Kamyslybas
Қамыстыбас
Lake Kamyslybas, as seen from space.
Kamyslybas is located in Kazakhstan
Kamyslybas
Kamyslybas
LocationKyzylorda Region
Coordinates46°11′59″N 61°47′58″E / 46.199722°N 61.799444°E / 46.199722; 61.799444
Typeendorheic lake
Basin countriesKazakhstan
Max. length30 km (19 mi)
Max. width8 km (5.0 mi)
Surface area176 km2 (68 sq mi)
Max. depth10 meters (33 ft)
Water volumeca 980 km3 (240 cu mi)
Shore length1115.6 km (71.8 mi)
Surface elevation56 meters (184 ft)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Kamyslybas (Kazakh: Қамыстыбас, Qamystybas) is a large saltwater lake in the Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan. It has an area of 176 km2, although the water level in the lake often fluctuates.[1]

The health of lake Kamyslybas is directly affected by the Aral Sea, which experienced increasing salinization and desiccation as the result of excessive and unsustainable expansion of irrigation that have drained both the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, the other major tributary river, and seriously damaged their deltas. Similarly to attempts to rehabilitate and preserve the lower Amu Darya delta, efforts are also underway to improve lakes such as Kamyslybas and Tushchibas.[2]

Geography

It has a maximum depth of 10 meters with a coastline 116 km long at an elevation of 58 meters above sea level. It is the largest body of water in the Kamyslybas lake system. It lies in the northern part of Syr Darya's delta, to which it is connected by a canal, and the water level in the lake is affected by fluctuations on the quantity of water from the Syr-Darya. Its salinity can fluctuate significantly, sometimes reaching the point of becoming brine.[3]

Fauna

Since the 1960s the lake has been well-known for its rich and diverse stocks of fish and wetland species, including carp, pike, catfish, perch, and waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and sandpipers. In 1977, water was pumped into the lake from the Syr-Darya to maintain a sufficient water depth, which also helped maintain the average fishing catches and the aquaculture industry around the lake.[4] Lake Kamyslybas is used as a fishery.

References

  1. ^ Kawabata, Yoshiko; Nakahara, Hiroyuki; Katayama, Yukio; Ishida, Norio (1997-03-01). "The phytoplankton of some saline lakes in Central Asia". International Journal of Salt Lake Research. 6 (1): 5–16. doi:10.1023/A:1009058710369. ISSN 1573-8590.
  2. ^ Micklin, Philip (2016-05-05). "The future Aral Sea: hope and despair". Environmental Earth Sciences. 75 (9): 844. Bibcode:2016EES....75..844M. doi:10.1007/s12665-016-5614-5. ISSN 1866-6299. S2CID 131625046.
  3. ^ Gadalia, Alain; Motelica-Heino, Mikael (July 2008). Abriak, N. E.; Amidot, D.; Zentar, R. (eds.). "Role of the sediments in scavenging inorganic contaminants in the Syr Daria River and the Small Aral Sea (Kazakhstan)". International Symposium on Sediment Management. Lille, France: 335–342.
  4. ^ The Aral Sea Encyclopedia. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 2009. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-85088-5. ISBN 978-3-540-85086-1.

External links


Lakes of Kazakhstan
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