970s, when the Aral Sea started rapidly shrinking, the Public of the former USSR arrived at an understanding of the need to undertake some reclamation measures. At that time several governmental commissions were established. They have concluded that it is necessary to undertake urgent measures if not on cessation of the sea level lowering, then at least, on mitigation of negative socio-economic and ecological impacts related to this disaster. Transfer of Siberian rivers’ water in the amount of 18-20 km3 annually was proposed to improve water supply and concurrently environmental conditions in the Prearalie. The government of the USSR rejected this proposal in 1986 and submitted a range of alternative measures approved by the Resolution No 1110 of 1986. Eventually, two BWOs “Amu Darya” and “Syr Darya”, a special organization “Aralvodstroy”, and the coordinator of the program - the Consortium “Aral” were established. During the period of 1987 to 1990, a certain scope of works related to water conservation improving in the South Prearalie, the Right Bank Drain, and completion of the Tuyamuyun Reservoir Project was implemented. After the collapse of the USSR in late 1991 all these efforts were stopped until the Heads of five Central Asian States have established an International Fund for the Aral Sea in 1993 and on January 11, 1994 they approved the Aral Sea Programme, which includes measures on improving the situation in the South Prearalie. In particular, it was decided “to develop the feasibility study for establishing artificially-inundated landscape ecosystems in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya deltas and areas adjacent to the dried-up Aral Sea bed as well as implementing proper reclamation measures to rehabilitate the natural conditions in this area”. At the same time, the basic provisions of the Concept of Improving Socio-Economic and Ecological Situation in the Prearalie” were approved. These provisions distinctly stated that rehabilitation of the Aral Sea to its original state is impossible, and the main efforts should be placed on construction of necessary water infrastructure and measures related to creation of a new sustainable ecological profile of the South Prearalie by means of proper water supply, afforestation, and other reclamation activities. This document was actually based on our proposals, which had been published in the “Vestnik Pustyni” magazine No. 3 (1984), to preserve the South Prearalie by creating on its territory the ecologically sustainable zones that will perform those functions, which the two former ecosystems were jointly performing. For this purpose, the South Prearalie, including the delta and the sea itself, is subdivided into ecological zones different according to the forming principles (e.g. fresh, brackish and mixed water supply, etc.).
|
