Current Evolution of the Salt Composition of Waters in the Western Basin of the South Aral Sea

Hydrochemical studies were carried out in the western basin of the South Aral Sea, within Uzbekistan, during the expedition in 2019. Water samples were collected in the deep-water part of the western basin from various horizons. The maximum depth of the lake at the time of sampling was 30 m. This work is a part of studies of the evolution of residual water bodies of the Aral Sea. It describes the evolution of the chemical composition of the Aral-Sea water observed in the lake since the beginning of its desiccation and continuing to the present time in all residual water bodies of the Aral Sea. It is established that currently the deep-water part of the western basin of the South Aral Sea has a salinity of ~140‰ and occupies an intermediate position between the brackish North Aral Sea and the hypersaline Chernyshev Bay of the South Aral Sea. The salinity of the lake increases every year and has seasonal changes along with fluctuations in the lake level. It is found that the density increases by 1.2 kg/m3 both in the surface and bottom layers with increasing salinity by each 1‰.

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