Introduction -- Turkmenistan: Landscape-geographical features, biodiversity and ecosystems -- The Karakum Desert -- Climate change in Turkmenistan -- Water resources of Turkmenistan -- The Caspian Sea and Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay -- The Karakum Canal -- Sarykamysh Lake – collector of drainage water: the past, the present and the future -- Groundwaters and salinization of soils in Turkmenistan -- Forecast of the Water-Salt Balance in the Turkmen Lake Altyn-Asyr -- The Turkmen Lake Altyn Asyr -- Three-Dimensional Digital Elevation Model of Karashor Depression and Altyn Asyr Lake -- Satellite monitoring of the Caspian Sea, Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, Sarykamysh and Altyn Asyr Lakes, and Amu Darya River -- Present-day condition of ichthyofauna in reservoirs of Turkmenistan -- Waterbirds of hydrographic network of Altyn Asyr -- International cooperation of Turkmenistan in the water sector -- Conclusions.

This book offers a concise description of the environment and water resources in Turkmenistan. The focus is on the water bodies of Turkmenistan – the Caspian Sea, Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, Sarykamysh Lake, Amu Darya River, and the Karakum Canal. Respected experts from six different countries cover the landscape-geographical features, the Karakum Desert, biodiversity (especially of birds and fishes) and ecosystems, as well as regional climate change. Special attention is paid to the Altyn Asyr Lake water reclamation project, to the morphometric characteristics of the Karashor Depression, and to the four-year-long satellite monitoring of the construction area in the vicinity of the Karashor Depression. The information presented is based on observational data and scientific literature, mainly published in Russian. This is the first English book on the Altyn Asyr Project. It addresses specialists working in various fields of environmental problems and ecology, water resources and management, land reclamation and agriculture, regional climate change, and international cooperation in the water sector in Turkmenistan and Central Asia.