| Kushmurun | |
|---|---|
| Құсмұрын / Кушмурун | |
 Sentinel-2 image of the lake in 2020. | |
  Kushmurun | |
| Location | Turgay Basin |
| Coordinates | 52°41′N64°48′E / 52.683°N 64.800°E /52.683; 64.800 |
| Type | fluvial lake |
| Primary inflows | Ubagan, Aschiba, Terekty and Shiyly |
| Primary outflows | Ubagan |
| Catchment area | 10,500 square kilometers (4,100 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Kazakhstan |
| Max. length | 60 kilometers (37 mi) |
| Max. width | 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) |
| Surface area | 415 square kilometers (160 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 3.5 meters (11 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 103 meters (338 ft) |
Kushmurun (Kazakh:Құсмұрын;Russian:Кушмурун) is abrackishlake in theKostanay Region,Kazakhstan.[1]
Kushmurun is one of largest natural waterbodies of Kazakhstan. It lies in the northern sector of theTurgay Basin, at the border betweenAuliekol andKarasu districts, 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) north of the village ofKushmurun. The western side of the catchment area of the lake has been converted to agricultural land, affecting biodiversity.[2][3]
Kushmurun is an elongatedfluvial lake located in the Turgay Basin. The lake stretches roughly from SSW to NNE and is crossed by theUbagan river, a right tributary of theTobol, from south to north. Kushmurun is fed by snow. To the southwest of Kushmurun rises theAmankaragai forested massif. The level of the lake is subject to variations according to the inflow, reaching a maximum area of 415 square kilometers (160 sq mi) in periods of high water and down to 210 square kilometers (81 sq mi) in periods of low water. The depth fluctuates between 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) and 3 meters (9.8 ft).[4]
The bottom of Kushmurun is flat and has thick strata of clay and loam sediments covered with layers of silt. The banks are mostly gently-sloping or flat and swampy, but in the middle part of the lake they rise steeply up to between 5 meters (16 ft) and 7 meters (23 ft). The water has a greenish-yellow color. During the high water period in the spring it is fresh and suitable for drinking. But it becomessaline the rest of the year.[5][2]
Kushmurun lake was a refuge foraquatic birds andwaders that used to thrive in the formerly extensivereedbeds of the lakeshore. Nowadays, however, the reed cover has diminished to the point where almost all of the shoreline consists of muddy shoals.[3][6]Among the fish species found in the waters of the lake,bream,perch andcarp are worth mentioning.[4]
Media related toLake Kushmurun at Wikimedia Commons
