Central Asia's 'Water Tower' Is Drying Up As Glaciers Vanish
- By Mirlan Kadyrov,
- Bektur Stamkulov,
- RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service and
- Austin Malloy
Kyrgyzstan's Lake Issyk-Kul in the Tien-Shan Mountains has been shrinking at an alarming rate over the past decade, receding by up to 10 meters in some places, according to research. One of the world's largest alpine lakes and a vital part of Central Asia's "water tower" is threatened by climate change, drought, and melting glaciers, which have resulted in tributaries feeding the lake drying up.