The construction of the first phase of a unique hydraulic facility - Turkmen lake "Altyn Asyr" finished in the middle of the Karakum desert. Turkmen builders completed the construction of trenches - two manmade rivers running for over thousands of kilometers.

Drainage water collected from the fields in Dashoguz, Lebap, Mary and Akhal provinces, flowing along the beds of these rivers, merge at the so-called collector, from which water flows to the Turkmen lake.

Every year, up to 10 billion cubic meters of mineralized drainage water will flow to the Turkmen Lake which sits in the natural depression called Karashor in the Karakum desert. The lake will dramatically improve ameliorative condition of irrigated lands and would solve many problems related to salinity, waterlogging of land and drought. The total capacity of the reservoir is 132 billion cubic meters with the surface area occupying about two thousand square kilometers.

The implementation of this multi-billion project will open qualitatively new opportunities and horizons for the development of the country''s agricultural sector and will contribute to the conservation, rational use of water resources, and improvement of environment both in Turkmenistan and Central Asia.