THE DEATH OF THE ARAL SEA Who is responsible for this environmental disaster?

TOPS Top 10 Geography in conjunction with www.sln.org.uk/geography

THE DEATH OF THE ARAL SEA

Who is responsible for this environmental disaster?


Where is the Aral Sea?

THE ARAL SEA


The Aral Sea is shrinking

http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/areimov/images.html


Why is the Aral Sea Shrinking?

• 2 major rivers, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya flow into the Aral Sea.

• Water from these 2 rivers has been used to irrigate fields in Uzbekistan and Kazakstan so that cotton and rice can be grown.

• Very little water from these 2 rivers now reaches the Aral Sea.

• High temperatures in this region mean that evaporation rates are high which adds to the problem.


How fast is the Aral Sea shrinking?

http://www.scanex.ru/gallery/images/aral.jpg


Why is this an environmental disaster? 1

• The water in the Aral Sea is becoming more and more polluted with the chemicals from the fertilisers and pesticides used on the irrigated farmland.


Why is this an environmental disaster? 2• The fishing

industry has collapsed and this source of food and income has disappeared.

• The soils is so salty that crops cannot easily be grown


Why is this an environmental disaster? 3

• The local climate is becoming hotter and drier as the effect of the Aral Sea is reduced.

• The air is salty and dusty. Both the air and water is polluted causing a huge health hazard

THE DEATH OF THE ARAL SEA Who is responsible for this environmental disaster?

Documents

Transcript of THE DEATH OF THE ARAL SEA Who is responsible for this environmental disaster?