Beginning in the 1960's, agricultural demands have deprived this large Central Asian salt lake of enough water to sustain itself, and it has shrunk rapidly. This was caused principally by the diversion of two tributary rivers, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. Water from the Syr Darya and Amu Darya Rivers was diverted primarily for irrigation of cultivated fields. The plains surrounding the Aral were traditionally cattle pastures. Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, and other Central Asian countries use this water to grow cotton and additional export crops. More than 5 metric tons of cotton are produced in the region each year. The irrigated fields are approximately the size of Ireland.
The resulting concentration of the lake water and desertification of the former lake bottom has been responsible for large impacts on local wildlife and human populations. There are widespread environmental consequences, including fisheries loss, water and soil contamination, and dangerous levels of polluted airborne sediments. 10% of the world's dust comes from Aral Sea Region. Former fishing ports are stranded far from the sea. Some towns that had a fishing industry are now more than 40 miles from the lake shores.