Kazakhs blame Russian dams for shrinking Caspian Sea
Kazakhstanis are actively debating the causes of the Caspian Sea’s declining water levels on social media and in local news outlets. Many speculate that Russia is partly to blame due to the construction of hydroelectric power plants along the Volga River.
Some argue that dams and reservoirs are reducing the amount of water flowing into the Caspian. Of the 130 rivers that feed the sea, the Volga provides roughly 86% to 87% of the total inflow.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources did not say whether a reduced inflow from the Volga would directly lower the Caspian’s volume. However, officials noted that even if that were the case, Kazakhstan has limited options because the river flows entirely through Russia.
Officials maintain that climate factors, particularly higher evaporation rates and persistent low water levels, are the primary drivers of the sea’s gradual retreat.
Notably, the Caspian Sea has dropped about 2 meters since 2006, reaching a critical level of minus 29.05 meters, based on the Baltic height system, in 2024.
