<p>From <a href="https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1263&amp;context=nrei" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the link</a> provided by Keith McClary, the Aral had a salinity of about 1% and a max depth of 69 m. (Could not find average depth in the article.)</p>

<p>The Caspian Sea, on the other hand, has a salinity of about 1.2%, max depth of 1,025 m, and average depth of 211 m. I think this is enough information to say that the Aral was not just a smaller version of the Caspian, unless your main criteria is salinity.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-21T22:20:25.733Z
2018-12-21T22:20:25.733Z
DrZ214
<p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aral_Sea" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Aral Sea</a> was a major lake of the USSR until it suffered artificial changes, which began sometime no later than the 1960s.</p>

<p>I am unfortunately not sure when major artificial changes began. Wikipedia says that canal construction "on a large scale" began in the 40's, but then mentioned "By 1960, between 20 and 60" cubic km of water was being diverted. So it appears the date I'm looking for is somewhere between 1940 and 1960.</p>

<p>Anyway, the two key figures I'm interested in are <strong>average depth</strong> and <strong>salinity</strong>. What were these in the Aral Sea before it changed? One reason I ask is I'm especially curious if it was just a smaller version of the Caspian.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-08T02:56:31.973Z
You could calculate from the area and volume in Table 1 [here](https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1263&context=nrei).
Keith McClary
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-21T22:20:39.857Z
@KeithMcClary Thanks, included that info in my answer.
DrZ214
<geography><salinity><lakes><bathymetry>
Before the artificial changes of the Aral Sea, what was its average depth and salinity?
DrZ214
# Before the artificial changes of the Aral Sea, what was its average depth and salinity?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-07)

The [Aral Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aral_Sea) was a major lake of the USSR until it suffered artificial changes, which began sometime no later than the 1960s.

I am unfortunately not sure when major artificial changes began. Wikipedia says that canal construction "on a large scale" began in the 40's, but then mentioned "By 1960, between 20 and 60" cubic km of water was being diverted. So it appears the date I'm looking for is somewhere between 1940 and 1960.

Anyway, the two key figures I'm interested in are **average depth** and **salinity**. What were these in the Aral Sea before it changed? One reason I ask is I'm especially curious if it was just a smaller version of the Caspian.

**Tags:** geography, salinity, lakes, bathymetry

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You could calculate from the area and volume in Table 1 [here](https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1263&context=nrei).  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Thanks, included that info in my answer.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2018-12-21. Score: 1

From [the link](https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1263&context=nrei) provided by username_1, the Aral had a salinity of about 1% and a max depth of 69 m. (Could not find average depth in the article.)

The Caspian Sea, on the other hand, has a salinity of about 1.2%, max depth of 1,025 m, and average depth of 211 m. I think this is enough information to say that the Aral was not just a smaller version of the Caspian, unless your main criteria is salinity.


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