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{{Further|Aral Sea|North Aral Sea}}
{{Infobox lake
| name = South Aral Sea
| image = File:Aralsea tmo 2014231 lrg.jpg
| caption = The Aral Sea in mid-August 2014. The two remaining lakes to the south and west are the remains of the South Aral Sea.
| image_bathymetry =
| caption_bathymetry =
| location = [[Kazakhstan]]–[[Uzbekistan]], [[Central Asia]]
| coords = {{Coord|45|N|58.5|E|type:waterbody_region:UZ_scale:1500000|display=inline,title}}
| type = [[endorheic]], [[lake|natural lake]]
| inflow = [[groundwater]] only (previously the [[Amu Darya]])
| outflow =
| catchment =
| basin_countries = Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
| length =
| width =
| area = West Aral Sea: {{Convert|3500|km2|mi2|-1|abbr=on}} (2005) (fluctuating area of Eastern Sea) {{Convert|42100|km2|mi2|-1|abbr=on}} (1989)
| depth = {{Convert|14|-|15|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} (2005)
| max-depth = {{Convert|37|-|40|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} (2005)
| volume =
| residence_time =
| shore =
| elevation = {{Convert|29|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} (2007)
| islands =
| cities =
| reference = <ref name=jaxa>{{cite web|url=http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/en/imgdata/topics/2007/tp071226.html |title=Seen from Space - South Aral Sea shrinking but North Aral Sea expanding |publisher=EORC |date= |accessdate=2013-09-01}}</ref>
}}

The '''South Aral Sea''' was a lake in the basin of the former [[Aral Sea]] which formed in 1986 when that body divided in two, due to diversion of river inflow for [[agriculture]]. In 2003 the South Aral Sea itself split into eastern and western basins, the ''Eastern Sea'' and the ''West Aral Sea'', connected by a narrow channel (channel bed at an elevation of {{Convert|29|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}) that balanced surface levels but did not allow mixing, and in 2005 the [[North Aral Sea]] was dammed to prevent the collapse of its fisheries, cutting off the only remaining inflow to the southern lakes. In 2008 the Eastern Sea split again, and in May 2009 had almost completely dried out, leaving only the small permanent [[Barsakelmes Lake]] between the Northern and Western Seas and increasing the expanse of the [[Aralkum]] desert.<ref>{{cite web|author=Harald Frater |url=http://www.scinexx.de/wissen-aktuell-10326-2009-08-11.html |title=scinexx | Aralsee: Ostbecken ist jetzt Wüste: Satellitenaufnahmen dokumentieren dramatische Austrocknung der letzen Jahre - Wüsten, Aralsee, Desertifikation, Wasser, Bewässerung, Landschaft, Landwirtschaft, Flüsse |publisher=Scinexx.de |date= |accessdate=2013-09-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.feow.org/ecoregion_details.php?eco=629 |title=Freshwater Ecoregions of the World |publisher=Feow.org |date=2013-02-26 |accessdate=2013-09-01}}</ref> In 2010, it was partially filled again by meltwater,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=46685 |title=The Shrinking Aral Sea Recovers : Image of the Day |doi=10.1111/j.1440-1770.2010.00437.x |publisher=Earthobservatory.nasa.gov |date= |accessdate=2013-09-01}}</ref> and by 2014 was once again dry. The West Aral Sea has some replenishment from groundwater in the northwest,<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.jmarsys.2003.12.013|title=Groundwater discharge into the Aral Sea after 1960 |date= |volume=47|journal=Journal of Marine Systems|pages=109–120}}</ref> and so is likely to avoid desiccation.

==Background==
The [[Aral Sea]] began shrinking in the 1960s, when the [[Soviet Union]] decided that the two rivers feeding it, the [[Amu Darya]] and the [[Syr Darya]], would be diverted to [[irrigation|irrigate]] [[cotton]] and food crops in [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Uzbekistan]]. In 1986, due to an accelerated loss of water, the Aral Sea was split into northern and southern parts; the northern part is the current [[North Aral Sea]].

==Salinity==
In 2007, the western basin had a [[salinity]] of 70 g/l and the eastern basin 100 g/l. Once the water level falls below the connecting channel (elevation 29 m), the salinities can be expected to diverge further. Under current conditions, the eastern basin may receive water from the [[Amu Darya]] in wet years, fluctuating in salinity and flooding an area of up to 4500 km² in salt water to a depth of about one meter, which would preclude any economic activity in the area, while the western basin becomes increasingly saline.<ref name=zav/> Water diversion from the Amu Darya directly to the deeper western basin could lower its salinity enough to allow resumption of local fisheries, while allowing the eastern basin to desiccate almost entirely and avoiding the problems of flooding.<ref>[http://www.boku.ac.at/iwhw/onlinepublikationen/nachtnebel/EU_INTAS_0511_Rebasows/Files/Summary_report.pdf "The rehabilitation of the ecosystem and bioproductivity of the Aral Sea under conditions of water scarcity"] (rev. 2007 Aug.)</ref>

==Current situation==
The West Aral Sea is expected to stabilize at {{Convert|2700|-|3500|km2|mi2|-1|abbr=on}}, a mean depth of {{Convert|14|-|15|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, and a maximum depth of {{Convert|37|-|40|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, assuming groundwater discharge at the rate of {{Convert|2|km3|mi3|1|abbr=on}} per year.<ref name=zav>Peter O. Zavialov, 2005, ''Physical oceanography of the dying Aral Sea,'' p 112</ref> The Eastern Sea dried up completely in the summer of 2009, apart from the small permanent [[Barsakelmes Lake]] (between the Northern and Western seas), but it received some water from snow melt in the spring of 2010. It is expected to alternate between complete desiccation in the summers and the occasional flood from the Amu Darya or spillover from the dam holding back the North Aral Sea, though a second dike, begun in 2010, may reduce the incidence of the latter.

{{Gallery
|title=
|width=170
|height=170
|lines=5.5
|File:Aral sea from space in 2002.jpg|July 2002 – The Sea's former bed is visible as lighter-colored areas, the lightest regions representing the most recent retreat.
|File:Aral Nasa.jpg|November 2003 – Much of the Eastern Sea's water has evaporated, the jade green swirls representing sediment in the shallow water.
|File:Aral Sea Continues to Shrink, August 2009.jpg|August 2009 – The Eastern Sea's mud flats have dried further, with only the faintest glimmer of water where it drains into the Western Sea. [[Barsakelmes Lake]] appears between the Northern and Western seas.
|File:South Aral Sea, Landsat 20100724.jpg|July 2010 – A closeup of the channel leading from the re-flooded Eastern Sea to the Western Sea. The white areas are the exposed salt flats of the new [[Aralkum]] desert.
|File:The Shrinking Aral Sea Recovers 2010.jpg|August 2010 – Part of the Eastern Sea has been re-flooded by the [[Amu Darya]] from heavy snowmelt.
|File:Aral Sea 2011.jpg|September 2011 - The Northern Sea and Eastern Sea lost water, while the Western Sea gained more water.
|File:Aralsea tmo 2014231 lrg.jpg|August 2014 - The Aral Sea completely loses Its Eastern Lobe.
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2010}}
{{Lakes of Kazakhstan}}

[[Category:Aral Sea]]
[[Category:Lakes of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Lakes of Uzbekistan]]

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