| Lake Balkhash | |
|---|---|
| Балқаш көлі, Balqaş kölı Озеро Балхаш | |
 View from Space, April 1991 | |
  Lake Balkhash | |
 Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin | |
| Location | Kazakhstan |
| Coordinates | 46°10′N 74°20′E / 46.167°N 74.333°E |
| Type | Endorheic, Saline |
| Primary inflows | Ili, Karatal, Aksu, Lepsy, Byan, Kapal, Koksu rivers |
| Primary outflows | evaporation |
| Basin countries | Kazakhstan |
| Max. length | 605 km (376 mi) |
| Max. width | East 19 km (12 mi) West 74 km (46 mi) |
| Surface area | 16,400 km2 (6,300 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
| Max. depth | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Water volume | 100 km3 (24 cu mi) |
| Surface elevation | 341.4 m (1,120 ft) |
| Frozen | November to March |
Lake Balkhash, also spelt Lake Balqash (Kazakh: Балқаш көлі, Balqaş kölı, pronounced [bɑʟ̠ˈqɑʃ kɵˈlʉ]), is a lake in southeastern Kazakhstan, one of the largest lakes in Asia and the 15th largest in the world. It is located in the eastern part of Central Asia and sits in the Balkhash-Alakol Basin, an endorheic (closed) basin. The basin drains seven rivers, the primary of which is the Ili, bringing most of the riparian inflow; others, such as the Karatal, bring surface and subsurface flow. The Ili is fed by precipitation, largely vernal snowmelt, from the mountains of China's Xinjiang region.
The lake currently covers about 16,400 km2 (6,300 sq mi). However, like the Aral Sea, it is shrinking due to diversion and extraction of water from its feeders.[1] The lake has a narrow, quite central, strait. The lake's western part is fresh water and its eastern half is saline.[2][3][4][5] The eastern part is on average 1.7 times deeper than the west. The largest shore city is named Balkhash and has about 66,000 inhabitants. Main local economic activities include mining, ore processing and fishing.
There is concern about the lake's shallowing due to desertification of microclimates and water extraction for multiplied industrial output. Moreover, the impacts of climate change may also negatively affect the lake and its ecosystems.
- ^ Lake Balkhash, International Lake Environment Committee
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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phys_geowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Yoshiko Kawabata; et al. (1997). "The phytoplankton of some saline lakes in Central Asia". International Journal of Salt Lake Research. 6 (1): 5–16. doi:10.1007/BF02441865.