Shalkar Lake
Kazakhstan rivers and lakes. The Biggest rivers in Kazakhstan

The Lake is situated in Terekty district, 75 km to the southeast from Uralsk city. This Lake is the deepest and the biggest reservoir in West Kazakhstan region.

This nature reservoir has very ancient history and its origin is still the point at issue. However the most probable version of its origin is that Shalkar Lake is remain of former Khvalynsky Sea.

Thousands years ago the Khvalynsky sea probably could be a part of Caspian Sea, as in remote prehistoric times the whole area of Caspian lowland include territory of above-mentioned sea.

Shalkar Lake has been attracted people's attention for many years. In ancient times Oguz, Pecheneg and later Kypchak and Turk tribes inhabited its shores. Those tribes were Kazakhs ancestors.

At present times Shalkar Lake has oval form extending from north to south. The length from north to south is 18 km., and from west to east - 14 km. Maximum depth is 18 meters, 10-12 meters depth covers about 30 % of the bottom, and 2 meters less depth - 13 %.

The Lake stockpiles about 1.4 milliards cubic meters of water; the largest part of lake's area is 24.000 hectares. Covering by white caps waves and wash the lake reminds real sea in windy days.

The type of Shalkar Lake's water is saltish of chloric-sodium water mineralization. The Lake's water consists of hydrochloric acids, calcium, magnium and other vital mineral elements. It allows us to say that lake's composition is analogous with marine water.

Moreover, taking in account its ecological state, Shalkar Lake exceeds several marine waters, so it has health-improvement function.

From the east lake has tributaries - rivers Isen Ankaty (the Big Ankaty) and Sholak Ankaty (The Small Ankaty), and river Solyanka flows out and flows into Ural river.

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