Kazakhstan to raise North Aral Sea level to 44 m within new restoration phase

The project comprises the reconstruction of the Kokaral Dam. The upgrade is designed to raise the water level of the North Aral to 44 meters (Baltic system). Upon completion, the surface area is expected to expand to 3,913 square kilometers, with total water volume reaching 34 billion cubic meters.

The Ministry is also developing more than 160 design estimates on modernizing and automating irrigation systems across the Turkistan and Kyzylorda regions. This will maximize water efficiency, allowing conserved water to be redirected into the Northern Aral.

The project is now being prepared for review by the Coordination Council for Cooperation with International Financial Organizations, chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The project execution period is set for 2026–2029.

Recall that over the past three years, the North Aral Sea has received an inflow of more than 6 billion cu m of water. This was made possible by coordinating reservoir operations along the Syr Darya River and strictly adhering to interstate agreements. As a result, the reservoir's volume grew from 18.9 billion cu m at the end of 2022 to 23 billion cu m by the end of 2025.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov highlighted the significance of the initiative.

"The Head of State has repeatedly emphasized the vital importance of preserving the North Aral Sea. Last year, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan signed a landmark agreement on the joint management and rational use of transboundary water bodies. For Central Asia, the restoration of the Northern Aral is not only an ecological priority but a profound social and strategic mission," he said.

Earlier, Kazakhstan detailed projects to receive World Bank loans.