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160:, diverters and conduits, over 1000 kilometers long was planned along the canal's route. At the beginning of the canal at Takhiatash, Uzbekistan an enormous weir was built which had to be combined with the hydroelectric power plant. 25 percent of the water from the Amu Darya was to be drained into the canal to drain the Aral Sea. With the level of the Aral Sea lowered, the intention was to use the exposed land for agriculture, but the
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Shipments of goods from the entire country entered
Takhiatash, and according to recollections, were stored poorly, and substantial portions were considered unusable. In 1951, several camps and economic objects were built. On June 15, 1952 the railroad from Takhiatash to Chardzhou (now,
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was to be more than 100 meters, and a depth of 6–7 meters. There was another projected 10,000 kilometers of main and distribution canals, 2,000 reservoirs and three hydroelectric plants, each producing 100,000 kilowatts. Construction was intended to be finished by 1957.
104:. The project was supported by Hydrologist V. Tsinzerling, who estimated the volume of water taken from the river to be around 17–35 cubic kilometres (4.1–8.4 cu mi), which, according to estimations, should not have injured the economy of
224:) was opened. Infrastructure for the development of the city was created, searching expeditions were organized and aviation was connected. The number of workers during construction is estimated at 10,000; more than half were prisoners.
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The building of canals and channels for irrigation in
Turkmenistan began in the 1930s. In 1929, the Bassaga-Kerkinskiy Canal was completed at a length of 100 km. The development of the outlet design for the
212:). Urgench was chosen for its rail access. In November 1950, construction workers started work at the building site of the camps that would hold 2000 people. In December, they laid the new city of
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Construction of
Qaraqum Canal drained the Amu Darya river and therefore enabled huge areas to be opened for cotton production. Nevertheless, it also resulted in the destruction of the native
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on the Amu Darya's west side. When the city was first constructed there were two camps beginning to be built in the city for 1500 prisoners or people.
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and to take from 30 to 50 cubic kilometers per year for 4 to 8 years. This version was approved by the State
Planning Committee of the
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began in 1932. The design was to bring water from the Amu Darya, across
Turkmenistan to the coast of the Caspian Sea to irrigate the
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A. Zholdasov - On the Ruins of Great
Building. History of the Main Turkmen Channel: Journey along the asleep river of Gladyshev
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in 1932. The second plan was chosen. The length of the canal was to be more than 1200 kilometers, beginning from
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After Stalin's death in 1953, construction of the Main
Turkmen Canal ceased. In 1954 construction of the
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By H. Scheel, Bertold Spuler, G. Jaschke, F R C Bagley, H. Braun, H. Kahler, W. M. Halle, T. Koszinowski
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content of the lower reaches of the Amu Darya river had to be lowered according to calculations.
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A.I. K. Sarybaeva "Role of irrigation in the social and economic development of
Karakalpakstana"
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forests, and greatly diminished the inflow of water to the Aral Sea, which caused great
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growing, mastery of the new earth in the
Karakum Desert, and later, navigation from the
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on the
Caspian Coast of Turkmenistan. However, the discharge of water into the
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Unfinished irrigation and navigation project between the Aral and Caspian Seas
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75:. The canal was going to use the course of the ancient dry
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began, along a route far to the south. It stretches 1300
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Planned route of the Main Turkmen Canal on a 1951 stamp
59:. The canal was intended to transport water from the
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187:was anticipated for construction. The width of the
303:Buildings and structures built in the Soviet Union
204:in September 1950. The construction was based in
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175:to the Amu Darya. The use of ten thousand
200:Building began after the decision of the
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338:Cancelled projects in the Soviet Union
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13:
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318:Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
57:Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
210:Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
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333:Abandoned interbasin transfer
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167:The purpose of the canal was
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328:Irrigation in Turkmenistan
208:(at that time part of the
158:hydroelectric power plants
112:. It was intended to fill
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63:river to Krasnovodsk (now
48:Glavnyy Turkmenskiy kanal
37:Главный Туркменский канал
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287:. Overlook Press, 2011.
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308:Canals in Turkmenistan
260:ecological catastrophe
244:a substantial part of
108:or the ecology of the
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285:Engineers of the Soul
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202:Council of Ministers
71:on the coast of the
51:) was a large-scale
86:Map of Turkmenistan
313:Cancelled projects
114:Sarykamysskoe Lake
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29:Main Turkmen Canal
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323:Irrigation canals
283:Frank Westerman,
136:was not planned.
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278:Modern Times
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246:Turkmenistan
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196:Construction
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144:A system of
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69:Turkmenistan
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228:Abandonment
222:Türkmenabat
177:dump trucks
173:Volga River
134:Caspian Sea
130:Krasnovodsk
77:Uzboy River
73:Caspian Sea
65:Türkmenbaşy
297:Categories
266:References
214:Takhiatash
185:excavators
181:bulldozers
154:reservoirs
122:Takhiatash
106:Uzbekistan
53:irrigation
343:Amu Darya
242:irrigates
61:Amu Darya
42:romanized
253:riparian
110:Aral Sea
206:Urgench
150:sluices
91:History
44::
33:Russian
169:cotton
256:tugay
189:canal
146:weirs
126:Nukus
79:bed.
240:and
183:and
162:salt
140:Plan
118:USSR
27:The
128:to
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