Lake Alakol

One of the unique lakes of Kazakhstan is Alakol Lake, salty closed lake, situated on the Balkhash-Alakol lowland, which is in the border of Almaty and West-Kazakhstan regions, in the Balkhash side of the Alakol basin. The lake had several namesduring XII-XiXth centuries: Turge-Nor (from Mongol it means “The bridge lake”), Alaktogol, Alateniz, Alakta.

More than 15 affluences run into the Lake, the main of which are: Urzhar, Katynsu, Emelkuysa, Yrgaity, Zhamanty, Zhamanotkol, Tasty. Together with the Lake Sasykkol, Uyaly, Zhalanashkol and others, which are shallower, they form the Lake system in the area.

The square area of the Lake with the islands amounts 2696 kmВІ, the water volume is 58,56 kmВі, the length is 104 km, the width is 52 km, the average depth is 22m the largest depth is 54 km, the length of the coast line is 348 km.

The coast lines are deeply cut by multiple semi islands, capes, gulfs, bay. The Large and small Balgyn gulfs are rather deep and they are used like ports-refuge.

There are Ulken, Kishkene, Araltobe, Belkuduk and other islands are there in the center of the Lake Alakol. The climate of the coast is sharply continental.

There is a compound wind regime over the Lake.

The maximum wind speed over the Northern parts of the Lake achieves 40-50m/sec., over the South-eastern and central parts amounts 50-60 m/sec. The winds are more active during autumn and winter period, when the wave height is 2-2,5 m. The longitude of the freezing is about 2 months (February and March). The most thickness place of ice is 0,8 m (in February).

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