Shchuchye (lake)

Shchuchye (Kazakh: Шортанды, Shortandy; Russian: Щучье) is a lake in Burabay District, Akmola Region, Kazakhstan.[1]

Shchuchye
Шортанды / Щучье
Panoramic view of the lake
Shchuchye is located in Kazakhstan
Shchuchye
Shchuchye
LocationKokshetau Hills,
Kazakh Uplands
Coordinates52°59′N 70°12′E
Part ofKokshetau Lakes
Basin countriesKazakhstan
Max. length7.5 kilometers (4.7 mi)
Max. width3 kilometers (1.9 mi)
Surface area18.5 square kilometers (7.1 sq mi)
Average depth5.34 meters (17.5 ft)
Max. depthca 40 meters (130 ft)
Residence timeUTC+6
Shore length122 kilometers (14 mi)
Surface elevation395 meters (1,296 ft)
SettlementsShchuchinsk
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

The name of the lake means "pike" in Russian, and it was thus named because of the abundance of this fish in its waters.[2] The lake is part of the Burabay National Park, a protected area.[3]

Geography

Shchuchye lies in the eastern sector of the Kokshetau Lakes, SSE of lake Kishi Shabakty and SSW of Lake Burabay. It is the deepest lake of the whole group. Its shape is elongated, stretching from NNW to SSE for over 7 kilometers (4.3 mi). There are three small rocky islets by the southwestern shore and one in the northwest. The bottom of the lake is mostly muddy, with a sandy zone in the southwestern part.[4]

Shchuchinsk city lies to the southwest by the lake and was named after it in the 19th century. Burabay spa town 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) to the NNE.[3][1]

Flora and fauna

There are forests close to the lakeshore in most stretches. The native fish species living in the lake are pike, crucian carp, roach, tench and perch. European cisco and peled have been introduced. There may be a population of ninespine stickleback and carp as well.[5]

See also

References

  1. "N-42 Topographic Chart (in Russian)". Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  2. Nature of the Republic of Kazakhstan, volume 3, part 2
  3. Google Earth
  4. Kazakhstan National Encyclopedia / Chief editor A. Nysanbayev - Almaty, "Kazakh encyclopedia" General editor, 1998 ISBN 5-89800-123-9 , Volume IX
  5. Состояние гидробионтов водоемов особо охраняемых природных территорий республиканского значения северного и центрального Казахстана
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