Turkmenistan begins creating vast lake in desert

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — The Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan is creating a 770-square-mile lake in the heart of a barren desert.

State media say water is being channeled toward the 230-foot Karashor depression in northern Turkmenistan to create what will be called the Golden Age Lake.

It could take 15 years to fill the lake. Once finished it will hold more than 4,600 billion cubic feet of water.

President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov used a spade on Wednesday to breach a dyke and start the water flowing. He says the lake will make the desert bloom.

Some experts fear the Soviet-style engineering feat could cause an environmental catastrophe.