Syr Daria: the damned river

From its very beginning till the Aral sea, Syr Daria river,a two thousand miles long river, accumulates the wholemajor ecological and water related problems one canever face on earth.

A Photo story by Marc Roussel / LightMediation

2650-01: N 42° 16,794' E 073° 10,647' . The Sousamyr river is pooring down the Kirghyz summits to the Naryn river that becomes itself the Syr Daria once in Uzbekistan.

Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 email: thierry@lightmediation.com

2650-01: N 42° 16,794' E 073° 10,647'La riviere Sousamyr coule des sommets kirghizes vers la Naryn qui deviendra ensuite le Syr-Daria. /// N

2650-02: N 42° 16,073' E 073° 12,138'Col d'Otmiok (3.330 m), une des sources du Syr-Daria, le plus long fleuve d'Asie centrale, dans les

2650-03: N 41° 25,753' E 072° 14,974'Après le barrage de Toktogul, la rivière Naryn encore vierge de toute pollution, coule vers l'Ouzbékistan.

2650-04: N 41° 29,927' E 072° 21,852'Le barrage sur la Naryn est controle par la compagnie nationale d'electricite qui appartient au fils du

2650-04: N 41° 29,927' E 072° 21,852' . The dam on the Naryn is controled by the national power company which belongs to the son of the President.

2650-05: N 41° 37,857' E 072° 40,739' . Kara-Kul village. As shown on the building picture, the Toktogulreservoir supplies the whole region with water and electricity.

2650-06: N 41° 46,524 E 072° 58,150' . Toktogul reservoir is 16 m below its standard level. The nationalpower company belongs to the son of the President who decided to sell electricity to Uzbekistan during

2650-07: N 41° 16,987' E 072° 28,598' "Hill n°3". Along the river Maili Suu the Soviets used to treat theuranium ore and store the radioactive waste in such plants, now abandonned.

2650-08: N 41° 16,987' E 072° 28,598' . "Hill n°3" is considered as the most dangerous by SagynKenjebayev, the head doctor of Maili Suu hospital. This plant, now abandonned, was used for nuclear

2650-08: N 41° 16,987' E 072° 28,598' "Hill n°3" is considered as the most dangerous by Sagyn Kenjebayev, the head doctor of Maili Suu hospital. This plant, now abandonned, was used for nuclear weapons making.

2650-09: N 41° 17,773' E 072° 28,618'. "Hill n°5". There is, along the Maili Suu river, 23 such hills wherebetween 1.5 and 2 millions m3 of radiioactive waste are stored open air. This is a sismic zone and huge

2650-10: N 41° 18,298' E 072° 29,678' . Uranium mines, close to the village named Serdia, in the MailiSuu valley. After the cold war, the plants were abandonned and today the radioactivity is 75 times more

2650-11: N 41° 45,854' E 073° 07,298' . The heavy rain falls drain chemical and radioactive waste ofabandonned industry. The water is then flowing to the Syr Daria, changing the whole ecosystem.

2650-12: N 41° 23,204' E 071° 24,387' . The shepperd and his cattle are drinking in the river Kasan Sai, atributary of Syr Daria, 20 km down the gold mine of Terek Sai.

2650-12: N 41° 23,204' E 071° 24,387' . The shepperd and his cattle are drinking in the river Kasan Sai, a tributary of Syr Daria, 20 km down the gold mine of Terek Sai.

2650-13: N 41° 13,542' E 071° 18,976' . Shekaftar. There is about ten radioactive waste hills around thevillage and the river. There is no potable water in Shekaftar and women have to use water from the river

2650-14: N 41° 14,006' E 071° 18,719' . Built along the river Rieshka, Shekaftar now holds manyradioactive waste hills (as the one background), coming from the former uranium mines.

2650-15: N 41° 14,534' E 071° 18,895' . Less than 2 km from the uranium mine, the river Rieshkaprovides to Shekaftar the only supply of water.

2650-16: N 41° 14,527' E 072° 26,432' Under treatment by the Family medical Centre N°4 in Maili Suu,Aligapar Assilav, aged 14, suffers with a bone disabling after radiation exposure.

2650-20: N 46° 01,806' E 061° 03,131' ; Despite a continental climate, massive irrigation plans drained out most of the water flowing from Syr Daria to the Aral sea.

2650-17: N 45° 50,914' E 062° 09,312' "Here in Kazalinsky, water is as precious as gold" says CamillaMambietova.

2650-18: N 43° 09,510' E 067° 50,424' After uranium mines in Kirghyzstan, Syr Daria reaches Kazakhstanwhere, since Staline times, its water is drained for irrigation.

2650-19: N 42° 58,399' E 068° 51,739' Kokaral, near the Kirghyz-Kazakh border. A vast irrigation networkis now abandonned.

2650-20: N 46° 01,806' E 061° 03,131' ; Despite a continental climate, massive irrigation plans drained outmost of the water flowing from Syr Daria to the Aral sea.

2650-22: N 43° 13,701' E 067° 46,730' . Most of the channels are abandonned, even if the water is still flowing, for nothing except evaporation.

2650-21: N 43° 08,544' E 067° 48,163'. Following an irrigation network created by the Khans in the XVIIIthcentury, Staline planners decided to use the Syr Daria water to grow cotton and rice. 50 years later,

2650-22: N 43° 13,701' E 067° 46,730' . Most of the channels are abandonned, even if the water is stillflowing, for nothing except evaporation.

2650-23: N 44° 37,145' E 065° 54,275' . Around Kyzylorda, a bird's eye view of Syr Daria, 2000 km afterits spring.

2650-24: N 45° 28,138' E 064° 03,870' . The biggest river of Central Asia, Syr Daria encounters all theecological problems one can imagine

2650-21: N 43° 08,544' E 067° 48,163' . Following an irrigation network created by the Khans in the XVIIIth century, Staline planners decided to use the Syr Daria water to grow cotton and rice. 50 years later, nothing isgrowing and most of the water is wasted.

2650-25: N 45° 03,930' E 064° 39,417'. Jalagash. This is the only point for water in the whole village,even if Syr Daria's water is getting lost in the Kazakh steppes.

2650-26: N 45° 03,930' E 064° 39,417' . People from Jalagash need to walk several kilometers to getwater at this unique point.

2650-27: N 46° 06,085' E 060° 46,217' . Built by the Kazakhs in 2005, Kok-Aral dam divides the little sea(right on the photo) and the main Aral sea. Water coming from Syr Daria is feeding the little sea while the

2650-28: N 46° 06,461' E 060° 46,139' Thanks to the dam, financed by the World Bank, the little Aral seahas got back 30% of its surface. But the water is still 3 times more salty than 50 years ago.

2650-27: N 46° 06,085' E 060° 46,217' . Built by the Kazakhs in 2005, Kok-Aral dam divides the little sea (right on the photo) and the main Aral sea. Water coming from Syr Daria is feeding the little sea while the mainone is draining more and more.

2650-29: N 46° 06,453' E 060° 46,115' . While the main Aral sea seems to be abandonned, water iscoming back in the little one, with an average depth that is now 38 m compared to 30 m 5 years ago.

2650-30: N 46° 35,383' E 061° 15,397'. After going away 50 km from the port of Aralsk, water is now"only" 30 km from its previous shore.

2650-31: N 46° 49,054' E 061° 37,941' . Between 1960 and 2000, the Aral sea lost 80% of its volume and50% of its surface. Salty meadows and heavy winds carrying pesticides made sustainable agriculture

2650-32: N 46° 39,109' E 061° 11,114' . The lost of the Aral sea caused by overexploitation of Syr Dariawaters is one of the major ecological catastrophies in the XXth century. Tens of thousands square miles of

2650-33: N 46° 47,631' E 061° 39,693' . Once the biggest fishermen' harbour from the Aral sea, Aralsk is now 30 km away from water. 3/4 of the population is now unemployed, living only with very little funds from theKazakh government.

2650-33: N 46° 47,631' E 061° 39,693' . Once the biggest fishermen' harbour from the Aral sea, Aralsk isnow 30 km away from water. 3/4 of the population is now unemployed, living only with very little funds from

2650-34: N 46° 47,195' E 061° 39,068' . Aralsk hospital. Potable water holds 4 times more salt thanrecommended by the WHO and winds carry millions of tons of sand containing pesticides that provoke

2650-35: N 46° 47,195' E 061° 39,068' . Aralsk hospital. Because of the pollution, the city has the highestchildren mortality rate in the world.

2650-36: N 46° 47,195' E 061° 39,068' . Aralsk Hospital. Because of salt and pesticides rate in the air,cancers, anemia and tuberculosis are much more frequent than the international average. Health services

2650-35: N 46° 47,195' E 061° 39,068' . Aralsk hospital. Because of the pollution, the city has the highest children mortality rate in the world.

Syr Daria: thedamned river

A two thousand miles long river, Syr Dariastarts in the Tien Shan mountains, crossesthe Ferghana Valley in Uzbekistan andTajikistan, then the Kazakh steppesbefore ending in the little Aral sea.From its very beginning till the Aral sea,this river accumulates the whole majorecological and water related problems onecan ever face on earth.

- In Kirghizstan, a dam on the Naryn river(Kirghyz name of the Syr Daria) holds thereservoir of Toktogul: power generationand management issues.

- Along the Maili Suu river, abandoneduranium mines and 23 radioactive wastehills: river and valley radioactive pollution.

- Still in Kirghizstan, the village ofShekaftar faces the same problems:uranium pollution, no potable water.

- Still north, along the Kasan Sai river,another tributary of Syr Daria, the goldmine of Terek Sai: gold and mercurypollution in the river.

- Down in the Ferghana Valley, where 7million people are living, radioactivity issometimes 30 to 40 times higher thanaverage level.

- Syr-Daria then crosses the border andflows a thousand miles through thesteppes till the Aral sea. That's where theSoviets decided to grow cotton and rice,diverting and draining nearly the wholewater of Syr Daria through a network of

channels that the Khans started to build inthe XVIIIth century. The result: one of thebiggest ecological catastrophy of the XXthcentury. The Aral sea lost 80% of itssurface and 90% of its volume. Thepopulation is suffering from manydiseases due to high salt, pesticides andinsecticides concentration in the water andthe air.

- Since 2007, the Kazakh government builtfor its propaganda a dam to divide the littleand main Aral sea. The little streamcoming from the Syr Daria is feeding thelittle sea while the main sea is stilldecreasing. What the Kazakh gain, theUzbek lose.

Captions

2650-01: N 42° 16,794' E 073° 10,647' .The Sousamyr river is pooring down theKirghyz summits to the Naryn river thatbecomes itself the Syr Daria once inUzbekistan.

2650-02: N 42° 16,073' E 073° 12,138' .Otmiok pass (10.000 ft) in Kirghyzstan,one of the springs of the river Syr Daria,the longest one in central Asia.

2650-03: N 41° 25,753' E 072° 14,974' .After the dam of Toktogul, the Naryn riveris still absolutely pure on its way toUzbekistan.

2650-04: N 41° 29,927' E 072° 21,852' .The dam on the Naryn is controled by thenational power company which belongs tothe son of the President.

2650-05: N 41° 37,857' E 072° 40,739' .Kara-Kul village. As shown on the buildingpicture, the Toktogul reservoir supplies thewhole region with water and electricity.

2650-06: N 41° 46,524 E 072° 58,150' .Toktogul reservoir is 16 m below itsstandard level. The national powercompany belongs to the son of thePresident who decided to sell electricity toUzbekistan during the last winter.

2650-07: N 41° 16,987' E 072° 28,598'"Hill n°3". Along the river Maili Suu theSoviets used to treat the uranium ore andstore the radioactive waste in such plants,now abandonned.

2650-08: N 41° 16,987' E 072° 28,598' ."Hill n°3" is considered as the mostdangerous by Sagyn Kenjebayev, the

head doctor of Maili Suu hospital. Thisplant, now abandonned, was used fornuclear weapons making.

2650-09: N 41° 17,773' E 072° 28,618'. "Hill n°5". There is, along the Maili Suuriver, 23 such hills where between 1.5 and2 millions m3 of radiioactive waste arestored open air. This is a sismic zone andhuge rains use to poor down the valleyand the hills, and further in the FerghanaValley where several million people areliving.

2650-10: N 41° 18,298' E 072° 29,678' .Uranium mines, close to the village namedSerdia, in the Maili Suu valley. After thecold war, the plants were abandonned andtoday the radioactivity is 75 times morethan the maximum tolerated.

2650-11: N 41° 45,854' E 073° 07,298' .The heavy rain falls drain chemical andradioactive waste of abandonned industry.The water is then flowing to the Syr Daria,changing the whole ecosystem.

2650-12: N 41° 23,204' E 071° 24,387' .The shepperd and his cattle are drinkingin the river Kasan Sai, a tributary of SyrDaria, 20 km down the gold mine of TerekSai.

2650-13: N 41° 13,542' E 071° 18,976' .Shekaftar. There is about ten radioactivewaste hills around the village and the river.There is no potable water in Shekaftar andwomen have to use water from the riverfor cooking and drinking.

2650-14: N 41° 14,006' E 071° 18,719' .Built along the river Rieshka, Shekaftarnow holds many radioactive waste hills (asthe one background), coming from theformer uranium mines.

2650-15: N 41° 14,534' E 071° 18,895' .Less than 2 km from the uranium mine,the river Rieshka provides to Shekaftar theonly supply of water.

2650-16: N 41° 14,527' E 072° 26,432'Under treatment by the Family medicalCentre N°4 in Maili Suu, Aligapar Assilav,aged 14, suffers with a bone disablingafter radiation exposure.

2650-17: N 45° 50,914' E 062° 09,312'"Here in Kazalinsky, water is as preciousas gold" says Camilla Mambietova.

2650-18: N 43° 09,510' E 067° 50,424'After uranium mines in Kirghyzstan, SyrDaria reaches Kazakhstan where, sinceStaline times, its water is drained forirrigation.

2650-19: N 42° 58,399' E 068° 51,739'Kokaral, near the Kirghyz-Kazakh border.A vast irrigation network is nowabandonned.

2650-20: N 46° 01,806' E 061° 03,131' ;Despite a continental climate, massiveirrigation plans drained out most of thewater flowing from Syr Daria to the Aralsea.

2650-21: N 43° 08,544' E 067° 48,163'.Following an irrigation network created bythe Khans in the XVIIIth century, Stalineplanners decided to use the Syr Dariawater to grow cotton and rice. 50 yearslater, nothing is growing and most of thewater is wasted.

2650-22: N 43° 13,701' E 067° 46,730' .Most of the channels are abandonned,even if the water is still flowing, for nothingexcept evaporation.

2650-23: N 44° 37,145' E 065° 54,275' .

Around Kyzylorda, a bird's eye view of SyrDaria, 2000 km after its spring.

2650-24: N 45° 28,138' E 064° 03,870' .The biggest river of Central Asia, SyrDaria encounters all the ecologicalproblems one can imagine

2650-25: N 45° 03,930' E 064° 39,417'.Jalagash. This is the only point for water inthe whole village, even if Syr Daria's wateris getting lost in the Kazakh steppes.

2650-26: N 45° 03,930' E 064° 39,417' .People from Jalagash need to walkseveral kilometers to get water at thisunique point.

2650-27: N 46° 06,085' E 060° 46,217' .Built by the Kazakhs in 2005, Kok-Araldam divides the little sea (right on thephoto) and the main Aral sea. Watercoming from Syr Daria is feeding the littlesea while the main one is draining moreand more.

2650-28: N 46° 06,461' E 060° 46,139'Thanks to the dam, financed by the WorldBank, the little Aral sea has got back 30%of its surface. But the water is still 3 timesmore salty than 50 years ago.

2650-29: N 46° 06,453' E 060° 46,115' .While the main Aral sea seems to beabandonned, water is coming back in thelittle one, with an average depth that isnow 38 m compared to 30 m 5 years ago.

2650-30: N 46° 35,383' E 061° 15,397'.After going away 50 km from the port ofAralsk, water is now "only" 30 km from itsprevious shore.

2650-31: N 46° 49,054' E 061° 37,941' .Between 1960 and 2000, the Aral sea lost80% of its volume and 50% of its surface.

Salty meadows and heavy winds carrying pesticides made sustainableagriculture impossible for local people.

2650-32: N 46° 39,109' E 061° 11,114' . The lost of the Aral sea caused byoverexploitation of Syr Daria waters is one of the major ecologicalcatastrophies in the XXth century. Tens of thousands square miles of salty,full of pesticides and insecticides soils have been left.