The volume of water in the Northern Aral Sea has reached 24.1 billion cubic meters — significantly exceeding the national targets set under Kazakhstan’s State Water Resources Management Strategy, announced Nurlan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation. Originally, this milestone was not expected until 2029 — but thanks to proactive measures, Kazakhstan is now five years ahead of schedule, reports Kazinform.kz.
Since 2023, an additional 5 billion cubic meters of water have been channeled into the sea, stabilizing its level and accelerating ecological recovery. The cornerstone of this success remains the Kokaral Dam, completed in 2005 with $65 million in funding from the World Bank. Today, with a continuous inflow of 15 cubic meters per second, the sea is not just holding steady — it is growing.
“With renewed World Bank grant support, we are now developing a feasibility study for the next phase of the project — including dam reinforcement, construction of a hydraulic node to stabilize the Akshatau and Kamyshybasy lake systems, restoration of the Syr Darya Delta, and revival of the local fisheries,” said Minister Nurzhigitov.
This initiative delivers not only environmental, but also vital socioeconomic benefits:
- Fisheries revived — annual catch now exceeds 10,000 tons,
- Soil salinity reduced in coastal communities,
- Living conditions improved — respiratory illnesses have declined, migratory birds have returned, and agriculture is rebounding.
By 2030, Kazakhstan aims to increase the sea’s volume to 27 billion cubic meters — restoring it to levels last seen in the 1980s. This stands as one of the world’s most successful ecological restoration stories — and a rare case where humanity didn’t destroy nature, but chose to heal it.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
Sept. 11, 2025