Largest Lakes in Kazakhstan

History

The main geologic history locally had two stages. The first is the Miocene, determined by tectonic events that correlate with the closing of the Tethys Sea. The second is the Pleistocene noted for its glaciation cycles and the full run of the present Volga. During the first stage, the Tethys Sea had evolved into the Sarmatian Lake, that was created from the modern Black Sea and south Caspian, when the collision of the Arabian peninsula with West Asia pushed up the Kopet Dag and Caucasus Mountains, making lasting south and west limits to the basin. This orogenic movement was continuous, while the Caspian was regularly disconnected from the Black Sea.

Economy

Countries in the Caspian region, particularly Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, have high-value natural-resource-based economies, where the oil and gas compose more than 10 percent of their GDP and 40 percent of their exports. All the Caspian region economies are highly dependent on this type of mineral wealth. The world energy markets were influenced by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as they became strategically crucial in this sphere, thus attracting the largest share of foreign direct investment (FDI).

All of the countries are rich in solar energy and harnessing potential, with the highest rainfall much less than the mountains of central Europe in the mountains of the west, which are also rich in hydroelectricity sources.

Iran has high fossil fuel energy potential.

History

Climate shifts have driven multiple phases of sea-level rise and fall. Inflow rates from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya are affected by glacial melt rates at the rivers' headwaters as well as precipitation within the river basins; cold, dry climates restrict both processes. Geologically driven shifts in the course of the Amu Darya between the Aral Sea and the Sarykamysh basins and anthropogenic water withdrawal from Amu Darya and Syr Darya have caused fluctuations in the Aral Sea's water level. Artificial irrigation systems began in ancient times and continue to the present.

Ecology

All these fish aside from the stickleback lived an anadramous or semi-anadromous lifestyle.

The salinity increase and drying of the lake led to the local extinction of the Aral trout, ruffe, Turkestan barbel, and all sturgeon species, and dams now block their return and migration routes; the Aral trout and Syr Darya sturgeon (Pseudoscaphirhynchus fedtschenkoi) may be extinct due to their restricted range. All other native fish, barring the stickleback (which persisted during the lake's shrinkage and salinity increase), were also extirpated, but many have returned to the North Aral Sea following its recovery from the 1990s onwards.

Impact on environment, economy, and public health

The Aral Sea is considered an example of ecosystem collapse. The ecosystems of the Aral Sea and the river deltas feeding into it have been nearly destroyed, largely because of the salinity being dramatically higher than ocean water. The receding sea has left huge plains covered with salt and toxic chemicals from weapons testing, industrial projects, and runoff of pesticides and fertilizer. Because of the shrinking water source and worsening water and soil quality, pesticides were increasingly used from the 1960s to raise cotton yield, which further polluted the water with toxins (e.g. HCH, TCCD, DDT). Industrial pollution also resulted in PCB and heavy-metal contamination.

Geography

The lake lies at an altitude of 420 m (1,380 ft), in a hollow between the Altai and the Tarbagatai Mountains. It is 105 km (65 mi) long with an approximate width of between 22 and 48 km (14 and 30 mi). The major river flowing into it is the Kara Irtysh (Black Irtysh) and Kendyrlyk from the east; its only outlet is the Ertis, or Irtysh River.

Since the construction of the Bukhtarma Dam on the Irtysh, downstream from the Zaysan, the lake has risen around 6 m (20 ft) above its natural level. As a result, the area of the lake has (essentially) doubled, from about 1,800 km2 to 3,500 km2 (or even to 5,000 km2); thus, in some sources, the lake is indicated as part of an artificial reservoir. Man-made reservoirs are abundant over a large portion of the surrounding area.

History

In the third century BCE, the lake marked the rough border between the tribes of the Xiongnu Confederation and the Yuezhi. Later, in the early 2nd century, the Xiongnu successfully seized much of the area from the Yuezhi.

During the Han-Xiongnu wars, Lake Zaysan and the Black Irtysh were a point of contention between the Chinese Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu, with a notable campaign made in the region by general Huo Qubing.

From the early 4th century, Lake Zaysan and the Irtysh on either side of it came under the control of three successive Turkic empires: the Rouran Khaganate, the First Turkic Khaganate, and the Second Turkic Khaganate.

Geography

Sasykkol (the two lighter-colored lakes in the photo). From the southern tip of Lake Alakol a narrow swampy valley connects it to the freshwater Lake Zhalanashkol (at the bottom edge of the picture).

Lake Alakol along the 10-km long slough called Zhaman-Otkel (Russian: Жаман-Откель).

The Alakol State Sanctuary has been created to protect the area for the lake is an important breeding and nesting ground for various wetland birds, notably the very rare relict gull. Piski Island has flocks of flamingo, and 40 species of other birds. UNESCO designated the Alakol Biosphere Reserve as part of its Man and the Biosphere Programme in 2013.

Ulken Araltobe is one of the islands in Lake Alakol, with an area of 2,119 ha, significantly larger than Kishkene Araltobe (148 ha) and Sredniy (23 ha).

History

During the reign of Timur, it was said that this lake "It-Ichmes" (translated "dog will not drink") because one liter of water contains 8 g of salt. Kimaks (IX-XI centuries) called this lake Gagan, after the city located on the site of the village of Koktuma.

The lake is already thought to be reported in the account given by William of Rubruck of his voyage to Karakorum, but he thinks it to be an inner sea, the oriental end of the Lake Balkash.

History

In 1967, an extension of irrigated areas began, and in 1970, the Kapchagay Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the region, began to fill. The lake is located some 80 km north of the old capital of Almaty.

The reservoir was created with the aim of regulating river flow and meeting growing economic demands. A dam and hydroelectric power plant were erected on the River Ili, creating the Kapchagay reservoir. However, the project took years to complete on account of the inadequacy of the water sources.

It was expected that the reservoir would be a major benefit to the arid soil in the region; however, the complete filling of the Kapchagay reservoir started to affect the water level in lake Balkhash. Filling of the reservoir discontinued in 1982.