Kotyrkol

For the lake in the Kokshetau Mountains, see Kotyrkol (Burabay District).

Kotyrkol (Kazakh: Қотыркөл) is a salt lake in Birzhan sal District, Akmola Region, Kazakhstan.

Kotyrkol
Қотыркөл
Sentinel-2 picture of the lake
Kotyrkol
Location	Kazakh Uplands
Coordinates	52°45′46″N 70°43′36″E
Type	salt lake
Primary outflows	Sarymsak
Catchment area	29.9 square kilometers (11.5 sq mi)
Basin countries	Kazakhstan
Max. length	6.1 kilometers (3.8 mi)
Max. width	3.3 kilometers (2.1 mi)
Surface area	18.7 square kilometers (7.2 sq mi)
Max. depth	7.7 meters (25 ft)
Water volume	0.019 cubic kilometers (0.0046 cu mi)
Residence time	UTC+5:00
Shore length1	20.4 kilometers (12.7 mi)
Surface elevation	351 meters (1,152 ft)
Islands	no
Settlements	Stepnyak
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Stepnyak town, the district capital, is located 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) to the NNE of the northern lakeshore.

Geography

Kotyrkol lies at the northern end of the Kazakh Uplands and is part of the Irtysh basin. It lies at an elevation of 351 meters (1,152 ft). It has an elongated shape oriented in a roughly southeast–northwest direction, with the wider southern part tapering towards the north. Numerous small rivulets flow into the lake from the west. In the years of abundant water the lake is connected to neighboring lake Zhokey through the Sarymsak river. The shores of Kotyrkol are sloping and the lake bottom is muddy.

Among the lakes in its vicinity, Zhokey lies 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) to the NNW, Mamay 33 kilometers (21 mi) to the southeast, Balytkty 34 kilometers (21 mi) to the west, Shchuchye 38 kilometers (24 mi) to the northwest and Atansor 50 kilometers (31 mi) to the east.

Flora and fauna

Reeds, such as Phragmites and Stipa, grow along the western shore of Kotyrkol. The basin of the lake is a seasonal grazing ground for local cattle.

See also

• List of lakes of Kazakhstan