
Shalkar Lake
The brackish, egg-shaped Shalkar Lake – 65km south of Oral – measures 15km x 18km and receives water from two rivers on the east side:
The Buzachi Peninsula’s far eastern edge overlooks the 15km x 100km Kaydak Bay salt marsh. A western branch of the bay’s shallow marshes extends more than halfway into the peninsula. Less than 200 years ago, when the Caspian Sea levels were a few metres higher, seawater covered these marshes, making the southern region of the Buzachi an isthmus linked to the Tub-Karagan Peninsula.
Depending on salinity, organisms, and water temperature, the marsh’s colours vary from grey and brown to pink and light green. Over the years, the retreating sea has led to coastal villages turning into ghost towns, like Prorva on the north side of Dead Kultuk.
Running along the bay’s east side, from the Kyzylsay Ravine area to southern Beineu town, is the 200-kilometre-long Western Chink Ustyurt. Some sections of the cliff line rise more than 200m above Kaydak Bay, offering stunning views – New Alexander Fort is located here, too. By comparison, the west side rises only 10m above the bay and marks the beginning of the Buzachi Peninsula’s deserts.
Kaydak Bay (Qaidaq Şyğanağy/Залив Кайдак): 44.9124, 53.5524
Prorva (Прорва): 45.9893, 53.2657
Kyzylsay Ravine (Qyzylsai Saiy/Овраг Кызылсай): 44.1791, 53.2711
Beineu (Бейнеу): 45.3412, 55.1798
The brackish, egg-shaped Shalkar Lake – 65km south of Oral – measures 15km x 18km and receives water from two rivers on the east side:
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