1. Environmental concerns
case study on the Aral Sea:
Objectives:
Understand the environmental concerns
surrounding the Aral sea:
1.Locate and describe the environment
surrounding the Aral sea.
2.Explain the environmental problems
associated with the loss of area of the Aral
sea.
3.Explain the causes of the problem.
4.Explain and evaluate the methods possible
to restore the Aral sea.

2. The Aral sea is located between Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan in what was once the old soviet union.
It is fed by 2 rivers: the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya.

3. Climate of the Aral sea region (temperature)
Temperature ranges from -13 to 28 °C. from March to
November evaporation will take place reducing the water
level in the lake unless recharged by rain or river flow.

4. Climate of the Aral sea region (rainfall).
The animation shows that for most of the year there is little or no rainfall. This
co-insides with the period of prolonged high temperatures seen in the
previous slide. The result is that the climate of the area does not help the
Aral sea recharge. Instead it has to rely on its two rivers to re-supply water to
keep the lake from drying up.

5. This satellite image has been annotated to show what
has happened to the lake! Describe what has occurred.

6. Using the climate data seen before suggest what reasons there
could be for the sequence of events below.

7. The consequences of the lake reducing
in size:
Environmental problem: Knock on effect:

8. Causes of the
Aral sea
disaster:
The diagram on the right
shows the availability of
water supplies to the
main rivers as the blue
bar.
The level of water
extraction is shown in
red.
Describe the availability
of water vs the extraction
and suggest what the
effects will be. Combine
the climatic data in your
answer for higher marks.

9. Analysis of the solution impact pros Cons.
solutions to restore
the Aral sea. Pump in sea
water.
Because the Aral sea was Re-route
able to survive despite
the climatic conditions water.
before humans Build dams.
intervened there is no
reason why it cannot be Plant
re-filled. However, even if different
the water is returned crops.
there are no guarantees
that the ecology will Use fewer
recover. Even if it does it chemicals.
will take a large number
of years. A set of Drought
proposals has been resistant
identified that could be cotton.
used to restore the water
levels in the Aral sea. For Charging for
each assess its impact water use.
and the pros and cons
for its implementation. Desalination.
Irrigation
channels

11. Answers:
Pump in sea water: would slowly re-fill the sea. Easy to
achieve and plentiful supply of water. Would allow cotton
farming to continue. No loss of water in transit as piped.
However, infrastructure required and would cost a lot. Also
problem with environmental cost of powering the pumps.
Re-route water: would allow sea to reform. Easy to achieve
and permanent move. Not very environmentally damaging.
Problems includes loss of farming and visual impact. Water
still lost through evaporation.
Build dams: stops the flow of water from leaving the sea
allowing it to rebuild. The most effective solution but
completely damages the environment and water ecosystems
below the dam. Huge cost and visual impact.
Plant different crops: will allow less water needed for
irrigation so rivers are higher. Problems of having to re-train
farmers and reduced income.

12. Use fewer chemicals: area becomes organic in 10 years time
from start. Reduces the cost. Allows more natural species to
return. Problems with insect pests and disease. Possible
reduced growth of plants and therefore income that can be
generated.
Drought resistant cotton plants: less water needed for
irrigation. Will protect from effects of global warming. Plants
are more expensive and generate less cotton per plant so
more land required to grow the same yield.
Charging for water use: designed to force people to use less
water. Generates problems between rich and poor. Not very
effective. Rich will still not reduce their consumption.
Desalination: the removal of salt from sea water allows for
this to be used for humans. Infinite supply. Very expensive
and water has to be pumped from sea to land when existing
water supplies go in the other direction.
Irrigation channels: same as for re-routing water.

13. Possible exam questions:
There has been no exam yet but expect the following types of questions
in the exam.
1.Describing the environment of the area.
2.Describing the rate of shrinkage (source E page 5).
3.Describing the rate of shrinkage or the area lost (projections on page
5).
4.Explaining the climate of the area.
5.Explaining the causes of the loss of water level (source F page 6).
6.Explaining the ecological problems created as a consequence of the
water level dropping (source F).
7.Explaining the economical problems created as a result of the water
levels dropping (source F).
8.Assessing the solutions to restore the area back to its original state
(source G page 7).
9.Decision making to pick some of the options to implement and
justifying your decision.
10.Assessing the effectiveness and costs of implementing the solutions
and their chance of success.