Preventing the Desertification of the Aral Sea Region

Studies have shown that the infant mortality rate is steadily increasing overall, and the overall decline has been shown back to the 1950s (Zetterstrom 1999). This has greatly changed the health of local residents, bringing many health risks. Abnormal birth weight, growth retardation, puberty retardation, and mental retardation are all related to the Aral Sea region. Drinking water is also a prominent problem as high salt concentration is not suitable for human consumption (Ian Small, J.

Due to the Aral Sea problem, particularly high salt and heavy element soil contamination is spreading in Karakalpakstan in the Uzbekistan region near Salt Lake. The majority of the country's water resources are used for agriculture, which accounts for nearly 84% of the water, resulting in high soil salinity. Extensive use of insecticides and fertilizers for cotton planting further exacerbates soil contamination. The first people known to live in Central Asia were the Scythians who came from the prairie of northern Uzbekistan in the 1st century BC and when these nomads settled in this area they were built along the river . Extensive irrigation system Currently, cities such as Bukhoro and Samarqand are the center of the government, indicating the height of culture. By the 5th century BC, countries of Bactria, Sogd, Todda dominated this area.

In order to meet the demand of agricultural irrigation, the Soviet Socialist Republic Alliance (USSR) "Drain water from a river flowing into the Aral Sea" (Pacific Island Travel: Desertification, 1999). As shown in Appendix 1 (Pacific Island Travel: Desertification, 1999), the tributary river can not replenish the Great Lakes, so the water level dropped by a third due to these abuses. Not only has the Aral Sea coastline declined, the African Chad Lake is similarly destined.

Before this hope disappears, it is time to win the battle. Appendix 1: Time Series of Aral Sea Pictures: Aral Sea Homepage, 2002 These pictures were taken using LANDSATTM satellite technology. The red color represents the vegetation around the Aral Sea. The northern part of the image is the coastline of the sea. The coastline of 1979 was very large, and it did not exist in 1989, so it shows a drop in the water level. The white shadow of the satellite picture in 1989 is equally impressive. This is an artificial salmon swamp caused by desertification and drying.