Line of Rusting Ships

Quick couple links -

First, Wikipedia EN is stating that the Eastern Half of the Big Aral has completely dried up.  They reference a news story [German] that doesn’t quote anything scientific, but seems merely to interpret the satellite photo as showing no water.  Personally, I think that is open to debate, but I also understand that it’s inevitable, so why not call it dried up?  What is the difference between a half meter of hyper-saline sludge and a dry, salty plain?  Well, hyper-saline sludge is slightly less likely to blow away, but that’s also only a matter of time.

Second, and somewhat easier to take at face value, is this report on the death of the fish in the Big Aral.  This was news to me, since I thought they had claimed this same factoid years ago.  I seem to recall hearing that nothing remained but brine shrimp…

Although the number of fish in the South Aral Sea had decreased to almost zero by 2007 because of the high salinity, Zavyalov says that fish have now “completely died out.”

The situation is different in Kazakhstan’s portion of the sea, known as the North Aral Sea or the Small Aral, where a restoration effort spurred on by a dam project has allowed the water level in this part of the lake to rise by two meters since 2005 and for some fishing to take place.

Third, carried here by the Malaysian  National News Agency, is the report that Uzbekistan is hoping South Korea will join the political clusterf*$k to “save” the Aral Sea.  The Koreans could fall for it if they use the out-of-date statistics quoted in the newstory:

The Aral Sea, located between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, is a symbol of man-made environmental and ecological disaster. It was about two thirds the size of South Korea until the early 1960s, but its water volume has decreased by 75 percent and the shoreline has receded up to 160km from its former shore, according to experts.

Then again, it appears the Uzbek government isn’t asking for much.

Deputy Foreign Minister Anvar Salikhbayev said… he plans to formally raise the issue at South Korea’s annual forum with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan to be held in Seoul in December, [and] “Uzbekistan and South Korea can step up cooperation in the medical and green growth sectors…  We hope South Korea will participate in the Aral Sea salvation project, especially in tap water purification and medical services for victims.”

Tap water purification and medical services are great, but how is that going to save the Aral?  Perhaps Salikhbayev will ask the Koreans to stop buying Uzbek cotton.