Degree of Master of

I would like to dedicate this thesis to my father who will forever remain in my heart…

1. INTRODUCTION

The Aydar-Arnasay lakes system (AALS) is a system of lakes in Uzbekistan resulted from human-induced activity and currently one of the remarkable examples of artificially formed lakes playing a significant role in terms of fisheries development, maintenance of biodiversity, and recreational places for both the population and economy of the republic.

1. Background

The Aydar-Arnasay lakes system is situated in the south-eastern part of Uzbekistan on the territory of Navoi and Dzhizak provinces (Figure 1). In the north it is bordered by the Kyzyl-Kum desert whereas in the south by the foothills of the North-Nuratau mountains and extensive irrigated areas of the Golodnaya steppe in the east. The Aydar-Arnasay lakes system includes lakes Aydarkul, Tuzkan, Arnasay or East Arnasay lakes and surrounding desert areas (Muminov and Poplavskiy 2006). The total length east to west of these lakes is 300 km and its north to south width varies from 30 to 50 km (Wahyuni, Oishi et al. 2009). The water level of the lakes system is about 240-242 m, water-surface area more than 3700 km² and volume about 44,3 km³ (Nurbaev and Gorelkin 2004).

CEU eTD Collection
Figure 1. Location of the Aydar-Arnasay lakes system

2. Research

1. 
   Problem statement
   

The current development of the Aydar-Arnasay lakes system (AALS), which is one of the remarkable examples of the human-induced ecosystems, depends on numerous political and environmental factors.
On the one hand, the political tensions and disagreements between Central Asian republics alter the implementation of the coordinated water policy in terms of agreed water discharges to the Aydar-Arnasay lakes. The republics concerned, i.e. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, are focused on their own national interests and are not trying to consult the neighbors’ water needs.
On the other hand, forecasting change of the regional climate has an uncertain influence on these lakes. It is unclear, how the assumed climate change will impact the hydrological features of the AALS, such as volume water level, thermal regime and others in future.
Therefore, the future fate of this system is completely undetermined, including future of fisheries situated in these lakes, wetlands ecosystems designated as a Ramsar site, recreational activity and tourism which are directly related to the Aydar-Arnasay lakes.

2.