Max. length 125 km (78 mi) Surface area 3,955 km (1,527 sq mi) Max. depth 40 m (130 ft) Area 3,955 km² | Max. width 90 km (56 mi) Average depth 8 m (26 ft) Surface elevation 5 m Basin countries Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan | |
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Water volume 68.56 km (55,580,000 acre·ft) | ||
The Sarygamysh Lake, also Sarykamysh or Sary-Kamysh (Turkmen: Sarygamyş köli, Uzbek: 'Sariqamish ko‘li', Russian: Сарыкамы́шское озеро), is a lake situated in Central Asia. It is geographically located approximately midway between the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea. The northern quarter of the lake belongs to the country of Uzbekistan, while the rest belongs to Turkmenistan.
Map of Sarygamysh Lake
Up until the 17th century, Lake Sarygamysh was fed by the Uzboy River, a distributary of the Amu Darya River, which continued on to the Caspian Sea. Today, it is largely fed by the runoff water from surrounding irrigated lands, containing high levels of pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals.
The name of the lake comes from Turkmen sarykamysh 'yellow reed'.
The Turkmen section of the lake and the land around it is protected by the Sarygamyş Sanctuary.