- elevation 3,495 m (11,467 ft) - average 2.10 m/s (74 cu ft/s) - min 0.46 m/s (16 cu ft/s) Basin area 614 km² Mouth Chu River | - elevation 1,001 m (3,284 ft) - max 8.63 m/s (305 cu ft/s) Length 81 km Basin area 614 km² | |
The Kichi-Kemin River (Kyrgyz: Кичи-Кемин) is a river in Kemin District of Chuy Province of Kyrgyzstan and Korday District of Kazakhstan. It is a right tributary of the Chu River in Chuy Valley. It is 81 kilometres (50 mi) long with a basin area of 614 square kilometres (237 sq mi). The flow of the Kichi-Kemin River considerably varies; the minimum flow is 0.46 cubic metres per second (16 cu ft/s) in February, and the maximum is 8.63 cubic metres per second (305 cu ft/s) in July.
Contents
CourseEdit
The source of Kichi-Kemin River is high in the shoots of Trans-Ili Alatau in Kyrgyzstan. For about 10 kilometres (6 mi) the river flows to the north and than to the west along the Kyrgyzstan–Kazakhstan border from an elevation of about 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). The river passes through urban-type settlement Ak-Tuz and flows to the southwest in a narrow gorge. Further, it passes through village Imeni Il'icha and enters Kichi-Kemin Valley. The Kichi-Kemin River turns west and passes near villages Kichi-Kemin, Boroldoy, and Beysheke. It flows parallel to the Chu River at a distance of 3 to 4 kilometres (1.9 to 2.5 mi) and crosses the Kyrgyzstan–Kazakhstan border. In Kazakhstan, in passes near villages Karasay batyr and Enbek gradually approaching the Chu River, and flowing into it near Chim-Kurgan.
ContaminationEdit
In 1964, mudflows damaged tailings pond No.2 in the vicinity of the Kichi-Kemin River, and 1.5 million cubic metres (53,000,000 cu ft) of radioactive tailings contaminated the river and lower part of Kichi-Kemin Valley with thorium, lead, copper, zinc, beryllium and other heavy metals.
Environmental monitoringEdit
The Kyrgyz State Agency on Hydrometeorology runs two water-quality monitoring stations on the Kichi-Kemin River: one of them is 3 kilometres (2 mi) upstream and another is 8 kilometres (5 mi) downstream of Ak-Tuz.