Earth:Chatyr-Kul

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Lake Chatyr-Kul
Chatyr kul lake.JPG
Location of Chatyr-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
Location of Chatyr-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
Lake Chatyr-Kul
Location of Chatyr-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
Location of Chatyr-Kul in Kyrgyzstan.
Lake Chatyr-Kul
LocationTian Shan mountains, Naryn Province
Coordinates [ ⚑ ] : 40°37′N 75°18′E / 40.617°N 75.3°E / 40.617; 75.3
TypeEndorheic
Mountain lake
Native nameChatyrkol  (Kyrgyz)
rivers, streams, precipitation">Primary inflowsGlaciers
rivers, streams, evaporation">Primary outflowsEvaporation
Catchment area1,050 km2 (410 sq mi)
Basin countriesKyrgyzstan
DesignationRamsar site
Max. length23 km (14 mi)
Max. width10 km (6.2 mi)
Surface area181 km2 (70 sq mi)
Max. depth16.5 m (54 ft)
Water volume0.62 km3 (0.15 cu mi)
Shore length158 km (36 mi)
Surface elevation3,530 m (11,580 ft)
Islandsnone
Settlementsnone
Official nameChatyr Kul
Designated8 November 2005
Reference no.1588[1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Chatyr-Kul (also Chatyr Köl, Chatyrkol, Kyrgyz: Чатыркөл) is an endorheic alpine lake in the Tian Shan mountains in At-Bashi District of Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan; it lies in the lower part of Chatyr-Kul Depression near the Torugart Pass border crossing into China . The name of the lake means “Celestial Lake” in Kyrgyz (literally "Roof Lake"). The lake and 2 km buffer zone around it is part of the Karatal-Japyryk State Nature Reserve. The lake is a Ramsar site of globally significant biodiversity (Ramsar Site RDB Code 2KG002).

Climate

The mean annual temperature in the lake basin is −5.6 °C (21.9 °F), with mean temperature of −22 °C (−8 °F) in January, and 7.1 °C (44.8 °F) in July. The maximum temperature in summer is 24 °C (75 °F), and the minimum one in winter is −50 °C (−58 °F). Some 88-90% of the lake basin's 208–269 mm of annual precipitation falls in summer. From October to end of April the lake surface freezes, the ice becoming as much as 0.25-1.5 m thick.[2][3]

Hydrology

The water of Chatyr Kul Lake is yellowish-green with water transparency of up to 4 metres (13 ft). The mineralization of the lake ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 milligrams per liter (chloride, hydrocarbonate, sodium and magnesium type of mineralization). The salinity of the lake is 2 ppt. Mineral sources in the south part of the lake have mineralization of from 5 to 7 grams (0.18 to 0.25 oz) per liter and pH = 5,8-6,0. Flow rate is 1,866 m3 (65,900 cu ft) in winter and 3,629 cubic metres (128,200 cu ft) during summer.[4] 41 small streams debouches into the lake, of those 21 originate in Torugart Range and 20 - in Atbashi Range.[5]

Negative water balance of the lake over the last decades causes the decline in the lake level.

Gallery

References

  1. "Chatyr Kul". https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1588. 
  2. (in ru). Bishkek: Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyz SSR. 1987. pp. 156. 
  3. (in ru). Bishkek: Chief Editorial Board of Kyrgyz Soviet Encyclopedia. 1994. pp. 512. ISBN 5-89750-009-6. 
  4. "Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands". http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2KG002_RIS_E%202005.pdf. [yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
  5. (in ky) Кыргызстандын географиясы.. Bishkek: Chief Editorial Board of Kyrgyz National Encyclopedia. 2004. pp. 718. ISBN 9967-14-006-2.