• 
• Japanese
• 
• IETC's Focal Area
• Waste Management
• Publications & Tools
• Meetings & Workshops
• Global Partnership on Waste Management
• Background
• Objectives
  & Expected Outcomes
• Framework
• Sub-focal Areas
• Information Platform
• Meetings
• Participation / Membership
• Water and Sanitation
• Publications & Tools
• Meetings & Workshops
• Resources
• Publications & Tools
• About IETC
• Background and History
• Director
• Activity Reports
• Supporting Foundations
• Internship
• Contact Us

<Forum on the Caspian, Aral and Dead Seas-Perspective
of Water Environmental Management and Politics>

<Symposium on the Aral Sea and The Surrounding Region
-Irrigated Agriculture and the Environment>

Aral, from Salvation of the Sea to Land Restoration

Igor S. Zonn
Soyuzvodproekt, Russia

So much was written about the Aral and the Aral Sea problem, especially within recent years, that with right one can even speak of a new branch of science - "Aralology" (Aral history). However, the situation in the Aral region is changing so rapidly that multiple descriptions in the articles, decisions of the meetings, projects and proposals, including the Interstate Agreement signed both prior to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and after the acquisition became a history, are just being inoperative.

Nowadays the Aral problem has already become the problem of two republics: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and if we were to be more exact, to a greater extent it is the problem of the republic of Kazakhstan entering into composition of Uzbekistan, situated directly in the delta of the Amudarya River, near the former sea. It is hardly expedient to dwell on in detail on the characteristics of the Aral Sea basin itself and the delta region of the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers. Let us, instead, present some data associated with the alteration of the water area and adjacent territories of the Aral Sea, which took place within the last 34 years. For this purpose we will use a well-known figure, published by Professor P. Miklin, USA, retaining its idea, but having specified averaged new hydrological parameters of the Aral Sea, including in addition the flow of the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers within recent 30 years (Table. 1).

Wider series of statistical data, specifying the situation around the Aral Sea by 1994 in comparison to 1960, are listed in Table 2. We would like to draw the attention to two parameters: the fall of the sea level by 16.6 m and the inflow of 30 km³of water into the sea. It should be noted that at the beginning of 1992, the total inflow into the Aral Sea made up 33.5 km³ (28.9 km³ from the Amudarya River and 4.6 km³ from the Syrdarya River) In 1993 this figure was 26.7 km³ (18.8 and 7.9 km³) and 30.6 km³ in 1994 (21.7 and 8.9 km³).

The well-known "Agreement on Joint Actions for Settlement of the Aral Sea and the Aral Sea Problems, Ecological Recovery and Assurance of Social and Economic Development of the Aral Region", signed on March 26, 1993 in Kzyl-Orda, and "Program of Concrete Actions on Improvement of Ecological Situation in the Aral Sea Basin for the Nearest 3- 5 years" (bearing in mind the period of 1994-1997), adopted on January 11, 1994 in Nukus, are the bases of today's works on solving the Aral Sea problems.

A specific objective of present day is to ensure principally the former ecological and economic functions granted by the Aral Sea prior to its drying. The general idea of the proposals of the Uzbek and Karakalpak hydraulic engineers on stabilizing of the ecological situation in the Southern Aral Region, is based on the opportunity to solve separately two basic problems:

1. Implementation of measures in the avant-delta, connected with the construction of water bodies using fresh water of the Amudarya River with the development of commercial fishery, and separate water bodies with mineralized water, generally for ecological purpose; measures related to the establishment of forest-and phytoecology, aimed at fixing of sands, prevention of salt removal and landscape degradation;

2. Implementation of measures on the drained part of the sea bottom with the establishment of an artificial system of water bodies with fresh water for development of fish production and with drainage and effluent water used for development of fodder production, establishment of phytoecological zones (including zones of increased moistening, aimed at suppression of salt-dust removal sources).

Table 1. The Changing Hydrologic Parameters of the Aral Sea from 1960-90

Note: Water inflow by Amudarya and Syrdarya
Source: P. Miklin (1992), data and estimation by I. Zonn

Within the framework of the first problem solving, it is planned to carry out the recovery of the ecosystem in the coastal zone of the Aral Sea in stages, with regard to available water, financial, material and technical resources, etc. During the first stage it was planned to design and construct 7 hydraulic structures, allowing to restore the importance of commercial fishery of about 15 natural water bodies and lakes (Table 3) on completion of the construction, the area supplied with water should make up 276,200 ha. According to some assessments, the costs of construction will be about US$ 7 million (without regard of spillway structure of the Mezhdurechenskoya Reservoir Dam).

Table 2. Some Data

The implementation of the first stage of works would allow the volumes of fish catch to increase up to 7,000 ton, muskrat catch up to 30,000-32,000, and provision of raw fodder up to 200,000 tons. It should be noted that beginning in 1990 the following growth pattern of fish batch has been observed: 1990-1,667 tons, 1991-3,228 tons, 1992-4,364 tons, 1993-2,885 tons, and 1994-1,764 tons.

In this connection it is easy to appreciate the enthusiasm of water management organizations concerned with these proposals. They mean new volumes of construction works for them as a basis for existence. Unfortunately, none of the planned was under construction in 1994.

Along with the recovery of the existing ecosystems and addition of regulated pattern to it, the remaining most important problem is the efficient use and conservation of water resources as a limiting factor of development of the region's economy.

The total area of the Amudarya Delta territory within Karakalpakstan (from the Takhiatash hydraulic works up to the level of the Aral Sea at elevation of 53m) made up 1.5-1.9 million ha. Its northern part is almost a waterless desert with an area of about 600,000 ha. The southern part, almost similar in area, is an oasis where irrigated areas are concentrated. Irrigation area in 1994 made up 499,100 ha, out of which 238,700 ha were used for cotton and rice (145,900 and 92,800 ha respectively).

In comparison to 1987 the areas under cotton reduced by 26,000 ha, and increased by 15,000 ha under rice. One must make a note here concerning the increase of the area for rice purposes. It is believed that although rice requires large amounts of irrigation water, subsequently this water can be used for irrigation of fodder and other crops. Hence, the obtaining of larger limited reserve of water in the region is expedient and considered quite justified as counterweight to the opinion that in connection with a water resources deficit the areas under rice should be reduced or stabilized.

Table 3. Recovery of Ecosystems of the Southern Aral Sea First Stage (1994-1997)

Notes:
1. According to the Program of Concrete Actions on Improvement of Ecological Situation in the Aral Sea Basin for the Nearest 3-5 years, adopted on January 11, 1994 in Nukus.
2. Without regard to Adzhibai Bay.
3. Without regard to Archipelago Akpetkei.

During long-term use of irrigated lands in Karakalpakstan a number of serious problems, remaining today, were revealed. The main problems are as follows:

1. An increase of water mineralization in the Amudarya River, the source of irrigation, within the last 30 years from 07-09 g/l to 1.3-1.7 g/l during the vegetation season; in the winter time it is up to 2.5-3.0 g/l (due to drainage water discharge).

2. The analysis of available data shows that much more water is supplied for irrigation of cotton (gross) in comparison to the recommended rate for vegetative and off-season irrigation. They often reach 28- 30,000.m³/ha, exceeding by 11-12,000 m³/ha the average rate in Uzbekistan on the whole, and even during a low-water period these rates fluctuated from 17 to 18,000 m³/ha. Some data shows that maximum yields of cotton were obtained with a water supply of 7 to 12,000 m³/ha. The yield of raw cotton is within 1.8-2.0 ton/ha. Irrigation rates for rice make up 40-45,000 m³/ha with biological requirement in water for medium-ripening varieties being half. Rice crop yield varies within 2.5-3.0 ton/ha. Improper leveling of irrigation checks is considered the cause of such excessive irrigation rates in the Republic.

3. The process of land salinization is of widespread occurrence. Out of nearly 500,000 ha of irrigated lands about 400,000 ha are salined to a variable extent. To obtain normal yields it requires implementation of annual washing irrigation at a considerable part of crop area. The actual rate of washing irrigation in Kara-Kalpakia varies within 4,500-6,500 m³/ha (gross). In the northern part of the Republic, washing irrigation is carried out by a check method: washed plot is divided into large checks with banks of 1.0 m in height and more. Washing irrigation is implemented with increased rates from 5,500 to 6,500 m³/ha (net), and often up to 15,000 m³/ha.

Increase of washing irrigation rates is explained by the fact that small-scale irrigation network in the zone of existing (old) irrigation is not reconstructed in compliance with present demands, and fundamental leveling of irrigation plots is carried out inadequately. As a result, desalinization of soils in the process of washing irrigation is spread out irregularly over the area of checks, especially under conditions of inadequate operation of drainage system. Insufficient account of the extent of land salinization is a serious drawback of washing irrigation. Hard natural features of the delta plain of the Amudarya River are specified by extremely large amount of salts in the root zone, up to 100 tons/ha in the layer from 0 to 3.0 m. This results in degradation of irrigation and drainage conditions of lands and regular increase of annual water withdrawal for washing irrigation.

4. Average depth of groundwater occurrence at the irrigation areas makes up 1.84 m. Irrigation areas are equipped with drainage network over an area of 350,000 ha, and 150,000 ha of ploughland is not drained at all. Specific length of drains is 32.4 m/ha.

The parameters of drainage networks do not meet the requirements for radical improvement of irrigation and drainage conditions of salined lands. With standards of 40-60 m/ha for drain length at rice fields, it is even less than 25 m/ha. Hence, salts are not removed in large quantities during washing irrigation.

Table 4. Development of Irrigation Farming in Karakalpakstan

Notes:
*1 Data are taken from "Social and Economic Problems of the Aral and the Aral Sea Region" (p.10), Tashkent, FAN, 1990
*2 The difference in the areas between total irrigation area and area occupied by cotton and rice is under fodder crops, vegetables, horticulture, etc.
*3 Per one complex hectare, i.e. occupied by different crops.

5. Heavily infested with weeds and cluttered up with products of slope collapse, drainage network conditions on the whole do not comply with the requirements of efficient operation. Operating depth of 1.5-1.7 m is not favorable for draining of soils and well-tamed removal of mineralized water to the collectors.

6. The efficiency of irrigation canals in the lower reaches of the Amudarya River remains low. Thus, for the irrigation system of the Kyzketken Canal the values of efficiency are in the range of 0.5-0.56. Therefore, out of 8.2-11.6 km³ of water volume withdrawn in the head of the canal, only 4.8-5.8 km³ is supplied to irrigated areas. The difference of 3.6-5.8 km³ is lost along the length of the canal for the most part due to seepage, forming fresh-water lens under canals. On the basis of operational hydraometry data the average monthly values of efficiency for the main and inter-farm canals of the Republic make up 0.77. For a single farm network the efficiency can be assumed as 0.65, although in many cases the values are lower.

7. Up till now seepage control linings of earth canals are inadequate. The reduction of seepage loss is achieved by natural silting, as a result of which a colmatation film is formed. With commissioning of the Tuyamuyun and Takhiatash hydraulic works, accumulating a considerable part of sediments from the Amudarya River, clarified water is supplied to the canals with high velocities capable to score their channels, distrusting their colmatation film. This may cause essential increase of seepage losses from the canals.

8. Low coefficients of land use remain in the Republic due to universal application of fallow farming (in the northern part of the Republic it is less than 0.6). Local outflow of infiltration water to the adjacent fallow within irrigated areas takes place with this system, i.e. the effect of "dry drainage" is in action. There are about 500,000 ha of such areas. These areas are used during 2-3 years and are then abandoned as a result of salinization.

With regard to aforesaid, the optimization of irrigation rates at irrigated areas, reconstruction of irrigation networks with particular emphasis on prevention of seepage losses, improvement of operation and management of irrigation and drainage systems, modification of crop rotation patterns taking into account the achievements in agronomy and selection, remain the strategic trends of security of stable agricultural production in Karakalpak-stan. These trends are in complete harmony with proposals of Prof. Tsutsui, expressed as far back as in 1992, and later by other Japanese scientists and specialists who could see with their own eyes and assess the situation in the Aral Area.

Table of Contents

• Brochure
• 
• 



• International Year of Forests
• 
• 



• World Environment Day
• 
• 



• UNEP Campaign
• 
•