Habitat Loss, Aral Sea Decline

"One of the greater environmental disasters resulting from water diversion has been the deterioration of the Aral Sea, a landlocked body of saline water in the former Soviet Union Republics of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in the south central part of Asia. Beginning with diversion of water flowing into the sea from the Amu Dar'ya and Syr Dar'ya Rivers to irrigate cotton in 1918, the water flow into the Aral sea was severely curtailed. By 1990 the Sea had lost 2/3 of its volume, the salinity of the water had increased proportionally, and the once thriving body of water had essentially 'died.'"