The Guardian reports on an logic-defying public works project in Turkmenistan. Originally dreamed up by recently deceased president for life Saparmurat Niyazov, they plan to channel agricultural runoff into a depression in the middle of the desert to create an expansive 770 square mile lake. Of course, channeling water through the desert via unlined canals in the open air will ensure that they lose most of it before it reaches their “blossoming oasis.”
Experts have expressed dismay at the quixotic Soviet-style project. They point out that much of the water pumped into the searing desert will evaporate, adding that it is likely to be contaminated with toxic pesticides and fertilisers.
While hydrologists and environmentalists might think this project is doomed to fail, Google is far more optimistic. In fact, they are so sure of the project’s success that they’ve already added the lake to Google Maps.
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Maps provided by Science Magazine and Lonely Planet (which marks it “under construction”), confirm that this is the lake in question.
The president then rode off on a jewellery-bedecked horse, climbed into his helicopter and flew back to the capital, Ashgabat.
Experts have expressed dismay at the quixotic Soviet-style project. They point out that much of the water pumped into the searing desert will evaporate, adding that it is likely to be contaminated with toxic pesticides and fertilisers.
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