Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz
Protected lakes in Kazakhstan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz (Russian: Озёра в низовьях рек Иргиз и Тургай)[2] is a protected area in the Turgay Depression, Kazakhstan. Administratively it is located in the Yrgyz District of the Aktobe Region.[3]
| Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz | |
|---|---|
| Озёра в низовьях рек Иргиз и Тургай | |
 Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz Sentinel-2 satellite picture | |
  Location in Kazakhstan | |
| Type | Inland wetlands |
| Location | Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan |
| Nearest city | Nura |
| Coordinates | 48°42′N 62°11′E |
| Area | 348,000 ha (3,480 km2) |
| Created | 1976 |
| Operated by | Main Department of Zapovedniks and Game Management - Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Status | Nature reserve |
| Official name | Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz |
| Designated | 11 October 1976 |
| Reference no. | 108[1] |
The Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz protected area covers 348,000 ha (860,000 acres) of the southern sector of the Turgay Depression. It lies in the basins of rivers Turgay, its tributary Irgyz, and the Ulkayak, whose riverbeds usually dry up in summer. The area includes a number of lakes of different origins, many of which are salty. The lakes are roughly aligned in a SW / NE direction, such as the Kyzylkol, Ayrkol, Baitakkol, Kogakol, Zharkol, Zharmakol, Zharkamys, Keltekol, Shuzhyk, Karmakkol, Kogakol, Karpykkol, Maikol, Aidarkol and Aikol. The Saryozek river flows from lake Bokenkol.[4][5]
In 1976 it was recognized as a Ramsar site. The area is part of the Kazakh semi-desert ecoregion.[1][6]
The Irgiz-Turgay Lakes is an Important Bird Area. The landscape surrounding the lakes is mostly semi-desert. More than 100 different waterbird species, have been recorded, with up to 250,000 individuals in the area at one time. Between two and three million birds fly over the lakes in spring and autumn.[4]
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