The Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world before 1960. However, it is now four separate water bodies, fed mainly by collector-drainage waters because of excessive upstream irrigation water withdrawals from the two main influent rivers, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya, which is clearly shown on satellite images. The resulting rapid increase in salinity has caused a dramatic decrease in the lake biodiversity and loss of a once thriving fishery.