1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineGerman election 2025COP29 climate talks
Nature and EnvironmentKazakhstan

Lake Balkhash is disappearing

August 7, 2021

Lake Balkhash in southeastern Kazakhstan is shrinking. For fishermen like Erbolgan Erbosynov, it's an existential threat. Fish are everything to him: his livelihood, his culture, and his tradition.

https://p.dw.com/p/3ygdp

Again and again, those fishing on Lake Balkhash are coming home with nearly empty boats. One reason for the meager catches is the Snakehead fish. It’s said that somebody released the predatory fish into the lake, and since then it has been multiplying rapidly and preying on other species. Environmentalists have another obvious explanation: They say the problem lies with the lake's tributary — the Ili River. In recent years, neighboring China has diverted more and more water from the Ili to irrigate agricultural land. Will Lake Balkhash suffer the same fate as the famous Aral Sea, which has now almost completely disappeared? A report by Alexander Prokopenko.

Skip next section More on Nature and Environment from Asia

More on Nature and Environment from Asia

Bhutan Wasserkrise Schülerinnen der Central School in Tsirangtoe

Water worries in Bhutan

Bhutan is feeling the effects of climate change, but is fighting the water crisis with bold ideas.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 1, 202206:35 min
A woman holds a tray of seedlings in a tree nursery

100 million trees for Borneo

On Borneo, many forests have been cut down. The 100 Million Trees project brings woodlands back.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 28, 202206:01 min
Skip next section More on Nature and Environment from around the world

More on Nature and Environment from around the world

Biene auf einer Blüte

Protecting bees from pesticides

Scientists in Colombia say they have developed a food supplement to protect bee's brains from damage from pesticides.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 20, 202402:26 min
Thumbnail | DW Sendung Planet A

How can we harness gravity to solve our energy needs?

Gravity batteries are a new big hope for storing excess renewable electricity.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 23, 202411:56 min
A woman in Morocco fills containers with water during a drought

How big business is profiting from the growing water crisis

Water scarcity has led to a market where local communities and private companies compete for access to a vital resource.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 17, 202410:50 min
Show more
Skip next section About the show

About the show

DW "Reporter" Sendungslogo (Composite)

Reporter — On Location

DW’s on-the-ground reporters are always close to the action, be it covering international events or zooming in on some of the quirks of daily life. Camera always in hand, they report on the changes they see taking place in Germany, Europe and around the world.

Go to show Reporter