Turkmenistan to create desert sea (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Turkmenistan has launched the latest stage of a plan to channel water across thousands of kilometres of desert to create a vast inland sea.

The lake will be filled with drainage water from the country's cotton fields.

President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said the "Golden Age Lake" plan showed his country was preserving nature and improving the environment.

But critics say the water will be full of fertiliser and insecticides, and will evaporate quickly.

The project is one of the biggest and most ambitious in the world, and could cost up to $20bn (£12bn).
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8154467.stm




More in the article on the potential ecological and political complications if things don't work as planned. Given that this project is a continuation of Soviet-style agricultural/hydrological planning, that seems rather likely.

[tularetom]

1. Nothing like concentrating pesticide and nutrient laden irrigation tailwater in a lake

Google "Salton Sea". Google "Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge".

This will be an environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Or, for that matter, Aral Sea.

Soon to be known as "the late Aral Sea".

[jwirr]

2. What kind of chemicals do they use on the cotton? If it is like most

modern farming they are building a poison pit that will create frogs with 6 legs and children like my daughter who most likely was the result of farm chemicals in the well. This is a bad idea.

[AlecBGreen]

4. modern day cotton farming

is HIGHLY dependent on insecticides. I wouldnt touch the water with a ten foot pole.

[timeforpeace]

3. What could go wrong?

[Nihil]

6. Not for nothing is that area referred to as "Absurdistan" ...

... and it looks like the current dictator in chief is taking after
his fruitcake predecessor ...
:shrug: