Aral Sea - Where the fourth largest lake in the world had gone? During the last 50 years the single water body of Aral Sea was subdivided into several small lakes. Lake level was lowered by more than 25 m, its area was reduced dramatically. Lake desiccation is accompanied by changes in chemical (water) mineralization, physical (hydrodynamics), and also biological lake characteristics. The major cause of described changes is long-term overusing of the water of both tributaries for irrigaton purposes.
Aral Sea - Socio-economic problems of Aral Sea Region (How ended commanding to a wind and rain). Ones the world´s fourth largest lake was meant to be sacrified in the name of former Soviet economy. Area of most of the Central Asia is depended on agriculture, which is depended on massive irrigation from the main tributaries of Aral Sea. Water hence became after 1991 the source of political conflicts between water rich and energy poor upstream countries and water poor and natural resources rich downstream countries.
Aral Sea - All appearances of Aral Sea lake. The lake level fall of Aral Sea during the last fifty years was not the only dramatic low-stand in its history. In last two thousand years four major regressions have been recognized. During one of these regressions (at -0-400 AD) lake level was probably lower than in the last decade. This knowledge has opened the theme of the rate of anthropogenic and natural influences to the lake level fall. Despite that people has influenced the area for several thousand years the leading factor causing Aral Sea desiccation was probably climate. People has "only" reacted to the climatic worsening and caused acceleration of the natural processes.