Aral Sea Restoration Continues as More Water Arrives

The Northern Aral Sea has received 1.4 billion cubic meters of water from the Syr Darya since October 2025, Orda.kz reports, citing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. Another 1.2 billion cubic meters is expected by the end of this year.

The Northern Aral Sea currently holds 23.5 billion cubic meters of water. During the irrigation season, water is flowing into the sea at a rate of 40 cubic meters per second.

Authorities plan to increase the sea’s water volume to 34 billion cubic meters by 2030. The Kokaral Dam is being reconstructed as part of the second phase of a joint project between Kazakhstan and the World Bank.

However, local fishermen say increasing the flow of water into the sea is not enough. At a meeting with Water Resources Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, they said some farmers exceed their water-use limits and called for stricter controls.

We know that water-use limits have been introduced for agriculture, but some farmers do not follow them. We are located in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya, so saving water on farms is important for the entire fishing industry in the region,said Adilbek Aimbetov, director of Aral Service and Procurement Center LLP.

Fishermen also proposed building a sluice gate to increase the flow of the Syr Darya to 100 cubic meters per second.

Original author: Raushan Korzhumbekova

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