Aral Sea PACED Worksheet

1) PROBLEM: Use the space below to type a 150-word paragraph that explains the Aral Sea problem in
your own words.

The death of the Aral Sea is one of the long-lasting, negative effects the Soviet Union has had in Central
Asia. The Soviet Union wanted to use the area of Central Asia to increase the nation’s wealth. They
decided to grow cotton in the areas of Central Asia near the Syr Darya and Amu Darya, two rivers that
feed the Aral Sea. Because the cotton industry increased, the amount of water needed to water the
crops increased as well. This meant less and less water reached the sea from these two tributaries.
Today, the Aral Sea is almost empty due to the overuse of irrigation. Soviet industry and pesticide use
also contaminated the water that did reach the sea, making it heavily polluted. This killed a lot of the
fish, causing the fishing industry in the area to die as well. The Aral Sea went from being the 4 th largest
inland body of water to nearly completely dry.

2) PACED CHART: Evaluate each of the three alternatives based on the three listed criteria: Economy,
Environment, and Quality of Life. Type a number between 1 and 5 in each of the empty boxes based
on the effect you think each alternative will have on each criteria. (1 = very negative; 2 = negative; 3
= neutral; 4 = positive; 5 = very positive)

Alternatives Economy Environment Quality of Life

Reduce Irrigation 1 5 3
Divert the Volga and Ob Rivers 3 3 3
Give Up on the Aral Sea 5 1 1

3) DECISION: Use the space below to type a 150-word paragraph that explains which of the three
alternatives you would choose and why.

I considered all the factors with the various solutions regarding the crisis of the Aral Sea and decided
that diverting the Volga and Ob Rivers would probably be the best solution. If you look at the effect of
reducing irrigation, the environmental impact is wonderful, but this action would destroy the already
fragile economy. Giving up on the Aral Sea would be good for the economy because it does not affect
the agricultural revenue. However, doing nothing only continues the environmental nightmare that is
happening now and continues to negatively affect the people living near the sea. Diverting the Volga and
Ob Rivers isn’t perfect but offers a balanced solution. Central Asia’s economy would remain stable
through agriculture. The Aral Sea would have a chance at replenishing itself, therefore increasing the
health and quality of life for the residents around the sea. The only downfall to this solution is the high
price tag for the canals and possible disruption in the ecosystems where they are built. Hopefully
environmental activists could raise money to restore this very important sea. Furthermore, I would think
we are more environmentally intelligent and would take great care in choosing the canal sites and
making sure we do the least damage possible.