River mouth Lake Balkhash Mouth Lake Balkhash | Source Dzungarian Alatau Country Kazakhstan | |
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Main source Dzungarian Alatau Mountains | ||
The Lepsy River (Kazakh: Лепсі; Russian: Лепсы) also known as the Lepsa River or the Lepsi River, is a river in south-eastern Kazakhstan. It originates in the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains north of the border with China and flows into Lake Balkhash. The Lepsy is the easternmost of the two small rivers that flow into the eastern Balkhash on the south bank, the other being the Aksu River. The Lepsy is one of the main rivers of the historic region of Zhetysu.
Map of Lepsi River, Kazakhstan
The river flows north from the border with China before turning north-westward north of Sarkand and then west before turning north northward when it reaches the Saryesik-Atyrau Desert, a large sand desert south of Lake Balkhash. The river empties into Lake Balkhash just east of the Aksu River on its southern side. Lepsy freezes up in December and stays icebound until March. Because of the amount of water taken for irrigation, the river's flow into Lake Balkash is limited.