Aral Sea fourth largest lake in the world nearly dried up

Once the fourth-biggest lake in the world, the eastern basin of the Aral Sea in central Asia is now completely dry. It is the result of a Soviet-era project to divert rivers for agriculture and a lack of rainfall at its source.

“This is the first time the eastern basin has completely dried in modern times,” Philip Micklin, an Aral Sea expert from Western Michigan University told NASA’s Earth Observatory, which captured fresh satellite images of the lake. “And it is likely the first time it has completely dried in 600 years, since Medieval desiccation [drying out] associated with diversion of Amu Darya to the Caspian Sea.”

Starting in the 1960s, the Soviet Union had started diverting water from the regions of Kazakhstan, Uzbekisan and Turkmenistan.

USAtoday

RT (pretty pictures of desolation)



And what life saving crops justify the destruction of this lake?

In a bid to drive up production of cotton in nearby steppes, Soviet engineers diverted the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, the two rivers flowing into the lake

The lake in the 60s:


Oh nice cotton... write another one on the humans

The plan called for them to divert other water sources into the aral but they never completed the project.
The local population were looked at like inferiors to, so nobody cared what happened to them.
Definitely a sad situation.

Just remember everyone. Human effects on nature are negligible. Mother Earth is INVINCIBLE (I picture Boris from the bond movies when I say that).

This is disgraceful. Despite our impact on nature, the universe will win. We keep destroying our planet with no accountability. I think Mother Nature is just waiting to suckerpunch us lol. S + F

This is what I picture Lake Mead, where the Hoover Dam is located. I went to the Hoover Dam back in the 80's and again in 2009. I was absolutley blow away at how much the water level had dropped in just twenty years. The water is rich in minerals, and has a bleaching effect on the rocky coast of the Lake. Where ever water has been, then receded, turns the rock white. I personally think that all of the South West of America is in for a hell of tuff time with drought conditions. Not only will this effect water supply, but electricity supply also. We Humans walk a fine line, living comfortable, to down right Hellish living. The tipping balance is not as much as people think, IMO

More evidence that the human race, taken as a whole, is mentally retarded or mentally ill to a degree that they are a danger to themselves and others. People in power get away with doing things like this because the populace allows it. "Don't shake the boat" becomes "Don't play near the rusted boat". Idiots.