Ay-Kul

Ay-Kul
Айкөл (Kyrgyz)
Ay-Kul Show map of Kyrgyzstan Ay-Kul Show map of West and Central Asia
Coordinates	39°38′05.3″N 69°38′06.7″E
Lake type	Barrier lake Mountain lake
Primary inflows	Glaciers
Primary outflows	Ay-Kul Creek
Basin countries	Kyrgyzstan
Max. length	2.2–3.5 kilometres (1.4–2.2 mi)[1][2]
Max. width	0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi)[1]
Surface area	.82–1 square kilometre (0.32–0.39 sq mi)[1][2]
Water volume	0.057 km^3 (0.014 cu mi)[2]
Surface elevation	2,838–2,938 metres (9,311–9,639 ft)[1][2]

Ay-Kul (Kyrgyz: Айкөл; Uzbek: Oydinkoʻl; Russian: Ай-Кёл), also called Oydinkul, is a small freshwater landslide dam in the Turkestan Range mountains in Kyrgyzstan, near the border with Tajikistan.[1][2] The lake was formed after a massive landslide blocked the flow of the Ay-Kul Creek.

Ay-Kul is located approximately 20 kilometres (12 miles) km south of Razzakov. It has a surface elevation of 2,838–2,938 m (9,311–9,639 ft) and covers an area of .82–1.5 km^2 (0.32–0.58 sq mi).[1][2] There are no paved roads leading to Ay-Kul, and the lake lake is a popular destination for local hikers.

Name

The Kyrgyz name for the lake is Ayköl (Айкөл),[2] meaning "moon lake". In Uzbek, it is called Oydinkoʻl, meaning "moonlit lake" or "clear lake".[3]

Ay-Kul hosts an array of legends and myths among local Uzbeks. A popular legend holds that a shepherd lost his crook (variously described as having unique carvings or fitted with gold coins) in the lake, but months later found it in a spring in Dehmoy, Tajikistan.[3]

Hydrography

Ay-Kul was formed after several cubic km of rock dislodged from the steeply sloped river valley of Ay-Kul Creek, a tributary of the Ak-Suu River.[2] The lake freezes in late October and thaws in March.[1]

Sources differ on the area of Ay-Kul, putting it from .82 km^2 (0.32 sq mi)[1] to 1.5 km^2 (0.58 sq mi).[2] It has a maximum length of 2.8–3.5 km (1.7–2.2 mi)[1][2] and a maximum breadth of 0.5 km (0.31 mi).[1]

References

1. Oruzbaeva, B., ed. (1987). "Ай-Кёл" [Ay-Kyol]. Oshskaya oblast'. Entsiklopediya (in Russian). Frunze: Glavnaya redaktsiya Kirgizskoy sovetskoy entsiklopedii. p. 174.
2. Asanov, U., ed. (2004). "Айкөл" [Ayköl] (PDF). Kyrgyzstandyn geografiyasy. Entsiklopediyalyk-okuu kitebi (in Kyrgyz). Bishkek: Mamlekettik til jana entsiklopediya borboru. p. 215. ISBN 9967-14-006-2. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
3. Yoqubov, Temirboy (2001). Nishonov, Nurullo (ed.). Исфана (Аспанакент) тарихи [The History of Isfana (Aspanakent)] (in Uzbek). Isfana. pp. 71–72.