The Aral Sea will be replenished with groundwater. The first wells have been drilled on the dry seabed. Video
**Aral Sea: Groundwater and Ecological Restoration**
Drilling of artesian wells to find and extract groundwater has begun on the Aral Seabed, which was once a thriving seabed. This work began in May in the western part of the former seabed. Three wells, ranging in depth from 500 to 700 meters, have already been drilled.
The work is being carried out by the Aral Sea Field Hydrogeological Expedition of the state enterprise Uzbekhydrogeology as part of the state program for the development and replenishment of the mineral resource base. Two drilling rigs are being used for this purpose.
Of the three completed wells, two are 500 meters deep, and one is 700 meters deep. Drilling is currently underway for a fourth well, with a design depth of 500 meters, which has already reached 250 meters.
Groundwater is already flowing out of the drilled wells. The flow rate is 8-10 liters per second, with each well capable of producing up to 700-800 tons of water per day. This water flows into the existing Aral Sea basin. This is expected to help reduce water salinity in adjacent areas and improve the overall environmental situation.
Despite this, groundwater alone will not restore the Aral Sea to its former size. Nevertheless, the project is seen as an additional means of supporting the Aral Sea ecosystem and preserving life on the dried seabed.
In parallel with well drilling, work is continuing to restore vegetation to the former seabed. Desert-resistant plants such as saxaul, cherkez, and kandyn are being planted on millions of hectares. This will contribute to the formation of a green belt, which is intended to stabilize the ecological situation.
The next stage is planned for the reconstruction of the Kokaral Dam. This will increase the water volume in the Northern Aral Sea to 34 billion cubic meters.
It was previously reported that the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan's part continues to gradually fill. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan noted a significant increase in the overall water volume in the Northern Aral Sea, which has received large flows along the Syr Darya River over the past ten months.