Where is the lake Balkhash. Where is lake Balkhash

The picturesque lake Balkhash is located in the east of Kazakhstan. It is noteworthy that the lake is located on the territory of three regions - Karaganda, Almaty and Zhambyl. Lake Balkhash looks like a long crescent. The strait also divides this lake into two parts. At the same time, in the western part, the water is fresh, but in the east it is salty. This is considered to be the unique composition of the water. Lake Balkhash is called the remains of the ancient sea, it was located in the Alakol depression. Today many people try to visit Lake Balkhash when they come to Kazakhstan. And it's not just that, because the local sights definitely deserve attention. Read about in a separate article.

Features of Lake Balkhash

Although Lake Balkhash has been studied for a century, it still remains an unexplored place, which continues to amaze scientists with its mystery and uniqueness. The length of the lake is over six hundred kilometers, and this is with a maximum width of seventy kilometers. Various rivers of Semirechye flow into Lake Balkhash. Scientists call a geographic paradox that the freshwater lake is spread among the desert, where the continental climate reigns, while it has no runoff. Five climatic zones prevail on the territory of the Balkhash region, because it stretches on the border of a number of geographical zones. There is also a strong salinity of the land near the lake. However, this did not prevent the spread of vegetation here. And the salt itself has medicinal properties and improves human well-being.

Properties of Lake Balkhash

Another mysterious feature of Balkhash is its unique ability in relation to sediments. There is a large level of sand and clay in the Semirechya River. Such conditions contribute to the fact that the Balkhash basin would be completely filled with sediment in just three centuries. However, the lake independently copes with these elements, fenced off by river deltas, which restrain the flow of silt deposits. Rivers in deltas descend from the mountains, and break into many channels and branches, then lakes appear that accumulate sediments. At the same time, the water itself is purified to crystal transparency.

Scientists have not found chemogenic sediments in the lake. As a rule, carbon dioxide constantly accumulates and forms in deep-water lakes due to wind drift currents. In this case, carbon dioxide becomes a decomposition product of organic matter. Bubbles of carbon dioxide meet with chemogenic sediments, but, upon reacting, they become water-soluble bicarbonates, which settle to the bottom. Since there is constant wind mixing in shallow Balkhash, there is no carbon dioxide.

Tourism

Tourists on the territory of Lake Balkhash are offered various types of pastime. For example, the holiday house has all the conditions for a good rest, the cleanest water is suitable for swimming, and it is worth sunbathing on the beach; the region is also uniquely suitable for hunting and fishing. Arriving at Lake Balkhash, tourists discover its picturesque nature, unique flora and fauna and its other charms. Since this area is called a wonderful recreational center, it will charge you with positive energy for the whole year.

With a fishing rod on the shore of the lake, you can spend a high-quality vacation, because the atmosphere here is peaceful and calm. Balkhash is a large fish field, where even novice fishermen are not left without a catch. They come here mainly for fishing in spring, summer and early autumn. In April, the pre-spawning process of the famous Balkhash roach begins. As soon as the water warms up a little after winter, you can already catch carp and carp. Thus, fishing on the territory of Lake Balkhash will give real pleasure to fishing fans, and those who just want to relax in the bosom of nature.

Also, great opportunities are open to hunting enthusiasts. After all, here it is allowed to hunt gray duck, foxes, wolves, hares, gray geese, pheasants, and hunting for coots and mallards will be a special pleasure. Spearfishing will also be an interesting adventure. It is noteworthy that in order to take part in this entertainment there is no need for professional equipment, you just need to take an underwater gun, pipes and masks with you. For most of the submarine fishermen, this place has become a traditional vacation spot.

It is assumed that Lake Balkhash was discovered even before our era by the Chinese, who maintained close ties with the tribes of Central Asia. This people gave him the unusual name "Si-Hai", which in translation sounds like "Western Sea". Over the centuries-old history of its existence, the reservoir has been renamed by the Turks more than once: first into "Ak-Dengiz", and then into "Kukcha-Dengiz". The Kazakhs limited themselves to a simpler name - "Tengiz" (sea). The first major expeditions to these places began in the middle of the 18th century.

Where is Lake Balkhash

The location of the attraction is in the east of Kazakhstan, 400 km from Karaganda. It occupies 3 regions of the country at once - Karagadi, Almaty and Zhambyl. The reservoir is surrounded by two large sandy massifs. On the south side it is surrounded by the low Chu-Ili mountains, and in the west there is a picturesque steppe with small hills. There are several towns and villages on the coast - Balkhash, Priozersk, Lepsy, Chubar-Tyubek. Desired coordinates: latitude - 46 ° 32'27 "s. latitude, longitude - 74 ° 52'44 "east. etc.

The most convenient way to get to the place is from Karaganda and Astana. From these cities there are buses and trains to the station. Balkhash. Travel time is about 9 hours. You cannot reach the coast by car, parking near the water is prohibited.

Description of the attraction

The word "Balkhash" is translated into Russian as "bumps in a swamp". The lake is of natural origin, it appeared as a result of the uneven subsidence of the Turan plate and the flooding of the formed depressions, presumably in the second period of the Cenozoic era. There are many small islands and two large ones - Basaral and Tasaral. Considering Lake Balkhash as waste or endless, it is more correct to choose the second option, because it does not have a drainage system.

According to scientists, the basin is characterized by an uneven bottom with large elevation differences. In the western part, between Cape Korzhyntubek and Tasaral Island, the deepest depth is 11 m.In the east, this figure rises to 27 m.On one side of the coast, rocks with a height of 20-30 m protrude, and on the other, they are relatively uniform, no higher than 2 m Because of this, water often flows out of the basin. So many small and large bays were formed.

Balkhash ranks second after the Caspian Sea in the list of enduring salt lakes in the world. It is also the largest in Kazakhstan.

Here are a few more characteristics of the reservoir:

• the total volume does not exceed 120 km²;
• the area is approximately 16 thousand km²;
• height above sea level - about 300 m;
• dimensions of Lake Balkhash: length - 600 km, width in the western part - up to 70 km, and in the east - up to 20 km;
• there are 43 islands, of which it grows over the years due to a decrease in the water level in the basin;
• the coastline is very uneven, its length is at least 2300 km;
• rivers flowing into the lake - Lepsi, Aksu, Karatal, Ayaguz and Ili;
• the salinity of water in the east does not exceed 5.2%, and in the west it is fresh;
• food is provided by groundwater, glaciers, snow and rain.

The fauna of the lake is not very diverse; only 20 species of fish live here. For industrial purposes, they catch carp, bream, pike perch and asp. But the birds were more fortunate - these places were chosen by about 120 species of birds, some of which are listed in the Red Book. The flora that attracts botanists is also quite diverse.

What makes the place unique

Of interest is the fact that the lake consists of two basins, radically different due to the characteristics of the water. Since they are separated by an isthmus 4 km wide, they do not touch each other. Because of this, difficulties arise in determining the type of reservoir, salty or fresh, therefore Lake Balkhash is classified as semi-freshwater. No less interesting is the fact that in the two parts the degree of water mineralization differs sharply.

Geographers and botanists are also surprised by the geographic location of the reservoir, because the continental climate, dry air, low rainfall and lack of drainage did not contribute to its emergence.

Weather features

The climate in this area is typical for deserts; it is very hot in summer, in July the air can warm up to 30 ° C. The water temperature is slightly lower, 20-25 ° C, and is generally suitable for swimming. In winter, the time of frost comes, sharp cold snaps up to -14 ° C are possible. Water usually freezes in November, and the ice melts closer to April. Its thickness can be up to a meter. Due to the low amount of precipitation, droughts are quite common here. Strong winds often blow here, causing high waves.

The origin of Lake Balkhash has its own secrets. If you believe an old legend, then in these places once lived a rich magician Balkhash, who really wanted to marry his beautiful daughter. To do this, he summoned the best applicants for the girl's heart from different parts of the world. It should have gone to a strong, handsome and rich guy. Of course, the sons of the Chinese emperor, the Mongol khan and Bukhara merchants could not lose this opportunity. They came to visit with numerous generous gifts in the hope of good luck. But one young man, a simple shepherd, did not hesitate to come penniless, and, as luck would have it, it was he who liked the bride.

Karatal, that was the name of the young man, took part in the battle and won the battle honestly. But the girl's father was not happy about this and, very indignant, expelled him. The bride's heart could not stand this, and at night Or left her father's house with her chosen one. When her father found out about the escape, he cursed both and they became two rivers. Their waters rushed along the slopes of the mountains, and so that they never met, the sorcerer fell between them. From strong excitement, he turned gray and turned into this very lake.

Environmental problems of the reservoir

There is an acute problem of an active decrease in the volume of Lake Balkhash in connection with an increased intake of water from the rivers flowing into it, especially from the Ili. Its main consumer is the people of China. Environmentalists say that if this continues, the reservoir could repeat the fate of the Aral Sea, which has completely dried up. The metallurgical plant of the city of Balkhash is also dangerous, the emissions of which pollute the lake and cause irreparable damage to it.

Where can you stay

Since the reservoir is prized for its recreational opportunities, there are many places on its shore where you can stay in comfort. Here are just a few of them:

• recreation center "Swallow's Nest" in Torangalyk;
• city ​​dispensary in Balkhash;
• hotel complex "Pegas";
• boarding house "Gulfstream";
• hotel "Pearl".

The cost of accommodation in a standard room without treatment and meals is approximately 2500 rubles per day for two. Vacation at tourist centers is the cheapest. Sanatoriums near Lake Balkhash are chosen when there are health problems.

Entertainment and leisure for guests

Fishing is very popular here, which is allowed at specialized bases. Among the visitors there are also many who like to hunt a pheasant, a hare or a wild duck. The season usually opens in September and lasts until winter. It is also possible to catch wild boars with a dog.

In the warm season, people come here mainly for beach vacations and scuba diving, in order to take beautiful photos. Among the entertainment available are jet skiing, catamarans and boats. Snowmobiling and skiing are popular in winter. On the territory of hotels and sanatoriums guests can use:

• table tennis;
• pool;
• billiards;
• horse rides;
• sauna;
• cinema;
• bowling;
• gym;
• paintball game;
• bike rides.

Near Lake Balkhash there is all the necessary infrastructure - a hospital, pharmacies, shops. The deserted coast was chosen by "savages" who come here with tents. Overall, this is a great place to stay!

Lake Balkhash is one of the largest continental drainless bodies of water in Eurasia. The lake is located in the naturally created Balkhash-Alakol depression. Seen from above, the lake resembles a boomerang and is divided by the strait into two different parts. The shallow western part is filled with fresh water; the eastern one is deeper, up to 26 meters, and rather salty. The lake shore is indented with bays and bays. Islands are few, they are rocky

The lake is filled with seven rivers. Up to 80% of fresh water is carried to Balkhash by the large river of Asia - Ili, flowing into the western part of the lake. Other rivers, Karatal, Lepsy, Ayaguz, Tentek, Koksu and Aksu, make a small contribution to the replenishment of the lake with water, because they are used for irrigated agriculture and household needs. From year to year, the runoff of fresh water from small rivers decreases and the percentage of pesticides and harmful substances increases.

Despite the fact that scientists have been studying Balkhash for a long time, they receive more and more new discoveries.
After all, a fresh lake was formed in the desert, without a high level of precipitation, without runoff, in a continental climate. Despite the salinity of the soil, vegetation has not disappeared here. Scientists consider Balkhash to be a natural paradox.

Balkhash salts have a beneficial effect on human well-being, and are medicinal in their properties. It is in the salts that the main secret of the lake lies. The Saryesik Strait divides the lake into almost equal parts. Water moves from west to east, the western part is flowing. Therefore, it is practically bland. Huge masses of silt and salt are thus transported to the eastern part by the current. The soaked mass is quite capable of blocking a narrow strait and destroying the eastern part of the lake in thirty years. But the lake has existed for many centuries and the water in the eastern part is slightly salty! Scientists explain this phenomenon by the fact that the lake itself gets rid of salt. The entire population of Balkhash - algae, bacteria, fish, birds, reeds - are natural salt filters, they assimilate and accumulate salts. Such a harmonious and balanced system of salt metabolism and excretion has been formed for centuries, and it is clear that any violation will lead to disaster.

Balkhash also has a unique sediment disposal system and a special biological ability to get rid of excess organic matter. Therefore, Lake Balkhash will never overgrow, will not become a swamp, and eutrophication does not threaten it either.

The nature of the Balkhash region is rocky, clayey and gravel deserts suitable for a variety of vegetation. The flora has been adapting to the climate of this region for centuries, has a number of biological features to cope with the scorching sun, lack of rainfall and water. Balkhash is famous for its abundance of fish. There are also dozens of bird species, including rare ones.

Lake Balkhash and Pribalkhash region is a source of strength and inspiration for any person who has visited these places. The lake attracts with its charm and mysteries, which are not always possible to solve.

Also in this post you will see a team of 402 km motorists from Novosibirsk, which visited Balkhash in May 2013.

In the description of Lake Balkhash, such a word is often used as unique. This is what nature has ordered. For example, the peculiarity of the place where Lake Balkhash is located is that it is divided by the waters of the strait into 2 parts:

• in the eastern part of the lake, the water is salty;
• in the west, the water has an almost fresh chemical composition.

Of the largest lakes on the planet, Balkhash takes 13th place. And among the salty lakes that never dry up, it is, in terms of area, the second after the Caspian Sea. Until recently, the lake was the third on this list. But the Aral Sea is rapidly drying up. Answering the question: "Where is the lake Balkhash" ", it should be said that this is the territory of 3 regions of Kazakhstan:

• Karagandinskaya:
• Almaty;
• Zhambylskaya.

The history of the name of Lake Balkhash

Balkhash is translated as “bumps in the swamp”. There is a legend that the rich magician Balkhash doted on his daughter Ili. He chose the most courageous, strong, wealthy and handsome hero as a husband to a beauty. They have thrown a cry all over the world.

The sons of the Chinese emperor and the Mongol khan arrived, brought innumerable herds of horses and caravans of camels laden with gold and silver. And the bride liked a young man named Karatal, who was a poor and rootless shepherd.

The shepherd won all the competitions. The enraged Balkhash drove him away. But the lovers fled from their father. The sorcerer cursed the shepherd and his daughter and turned the young people into rivers. And in order to prevent the rivers from joining, he himself stretched out between the lovers of a huge lake.

Where is Lake Balkhash on the map

Answering the question: “Where is Lake Balkhash on the map”, it should be said that these territories are called East Kazakhstan. Here are some characteristics of the lake:

Environmental hazard to the lake

It should be said that a modern mining metallurgy combine has been built in the town of Balkhash. The emissions from this plant cause serious environmental damage to the lake. The public of Kazakhstan is actively fighting for the future of this national natural shrine. Various measures are being taken, including those of an international nature, to protect this unique natural site.

The lake has excellent recreational potential. The unique landscape, fishing, hunting - all this attracts numerous tourists here. Several modern and comfortable boarding houses for rest and treatment are open on the shore.

Balkhash (Balkash; kaz. Balkash) is an endless semi-freshwater lake in the Balkhash-Alakol depression in the southeast of Kazakhstan, the second largest undying salt lake (after the Caspian Sea) and 14th in the list of the largest lakes in the world.

The uniqueness of the lake lies in the fact that it is divided by a narrow strait into two parts with different chemical characteristics of the water - in the western part it is practically fresh, and in the eastern part it is brackish.

Its area at low water standing is 17.5 thousand square meters. km, with a higher up to 19 thousand square meters. km. The average length is 600 km. Balkhash lies at an altitude of 340 m above sea level. Balkhash drainless lake takes in the rivers Ili, Karatal, Ak-su and others. According to natural conditions, Balkhash is divided by a narrow strait Uzun-Aral into a relatively shallow western stretch (up to 11 m), which receives the river. Or, desalinating this entire part of the lake, and the eastern deeper reach (up to 26.5 liters), separated by the specified strait, its water is salty. Thus, in hydrochemical and biological terms, Balkhash is a fresh-salty mixotrophic heterogeneous lake.

The first researcher of Balkhash, who laid the foundation for its hydrological and biological study, was L. S. Berg. His expedition (equipped by the Geographical Society) descended in 1903 to Balkhash along the river. Or, for the first time, she established the presence of fresh water in the western part of the lake, made a map of the lake and provided scientific coverage of the history of this wonderful reservoir. In Soviet times, it was studied in detail by P.F. Domrachev (1931).

Balkhash lies among the Zhambyl, Karaganda, Taldy-Kurgan and Almaty regions of Kazakhstan. It has a horseshoe shape and is elongated from west to east. To go around Balkhash around, you need to make a path equal to the distance from Leningrad to Crimea. The length of the lake is 595 km, at its widest point it has 71 km, but almost everywhere it is much narrower.

The southern shores are low, in the western part they represent a dry sandy plain of the old delta of the river. Or crossed by the dried-up stocks of her former sleeves. Further, along the reed-covered shores of the lake, there is a ridge of low sandy hills, behind which the Sary-Ishikotrau desert stretches to the south and east. Only in the east does the coast rise. In the north, the Bedpak-Dala desert and the spurs of the Kazakh folded country approach the lake.

In our time, Balkhash no longer represents a deserted and wild place, as during the expeditions of L. S. Berg and P. F. Domrachev. The town of Balkhash is located on the northern coast, and a number of villages have appeared. From the west along Balkhash there is the Mointy-Chu railway, its branch goes to the town of Balkhash. The waters of the lake are plowed by steamers that make voyages along the entire lake, and dozens of fishing boats. Balkhash collects water from the spurs of the Tien Shan, Zailiyskiy and Dzhungarskiy Alatau. Its largest tributary is the river. Or (1300 km) flows into the lake in the southwest. The catchment area of ​​Balkhash is 176.5 thousand sq. km.

The Ili River carries the bulk of fresh water into the lake, it is abundant and is not subject to level fluctuations much. It is it that freshened the entire western shallower area of ​​Balkhash, in which the mineralization only gradually increases from 500 mg / l with distance from the river mouth to 1500 mg / l towards the Uzun-Aral Strait. The rest of the Balkhash tributaries: Karatal, Ak-su, Lepsa and Ayaguz, are shorter and have less influence on the chemical regime of the lake. All of them flow into the eastern salty deeper part of the lake, where salinity ranges from 3500 to 5000 mg / l of water.

The level of the lake is subject to long-term periodic fluctuations, possibly related to the changing high-water content of the tributaries beginning at the snows of the Tien Shan. During periods of high water, the lake level rises by 2.75 m and it becomes fresher. Level changes occur approximately once every 40 years.

Balkhash is shallow (average depth 6 m), and in the hot climate of Central Asia its water is heated to 27-30 ° in the summer months. Balkhash does not freeze every year. The lake is quite rough and the waves are significant.

Due to the exhaustion of silt from the bottom, the water of the lake is not very transparent and has a greenish-whitish color. Kazakhs call Balkhash "Ak-Deniz", which means "White Sea". But on quiet days in deeper places, the lake takes on a pure emerald-blue hue and the transparency increases (up to 4.5-5 m). The oxygen regime of the lake is quite satisfactory, there is no stagnation of water anywhere.

The banks of the Balkhash are sandy over their greater extent. The deserts surrounding the lake pass along its shores into flat, far submerged beaches of sand strewn with fragments of shutter shells. In some places the sand is silted up and along the southwestern and southern coasts it grows with a thick wall of reeds. The latter not only grows in the water, but in some places it also reaches the shore. A mass of fragments of old stems, dry leaves and reed roots peat the shore.

Wild boars are found in the thickets. There are many waterfowl, there are entire colonies of pelicans. About 40 years ago, there was a tiger in the shores of Balkhash.

Stony and rocky soils of the littoral zone are found more often along the northern and eastern shores at the outcrops of bedrock rocks.

Deeper, the bottom is lined at first with dark, and in the main basin with light gray, strongly siliceous, with a large admixture of diatom valves, silts.

Fauna and flora of Lake Balkhash

The fauna of the lake is not rich, but in a peculiar way it reflects its mixed hydrochemical regime.

Zooplankton counts:

• 5 types of protozoa,
• 28- rotifers,
• 11-cladocer and,
• 6 species of copepods.

In the open lake, in the western more fresh part, there are rotifers:

• 2 types of keratelli,
• small trichocerca (Trichocerca pusila),
• chromogaster-turtle,
• pompholix furrowed,

and from crustaceans:

• diaphanodoma,
• leptodor,
• Cyclops Leuckart,
• fat cyclops (Cyclops crassus),
• diaptom thin and,
• saline diap.

To the east, the number of halophilic forms increases, especially in the range of saline, salt-loving rotifers from the pedalia genus appear, and the crustacean ceriodaphnia reticulate. The number of crustaceans (without rotifers) is much higher in the desalinated part (over 50 thousand / m 3 of water) than in the salinized eastern part (17.3 thousand / m 3 of water). EF Manuilova (1940), who studied the zooplankton of Balkhash, described an interesting daphnia (Daphnia balchaschensis), which changes its shape depending on the salinity of the water.

In the western freshwater part of the lake, the Balkhash daphnia had a long tail spine and a high curved helmet, while this crustacean from the salty parts of the lake was round-headed with a short spine. These changes are similar to seasonal changes in “summer” and “winter” daphnia lakes in the north, but they occur simultaneously in parts of the lake with different salinity.

Algal plankton in the west in the summer consists of melosira and ceratia; in more saline regions, blue-green foam-born nodularia (Nodularia spumigera) and diatoms: chetoceros and amphipora (I.A.Kiselev) develop.

The lake benthos also reflects its chemical heterogeneity. The complete extinction of molluscs in the lake, caused by an increase in its salinity, is noted. Now in Balkhash there are no mollusks, but at the bottom and along the banks there are many shells of freshwater species common for Siberia - pond snails (4 types), coils (2 types), gates, bitinia, lake peas.

The overwhelming majority of the bottom population of the lake is made up of tendipedid larvae. Of the 24 forms of Balkhash larvae, the larvae of the salt-loving tendypes prevail everywhere, the second place, especially in the eastern regions, is occupied by protentes, in the fresher part of the lake there are also many cryptochironoma and interlacing. The emergence of bell mosquitoes on the lake is massive and occurs sequentially, the first completes its metamorphosis protentes (in June-July), followed by a massive emergence of the salt tendency, and in August the years of cryptochironoma occur.

The biomass of the Balkhash benthos is low. In the western part - 0.6 g, in the eastern 0.7 g / m2 of the bottom. The weight of benthic organisms is higher towards the end of winter, when the biomass increases by about three times.

1 - Balkhash marinka, 2 - sloth beetle, 3 - carp, 4 - Balkhash perch, 5 - Aral thorn

In such a large lake as Balkhash, previously there were only 5 species of fish:

• two species of marinoks (Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis and Sch. argentatus),
• large Strauch char (Nemachilus strauchi),
• sloth beetle (Nemachilus labiatus) and,
• Balkhash perch (Perea schrenki).

Occasionally from the river. Or Polyakov's minnow (Phoxinus poljakowi) comes in. Fish grow slowly, marinkas feed on aquatic plants, charr - coastal invertebrates, perch - predatory fish.

At present, the fish fauna of Balkhash has been enriched with new, more valuable species.

The beginning of Balkhash fish farming was unwittingly put by the amateur fish breeder F. Bogdanov, who bred carp from the lake near Verny (Alma-Ata). Issyk-Kul. In 1905, after the dam broke, part of the fish from its pond went into the river. Almaty, through it into the river. Or to Balkhash. Since 1913 the carp has become the most widespread fish in Balkhash. Its catches in our time are 50-60 thousand centners per year. Carp, as you know, feeds mainly on tendipedid larvae.

In 1933, in the river. Or a thorn was released from the Aral Sea. Now it is already caught in western Balkhash, reaching a length of more than 1 m and a weight of over 9 kg. In Balkhash, the thorn feeds on char and perch. The bream was introduced into the lake, and the Siberian dace also appeared in it. Thus, the fauna of Balkhash fish has become more complete, in connection with which the feeding possibilities of this large reservoir are better used.

In the Balkhash depression there are a number of saline lakes, many of which, like Ala-Kul, previously undoubtedly constituted one whole with Balkhash and, being separated from it, quickly underwent salinization.

In total, about 70 self-deposited lakes have been identified in the Balkhash region. Among them there are chloride, sulphate lakes with the content of mainly mirabilite and thenardite, and most often there are mixed lakes, where the salt mass consists of table salt and sodium sulfate. In the lake. Kokdombak 48 km from the station. Bertys under a thin layer of sodium chloride and a layer of silt is a high-quality gypsum. Many of the lakes are suitable for industrial use.
So, for example, from the lake. Tersakkan (west of the town of Balkhash), the fish factory and the Balkhash local combine are supplied with table salt. Good quality table salt is mined in the lake. Kashka-Teniz at the Chu-Mointy railway station.

An older connection is established at the lake. Balkhash with the lakes of the Alakul depression lying further to the east, near the border with China. Lake Ala-Kul (2300 sq. Km) is one of the largest lakes in Kazakhstan. Its low-lying shores are overgrown with reeds, among which there are many water birds.