I think your expedition was actually along Aral sea. That is dried.
Caspian sea is rather stable.
Caspian sea is rather stable.
[0] https://metrovideogame.fandom.com/wiki/The_Taiga_(Metro_Exod...
[1] https://metrovideogame.fandom.com/wiki/The_Caspian_(Metro_Ex...
In 1970s there was a project to connect rivers Pechora and Kama [1] to redirect water flow and increase levels of the Caspian Sea which were declining at that time. The project was abandoned but the Caspian sea levels started to increase in late 70s and 80s even without geoengineering.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pechora%E2%80%93Kama_Canal
https://geographical.co.uk/science-environment/the-caspian-s...