Khadzhibey Estuary

Khadzhibey Estuary
The coast of the Khadzhibey Estuary
Location of estuary in the Black Sea
Location of estuary in the Black Sea
Khadzhibey Estuary
LocationUkraine
Coordinates46°37′N 30°36′E / 46.617°N 30.600°E / 46.617; 30.600
Typeestuary
Primary inflowsMalyi Kuialnyk [uk]
Basin countriesUkraine
Max. length33 km (21 mi)
Max. width3.5 km (2.2 mi)
Surface area112 km2 (43 sq mi)
Average depth5 m (16 ft)
Max. depth18.3 m (60 ft)
Water volume560×10^6 m3 (20×10^9 cu ft)
Salinity3-6 percent
SettlementsOdesa

Khadzhibey Estuary, or Khadzhibeyskyi Liman (Ukrainian: Хаджибейський лиман, romanizedKhadzhybeiskyi Lyman, Turkish: Hacıbey limanı), is an estuary of the north-western part of the Black Sea, located on the north-west from the City of Odesa. It is named after the former Khadzhibey fortress.

The estuary is separated from the sea by the Kuyalnytsky-Khadzhibey peresyp sandbar, which has about 5 km length. The length of the estuary is 31 km, width 0.5–2.5 km, square 70 km2, depth up to 2.5 m. The bottom of the estuary is covered by the flakes of black mud, which have healthy properties.[dubiousdiscuss] The river Malyi Kuialnyk [uk] flows to the estuary. The fauna of the estuary consists of crabs Rhithropanopeus harrisii, shrimps Palaemon elegans, round goby Neogobius melanostomus and monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis, etc.