The Karakum Canal (Qaraqum Canal, Kara Kum Canal, Garagum Canal; Russian: Каракумский канал, Karakumskiy Kanal, Turkmen: Garagum kanaly, گَرَگوُم كَنَلیٛ, Гарагум каналы) in Turkmenistan is one of the largest irrigation and water supply canals in the world. Started in 1954, and completed in 1988, it is navigable over much of its 1,375-kilometre (854 mi) length, and carries 13 cubic kilometres (3.1 cu mi) of water annually from the Amu-Darya River across the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan. The canal opened up huge new tracts of land to agriculture, especially to cottonmonoculture heavily promoted by the Soviet Union, and supplying Ashgabat with a major source of water. The canal is also a major factor leading to the Aral Seaenvironmental disaster. The Soviet regime planned to at some time extend the canal to the Caspian Sea.[1]
The Karakum Canal (lower right) and the Hanhowuz Reservoir, 2014.a ship crossing the Karakum Canal.
The current Karakum Canal was not the first major attempt to bring the Amu-Darya water to the Karakums. In the early 1950s, construction began on the Main Turkmen Canal (Russian: Главный Туркменский канал), which would start at a much more northerly location (near Nukus), and run southwest toward Krasnovodsk. The canal would have used around 25 percent of the Amu-Darya's water. The works were abandoned after the death of Joseph Stalin, the current Karakum Canal route being chosen instead.[2] Reservoirs such as Hanhowuz Reservoir were created to help regulate it.
Google Earth view of part of the Karakum Canal, and desert area irrigated by it
Map of Karakum Canal (annotated in Russian alphabet)
Referencesedit
^Central Asia: 130 Years of Russian Dominance, A Historical Overview: Third Edition, by Edward Allworth (editor), publ. Duke University Press, Durham and London, 1994: ISBN 0-8223-1554-8 (cloth), ISBN 0-8223-1521-1 (paperback): page 297
^Nikolaĭ Gavrilovich Kharin, "Vegetation Degradation in Central Asia Under the Impact of Human Activities". Pp. 56-58. Springer, 2002. ISBN1-4020-0397-8. On Google Books
karakum, canal, qaraqum, canal, kara, canal, garagum, canal, russian, Каракумский, канал, karakumskiy, kanal, turkmen, garagum, kanaly, گو, لی, Гарагум, каналы, turkmenistan, largest, irrigation, water, supply, canals, world, started, 1954, completed, 1988, na. The Karakum Canal Qaraqum Canal Kara Kum Canal Garagum Canal Russian Karakumskij kanal Karakumskiy Kanal Turkmen Garagum kanaly گ ر گو م ك ن لی Garagum kanaly in Turkmenistan is one of the largest irrigation and water supply canals in the world Started in 1954 and completed in 1988 it is navigable over much of its 1 375 kilometre 854 mi length and carries 13 cubic kilometres 3 1 cu mi of water annually from the Amu Darya River across the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan The canal opened up huge new tracts of land to agriculture especially to cotton monoculture heavily promoted by the Soviet Union and supplying Ashgabat with a major source of water The canal is also a major factor leading to the Aral Sea environmental disaster The Soviet regime planned to at some time extend the canal to the Caspian Sea 1 The Karakum Canal lower right and the Hanhowuz Reservoir 2014 a ship crossing the Karakum Canal Contents 1 History 2 Important cities 3 External links 4 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Bridge over Garagum River in TurkmenistanThe current Karakum Canal was not the first major attempt to bring the Amu Darya water to the Karakums In the early 1950s construction began on the Main Turkmen Canal Russian Glavnyj Turkmenskij kanal which would start at a much more northerly location near Nukus and run southwest toward Krasnovodsk The canal would have used around 25 percent of the Amu Darya s water The works were abandoned after the death of Joseph Stalin the current Karakum Canal route being chosen instead 2 Reservoirs such as Hanhowuz Reservoir were created to help regulate it Important cities editAshgabat Bereket SerdarExternal links editGoogle Earth view of part of the Karakum Canal and desert area irrigated by it Map of Karakum Canal annotated in Russian alphabet References edit Central Asia 130 Years of Russian Dominance A Historical Overview Third Edition by Edward Allworth editor publ Duke University Press Durham and London 1994 ISBN 0 8223 1554 8 cloth ISBN 0 8223 1521 1 paperback page 297 Nikolaĭ Gavrilovich Kharin Vegetation Degradation in Central Asia Under the Impact of Human Activities Pp 56 58 Springer 2002 ISBN 1 4020 0397 8 On Google Books 38 15 16 N 57 49 09 E 38 25444 N 57 81917 E 38 25444 57 81917 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Karakum Canal amp oldid 1186632087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
