Lakes of Tatarstan: names, description. Diversity of nature of Tatarstan. The largest lake in Tatarstan

The nature of Tatarstan is surprisingly diverse. And this article will be devoted to this diversity. Rivers and springs, lakes and ponds, picturesque ravines, hills of pastel tones and colorful meadows - this region is beautiful at any time of the year.

The main theme of our story will be the lakes of Tatarstan. List and description of the largest reservoirs of the region you will find in this article.

Brief geography of Tatarstan

Tatarstan is a republic within the Russian Federation, the eighth by population and the 44th by its area. It is located in the northern part of the Volga region, in the place where the two largest rivers of Europe - the Volga and the Kama - connect their waters. Tatarstan neighbors Bashkortostan, Udmurtia, Chuvashia, the Republic of Mari El, Samara, Orenburg, Kirov and Ulyanovsk regions. The main cities of the republic are Kazan (the capital), Naberezhnye Chelny, Nizhnekamsk, Zelenodolsk.

The extreme northern point of Tatarstan is located at the 56th parallel, and the extreme southern point - on the 53rd. The distance between these two points is almost 300 kilometers. From west to east the region stretched for 450 km.

The territory of the republic is located within the Volga-Ural anteclise of a fairly large tectonic structure - the Russian Platform. The region produces a number of combustible and non-metallic minerals (gas, oil, coal, bitumen, sands, building stone).

In general, Tatarstan is a well-mastered and important economic region of the country with developed industry and agriculture. Its development was facilitated by an advantageous economic and geographical position (at the junction of Europe and Asia), the proximity of the raw material bases of Siberia and the powerful industrial centers of the Urals.

The diversity of nature in Tatarstan

The region is located far from the seas, oceans and mountain systems. Nevertheless, its nature is characterized by its beauty and great variety.

The climate of the region is moderately continental. In summer it is warm here, in winter it is not very cold. In a word, the climate is ideal for people's lives and the development of agriculture. An interesting fact: in a relatively small area climatic conditions in different parts of the republic are significantly different. So, against the background of its "cool" areas (Predkamye and East Zakamye), the West Zakamye is notable for its warmth and frequent droughts.

Once the forests covered almost half of Tatarstan. But the man with his active economic activity greatly changed the nature of the region. The untouched steppes were plowed, and the forest tracts were cut down. Today, forests occupy no more than 20% of the territory of the republic. However, in terms of absolute figures, the area of the "green carpet" of Tatarstan is about one million hectares. An impressive indicator, which retains for Tatarstan the title of the most wooded region of the entire Volga region.

Another natural wealth is the lakes of Tatarstan. They are widely used for water supply to settlements, as well as for recreational purposes. Many of them are suitable for fishing, such as Lake Bishops. Tatarstan is often called the "country of four rivers", referring to the Volga, Kama, Vyatka and Belaya. In total within this region there are about 3 thousand rivers and rivulets. But very few people know that there are more lakes here!

Lake of the Republic: general characteristics and list

Lakes of Tatarstan - how many are there? Hydrologists counted within the region at least 8 thousand natural reservoirs. In addition, in Tatarstan in the second half of the twentieth century, four large reservoirs and 550 artificial ponds were created.

Most of the lakes of this region, by type of genesis, belong to the floodplain and karst. In the reservoirs of Tatarstan there are more than 40 species of bony fish: pike perch, bream, catfish, carp, pike and others. There are 30 large lakes in the republic. The Middle Boar is the largest lake in Tatarstan. The area of its water mirror is 112 hectares.

Lakes of Tatarstan are mostly shallow. Most of them have a depth not exceeding three meters. The deepest water bodies of Tatarstan are the Tarlashinskoye Lake and the Aktashsky Failure.

Of course, it is simply impossible to describe and list all reservoirs of the republic in one article. Below are the largest lakes of Tatarstan (the list includes the ten largest reservoirs, see the table).

About the most interesting and famous lakes of Tatarstan we will tell further.

Blue Lakes

Tatarstan is a forest, river and, of course, a lake district. Moreover, many natural reservoirs of the republic are popular places of recreation and recreation for local residents. A bright example is the Blue Lakes located on the outskirts of Kazan.

This is a hydrological system of three small lakes with a total area of 0.3 hectares - the Protochny, Bolshoy and Maly Blue Lake. All of them are starets of the Kazanka River, which two hundred years ago were complicated by suddenly formed karst craters.

Blue lakes proudly called the natural miracle of Tatarstan. Depending on the season, the water in them changes color from black to azure. From the bottom of the lakes are extracted a unique salt mud, with the help of which many skin diseases are treated. These ponds are also very fond of divers and walruses, which traditionally make New Year's dives here.

The study of the nature of the lakes was started back in 1829 by the local specialist Karl Fuchs. In 1994, the same natural reserve, the Blue Lakes, was established here.

Tatarstan can tell many more interesting stories about its reservoirs. Let's continue our virtual journey through the lakes of this beautiful region!

Bishop's Lake

Bishop (or Tarlashinsky) lake - a drainless karstic reservoir near the village of Tarlashi, Laishevsky district. It is extended in length by more than two kilometers with a maximum width of 500 meters. The greatest depth of the lake is 18 meters.

Bishop Lake is declared a natural monument, because it is unique in its origin. In addition, it feeds on the reservoir mainly by groundwater. Unfortunately, the shore of the lake is actively overgrown with spontaneous and unauthorized beaches.

Near the smoothness of the Bishops Lake there is a beautiful stone temple, dated by historians of the XIX century. From the opposite shore of the reservoir opens a fantastic view of the old church.

Lake Raifskoye

20 kilometers west of Kazan is Lake Raifa. On its shores is the Bogoroditsky Monastery complex - a valuable architectural monument of the XVII century. High white bell tower of the monastery in combination with the smoothness of Lake Raifa is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque landscapes of all Tatarstan.

To date, the area of the lake is about 32 hectares. The pond has an oval shape, its total length is 1.3 kilometers. The maximum depth of Lake Raifa is 19 meters. In recent decades, it is decreasing due to the active processes of siltation of the reservoir.

The Karst of the Republic

Lake Aktash The failure in Almetyevsky district is the deepest in Tatarstan. Its depth reaches 28 meters! This pond is nothing but a karst ditch filled with water. It was formed relatively recently - in the 1930s. According to one version, the land in this place failed because of the emptiness, which, in turn, remained from the old oil wells.

Initially, the failure was very tiny: only 2 by 3 meters. But over time it increased in size. The lake at the bottom of the karst funnel was formed in the early 50's.

Among the locals, a funny legend about the Aktash dip is popular. It is rumored that in Soviet times a barrel was thrown into this lake, which after a certain time floated in the Caspian Sea.

Monster of Kara-Kul Lake

It turns out that there is a Loch Ness monster in Tatarstan too! It lives in the Vysokogorsky district of the republic, in a tiny lake Kara-Kul. At least, that's what the legend says is quite popular among the local population.

The name of the reservoir is translated from the Tatar language as "black lake". The water in it is indeed very dark due to the active dissolution of the karst rocks. Many eyewitnesses say that they managed to see a mysterious lake monster or hear its wild roar. True, describe it all in different ways.

Is there any mythical creature living in the Kara-Kul lake in fact, it is not known. But here the perches, carp and carnivore feel themselves in its waters perfectly.

Finally…

The diversity of Tatarstan's nature surprises and amazes everyone who travels around the local expanse. Do not fall in love with her beauty is simply impossible! Lakes of Tatarstan - one of the main natural treasures of this region, which has a huge recreational and tourist potential and has the most important ecological significance.