Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 24
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
The construction of the man-made reservoir and in fact, the most complex hydraulic system entitled as "Altyn Asyr", makes it possible to successfully solve urgent environmental, economic and social issues, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said Aug. 24, the Turkmen government said in a statement.
The summit of heads of states - founders of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) has been held in the Avaza city Aug. 24.
"With the commissioning of the first stage of the Turkmen "Altyn Asyr" lake, the collectors diverting drainage and waste waters from the oases have been connected to a single hydraulic system," the message quoted the Turkmen leader as saying.
He said the water was purified to acceptable standards just within a few years, and as a result of natural biological processes, vegetation and a large number of fish and birds appeared there.
The new lake is in the Turkmen Karakum desert. When the reservoir is filled up, the volume of water will be 132 billion cubic meters.
Earlier it was reported that the first stage of the lake was commissioned in 2009. This project is estimated at several billion US dollars.
The collector-drainage discharges formed within the Mary, Akhal and Balkan regions previously accumulated in the lowlands of Karakum sands, flooding and, among other things, reducing the desert pastures.
Turkmen scientists believe that the creation of a large artificial reservoir in Karakum will improve the reclamation state of irrigated areas of Turkmenistan, increase the productivity of agriculture and prevent soil salinization.