Pipe Dreams Water and Empire in Central Asias Aral Sea Basin

"Pipe Dreams: Water and Empire in Central Asia's Aral Sea Basin," a 2019 book by American historian Maya K. Peterson, explores major water projects implemented and proposed during the Russian Empire and Soviet Union eras in Central Asia. Based on Peterson’s PhD dissertation at Harvard University, the book draws on extensive archival research from Russia, the United States, and Central Asian countries. It chronologically examines the historical development of irrigation projects, beginning with the Tsarist regime's ambitions after conquering Turkestan and delving into events and figures such as Grand Duke Nicholas Konstantinovich’s 19th-century efforts. Subsequent chapters discuss the challenges faced by the Tsarist state before World War I, the Chu River project during the Central Asian revolt of 1916, and the Bolsheviks’ initiatives postwar. The book also covers Soviet-era projects like the Vakhsh River irrigation scheme and the Great Ferghana Canal under five-year plans in the 1930s. An epilogue ties these developments to the Aral Sea crisis. Acclaimed for its original research and contributions to environmental history, "Pipe Dreams" has been praised by scholars for its depth and readability, marking a significant addition to understanding the region’s environmental and political dynamics.