Changes in the water-level and hydrological balance of the Aral Sea

Abstract

From 1901–1961, the Aral Sea was relatively stable with a level near 53 m above sea (ocean)-level considered as a mean annual value. At this level, its area was 66,100 km2 and its volume, 1,064 km3. The Aral Sea hydrological budget and its water-level are largely determined by the inflow of two Central Asian rivers, the Amu Dar’ya and Sry Dar’ya, and thus on both climate induced changes and ever increasing anthropogenic impacts, that is, irreversible losses from irrigated agriculture.