After the Aral Sea

This project documents the dramatic transformation of the Aral Sea Basin and the resilience of the communities who continue to call it home. While much of the sea has vanished, pockets of water remain, sustaining life and hope. This visual journey highlights aspects of life in the region today, such as reforestation programs, fishing, sustainable farming, and the everyday courage of people shaping a new future on the former seabed.

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Camels stand beside a stretch of saltwater outside the town of Aral. Once a seaport, Aral now lies 50 kilometers from the nearest shoreline of the Aral Sea. Kazakhstan, May 5, 2025.

The rusting remains of a boat near the Northern Aral Sea, its broken frame standing as a reminder of when the water stretched beyond the horizon. Kazakhstan, August 27, 2019.

Heavy silt in the Amu Darya river often turns the water a dark red—an ominous sign amid its declining levels. Uzbekistan, October 28, 2019.

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Camels stand beside a stretch of saltwater outside the town of Aral. Once a seaport, Aral now lies 50 kilometers from the nearest shoreline of the Aral Sea. Kazakhstan, May 5, 2025.

The rusting remains of a boat near the Northern Aral Sea, its broken frame standing as a reminder of when the water stretched beyond the horizon. Kazakhstan, August 27, 2019.

Heavy silt in the Amu Darya river often turns the water a dark red—an ominous sign amid its declining levels. Uzbekistan, October 28, 2019.

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