{{Short description|Mountain lake in Naryn Region, Kyrgyzstan}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Chatyr-Köl | native_name ={{native name|ky|Чатыр-Көл}} | image = Chatyr_kul_lake.JPG | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Tian Shan mountains, Naryn Region | coords = {{coord|40|37|N|75|18|E|type:waterbody_region:KG|display=inline,title}} | type = Endorheic<br>Mountain lake | inflow = Glaciers | outflow = Evaporation | catchment = {{convert|1050|km2|abbr=on}} | basin_countries = Kyrgyzstan | designation = Ramsar site | length = {{convert|23|km|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|10|km|abbr=on}} | area = {{convert|181|km2|abbr=on}} | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|16.5|m|abbr=on}} | volume = {{convert|0.62|km3|abbr=on}} | residence_time = | shore = {{convert|58|km|abbr=on}} | elevation = {{convert|3530|m|abbr=on}} | frozen = | islands = none | cities = none <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = Kyrgyzstan#Asia | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Chatyr-Kul in Kyrgyzstan. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = |embedded = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_offname = Chatyr Kul | designation1_date = 8 November 2005 | designation1_number = 1588<ref name=ramsar>{{Cite web|title=Chatyr Kul|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1588|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>}} }}
'''Chatyr-Köl''' ({{langx|ky|Чатыр-Көл}} {{IPA|ky|t͡ɕʰɑ̀tʰɯɾ cʰɵl|}}; {{lit|Celestial Lake}}), also '''Chatyr-Kul''' ({{langx|ru|Чатыр-Куль}}), is an endorheic alpine lake in the Tian Shan mountains in At-Bashy District of Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan; it lies in the lower part of Chatyr-Köl Depression near the Torugart Pass border crossing into China.
==Climate== The mean annual temperature in the lake basin is {{convert|-5.6|C|F}}, with mean temperature of {{convert|-22|C|F}} in January, and {{convert|7.1|C|F}} in July. The maximum temperature in summer is {{convert|24|C|F}}, and the minimum one in winter is {{convert|-50|C|F}}. Some 88-90% of the lake basin's 208–269 mm of annual precipitation falls in summer. From October to end of April the lake surface freezes, the ice becoming as much as 0.25-1.5 m thick.<ref name=Atlas>{{cite book|script-title=ru:Атлас Кыргызской Республики|trans-title=Atlas of Kyrgyz Republic|publisher=Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyz SSR|language=ru|location=Bishkek|year=1987|pages=156}}</ref><ref name="encyc">{{cite book|script-title=ru:Иссык-Куль. Нарын:Энциклопедия|trans-title=Encyclopedia of Issyk-Kul and Naryn Oblasts|publisher=Chief Editorial Board of Kyrgyz Soviet Encyclopedia|language= ru|location=Bishkek|year=1994|isbn=5-89750-009-6|pages=512}}</ref>
==Hydrology== The water of Chatyr Kul Lake is yellowish-green with water transparency of up to {{convert|4|m}}. The mineralization of the lake ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 milligrams per liter (chloride, hydrocarbonate, sodium and magnesium type of mineralization). The salinity of the lake is 2 ppt. Mineral sources in the south part of the lake have mineralization of from {{convert|5|to|7|g}} per liter and pH = 5,8-6,0. Flow rate is {{convert|1866|m3|abbr=on}} in winter and {{convert|3629|m3}} during summer.<ref>{{cite web| title =Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands| url =http://www.wetlands.org/reports/ris/2KG002_RIS_E%202005.pdf| access-date =October 30, 2012}}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 41 small streams debouches into the lake, of those 21 originate in Torugart Range and 20 - in Atbashy Range.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://new.bizdin.kg/media/books/География_Кыргызстана.pdf|title=Чатыркөл|trans-title=Chatyrköl|encyclopedia=Кыргызстандын Географиясы [Geography of Kyrgyzstan]|page=220|language=ky|year=2004|location=Bishkek}}</ref>
Negative water balance of the lake over the last decades causes the decline in the lake level. The mineral water from the sources is cold and has a strong mineral taste and flow first into the small Chatyr Kul lake that is about 1,5 meters higher than the actual Chatyr Kul.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Central Asia Guide|url=https://central-asia.guide/kyrgyzstan/destinations-kg/naryn/chatyr-kul/|url-status=live|website=Central Asia Guide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604132921/https://central-asia.guide/kyrgyzstan/destinations-kg/naryn/chatyr-kul/ |archive-date=2021-06-04 }}</ref>
==Protection== Since 1998, a section of the lake and its shore (3,200 ha land, 3,954 ha water) is protected as part of the Karatal-Japyryk Nature Reserve.<ref name=eco>{{cite web |url=http://wildlife.caiag.kg/drupal_wa/?q=ru/node/19&entity_id=66 |title=Karatal-Japyryk Nature Reserve |last= |first= |date= |website=Specially Protected Areas and Biodiversity of Kyrgyzstan |publisher= |language=ru|access-date=12 January 2022 |quote=}}</ref> The whole lake has been a game reserve (IUCN category IV) since 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/167076|title=Chatyrkul|publisher=protected planet}}</ref> The game reserve was established to protect water fowl, including the bar-headed goose.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://new.bizdin.kg/media/books/География_Кыргызстана.pdf|title=Чатыркөл заказниги|trans-title=Chatyr-Köl Reserve|encyclopedia=Кыргызстандын Географиясы [Geography of Kyrgyzstan]|page=311|language=ky|year=2004|location=Bishkek}}</ref> The lake is a Ramsar site of globally significant biodiversity (Ramsar Site RDB Code 2KG002).<ref name=ramsar/>
==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed" heights="160"> File:Alma-Ata NK-43 (1948) - panoramio.jpg|Map of the region including the Ozero Chatyr-Kul' (AMS, 1948) File:Operational Navigation Chart F-6, 6th edition.jpg|Map of the region including the Ozero Chatyr-kel' (DMA, 1985) </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Lakes of Kyrgyzstan}} {{Protected areas of Kyrgyzstan}}
Category:Lakes of Kyrgyzstan Category:Important Bird Areas of Kyrgyzstan Category:Ramsar sites in Kyrgyzstan Category:Endorheic lakes of Asia Category:Mountain lakes Category:Tian Shan Category:Game reserves in Kyrgyzstan Category:Protected areas established in 1972 Category:Naryn Region