Kazakhstan Readies Second Phase Of North Aral Sea Revival Project

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 21. The Ministry of Water Resources of Kazakhstan will complete the preparation of the second phase of the North Aral Sea preservation project by June 30 and resolve financing issues, including support from international organizations, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at a government meeting, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh government.

"In addition, the Ministry of Water Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, will create a comprehensive water-energy resources map for Kazakhstan within this year," Bektenov stated.

Meanwhile, at the same meeting, Kazakhstan's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, revealed that plans are in place to increase the volume of the North Aral Sea to 34 km3, with its surface area expected to expand to 3,913 km2 over the next 4 to 5 years. An agreement has already been reached with Uzbekistan to ensure a stable water flow during periods of low water availability. Since early 2023, the volume of the North Aral Sea has risen from 18.4 billion m3 to 23 billion m3.

He further noted that the second phase of the preservation project, which includes the reconstruction of the Kokaral dam and the elevation of the water level to 44 meters, is nearing completion.

The North Aral Sea, the northern section of the once much larger Aral Sea, is fed by the Syr Darya River. It separated from the South Aral Sea between 1987 and 1988 due to a significant decline in water levels, primarily caused by the diversion of river water for agricultural use.

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