The Garabogazköl (also spelt Kara-Bogaz-Gol; "Black Strait Lake"), or Garabogazköl Aylagy ("Black Strait Lake Bay"), is a shallow, highly-saline water-filled depression in the northwestern corner of Turkmenistan.[1] It forms a lagoon of the Caspian Sea and has a variable surface area, about 18,000 km2 (6,900 sq mi).[2] The Caspian Sea proper sits immediately to the west, mostly divorced by a narrow, rocky ridge having a very narrow opening through which the Caspian waters flow, overwhelmingly, into it. There is likely to be a subterranean highly saline flow, only when there is less evaporation in winter, as in the case of the Turkish Straits year-round. The lagoon's volume fluctuates seasonally, accentuated by its salt evaporation ponds and natural counterpart surrounding, seasonally dry salt pans.
The city of Garabogaz (formerly Bekdaş) lies on the ridge, about 50 km (31 mi) north of the channel between the main Caspian basin and the Garabogazköl lagoon. It has a population of about 10,000 people.
The gulf lends its name to the nearby city of Garabogaz. Atanyyazow explains that the name originally applied to the narrow strait which connects the gulf to the Caspian Sea. Because water in the strait, termed a "throat" (Turkmen: bogaz), was darker than the water on either side, it was termed "dark" or "black" (Turkmen: gara), hence garabogaz. Over time the name was applied to the gulf itself and ultimately to the city.[3]
Salinity
The salinity of the lagoon averages about 35%, compared to the Caspian Sea's 1.2%,[4] and 3–4% for the bulk of the world's oceans. Because of the exceptionally high salinity, comparable to the Dead Sea, it has practically no marine vegetation. Large evaporite, mostly salt deposits accumulated at the south shore, were harvested by the local population since the 1920s, but in the 1930s manual collection stopped and the industry shifted northwest to its present center near Garabogaz. From the 1950s on, ground water was pumped from levels lower than the bay itself, yielding more valuable types of salts. In 1963 construction began at Garabogaz on a modern plant for increased production of salines all the year round and independently of natural evaporation. This plant was completed in 1973.
In March 1980, workers blocked the Caspian link, due to concerns evaporation was accelerating a fall in Caspian Sea.[2] The resulting "salt bowl" caused widespread problems of blowing salt,[5] reportedly poisoning the soil and causing health problems for hundreds of kilometers downwind to the east.
Waters flow through the narrow inlet from the Caspian (left) into the Garabogazköl
Garabogazköl is visible on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea
Complete evaporation
From 1984 the lake was completely dry. In June 1992, when Caspian Sea levels rose again, the barrier was breached, allowing Caspian water to again refill Garabogazköl.
The remnants of the dam can be seen in the satellite photo of the inlet, near the Caspian Sea entrance.
Garabogazköl (right) and a bridge and barrier separating it from the Caspian Sea (left)
In popular culture
It is the subject of Russian writer Konstantin Paustovsky's 1932 book Kara-Bugaz. In this he praises the setting up of the local salt industry by the Soviet government in the 1930s.[6][7][8]
In 1935 the film director Aleksandr Razumny made a film Kara-bugaz (Кара-Бугаз) based on the above book, with music by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov. French communist journalist Henri Barbusse was given a sneak preview of the almost-finished film, which he praised in an article in Izvestia. The film should have been shown first to Stalin, who became unhappy when he learned of its existence. Thus it was never generally released in the Soviet Union. It had its first public screening in London in June 2010.[9]
References
^"Turkmenistan". Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia. 2003 – via HighBeam Research.
^ abKosarev, Aleksey; Kostianoy, Andrey; Zonn, Igor (2008-11-02). "Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay: Physical and Chemical Evolution". Aquatic Geochemistry. 15 (1–2): 223–236. doi:10.1007/s10498-008-9054-z. S2CID 129907319.
^Atanyýazow, Soltanşa (1980). Түркменистаның Географик Атларының Дүшүндиришли Сөзлүги [Explanatory Dictionary of Geographic Names in Turkmenistan]. Ashgabat: Ылым. p. 86.
^Aladin, Nicolai; Plotnikov, Igor (2004). Lake Basin Management Initiative - The Caspian Sea (PDF) (Report).
^Micklin, Philip P. Environmental Resources and Constraints in the Former Soviet Republics (1994). The National Council for Soviet and Eastern European Research. Page 9.
^Konstantin Paustovsky (1977). The Black Gulf. Westport, Conn. : Hyperion Press. ISBN978-0-88355-411-1.
^Priestland, David (October 1, 2010). "Engineers of the Soul". History Today – via Highbeam Research.
^Ruch, Julie Ella (Spring 2013). "Engineers of the Soul: The Grandiose Propaganda of Stalin's Russia". Canadian Slavonic Papers. 55 (1/2): 246–247. ISSN 0008-5006.
^Westerman, Frank (8 June 2010). "Discovering Stalin's banned film". Today. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kara bogaz gol.
Google Maps detail showing the current in the strait
January 02, 2023
garabogazköl, also, spelt, kara, bogaz, black, strait, lake, aylagy, black, strait, lake, shallow, highly, saline, water, filled, depression, northwestern, corner, turkmenistan, forms, lagoon, caspian, variable, surface, area, about, caspian, proper, sits, imm. The Garabogazkol also spelt Kara Bogaz Gol Black Strait Lake or Garabogazkol Aylagy Black Strait Lake Bay is a shallow highly saline water filled depression in the northwestern corner of Turkmenistan 1 It forms a lagoon of the Caspian Sea and has a variable surface area about 18 000 km2 6 900 sq mi 2 The Caspian Sea proper sits immediately to the west mostly divorced by a narrow rocky ridge having a very narrow opening through which the Caspian waters flow overwhelmingly into it There is likely to be a subterranean highly saline flow only when there is less evaporation in winter as in the case of the Turkish Straits year round The lagoon s volume fluctuates seasonally accentuated by its salt evaporation ponds and natural counterpart surrounding seasonally dry salt pans GarabogazkolKara Bogaz GolKara Bogaz Gol from space September 1995GarabogazkolLocation TurkmenistanCoordinates41 21 07 N 53 35 43 E 41 35194 N 53 59528 E 41 35194 53 59528 Coordinates 41 21 07 N 53 35 43 E 41 35194 N 53 59528 E 41 35194 53 59528Native nameGarabogazkol Turkmen The city of Garabogaz formerly Bekdas lies on the ridge about 50 km 31 mi north of the channel between the main Caspian basin and the Garabogazkol lagoon It has a population of about 10 000 people Contents 1 Etymology 2 Salinity 3 Complete evaporation 4 In popular culture 5 References 6 External linksEtymology EditThe gulf lends its name to the nearby city of Garabogaz Atanyyazow explains that the name originally applied to the narrow strait which connects the gulf to the Caspian Sea Because water in the strait termed a throat Turkmen bogaz was darker than the water on either side it was termed dark or black Turkmen gara hence garabogaz Over time the name was applied to the gulf itself and ultimately to the city 3 Salinity EditThe salinity of the lagoon averages about 35 compared to the Caspian Sea s 1 2 4 and 3 4 for the bulk of the world s oceans Because of the exceptionally high salinity comparable to the Dead Sea it has practically no marine vegetation Large evaporite mostly salt deposits accumulated at the south shore were harvested by the local population since the 1920s but in the 1930s manual collection stopped and the industry shifted northwest to its present center near Garabogaz From the 1950s on ground water was pumped from levels lower than the bay itself yielding more valuable types of salts In 1963 construction began at Garabogaz on a modern plant for increased production of salines all the year round and independently of natural evaporation This plant was completed in 1973 In March 1980 workers blocked the Caspian link due to concerns evaporation was accelerating a fall in Caspian Sea 2 The resulting salt bowl caused widespread problems of blowing salt 5 reportedly poisoning the soil and causing health problems for hundreds of kilometers downwind to the east Waters flow through the narrow inlet from the Caspian left into the Garabogazkol Garabogazkol is visible on the eastern shore of the Caspian SeaComplete evaporation EditFrom 1984 the lake was completely dry In June 1992 when Caspian Sea levels rose again the barrier was breached allowing Caspian water to again refill Garabogazkol The remnants of the dam can be seen in the satellite photo of the inlet near the Caspian Sea entrance Garabogazkol right and a bridge and barrier separating it from the Caspian Sea left In popular culture EditIt is the subject of Russian writer Konstantin Paustovsky s 1932 book Kara Bugaz In this he praises the setting up of the local salt industry by the Soviet government in the 1930s 6 7 8 In 1935 the film director Aleksandr Razumny made a film Kara bugaz Kara Bugaz based on the above book with music by Mikhail Ippolitov Ivanov French communist journalist Henri Barbusse was given a sneak preview of the almost finished film which he praised in an article in Izvestia The film should have been shown first to Stalin who became unhappy when he learned of its existence Thus it was never generally released in the Soviet Union It had its first public screening in London in June 2010 9 References Edit Turkmenistan Geo Data The World Geographical Encyclopedia 2003 via HighBeam Research a b Kosarev Aleksey Kostianoy Andrey Zonn Igor 2008 11 02 Kara Bogaz Gol Bay Physical and Chemical Evolution Aquatic Geochemistry 15 1 2 223 236 doi 10 1007 s10498 008 9054 z S2CID 129907319 Atanyyazow Soltansa 1980 Tүrkmenistanyn Geografik Atlarynyn Dүshүndirishli Sozlүgi Explanatory Dictionary of Geographic Names in Turkmenistan Ashgabat Ylym p 86 Aladin Nicolai Plotnikov Igor 2004 Lake Basin Management Initiative The Caspian Sea PDF Report Micklin Philip P Environmental Resources and Constraints in the Former Soviet Republics 1994 The National Council for Soviet and Eastern European Research Page 9 Konstantin Paustovsky 1977 The Black Gulf Westport Conn Hyperion Press ISBN 978 0 88355 411 1 Priestland David October 1 2010 Engineers of the Soul History Today via Highbeam Research Ruch Julie Ella Spring 2013 Engineers of the Soul The Grandiose Propaganda of Stalin s Russia Canadian Slavonic Papers 55 1 2 246 247 ISSN 0008 5006 Westerman Frank 8 June 2010 Discovering Stalin s banned film Today BBC Radio 4 Retrieved 24 December 2019 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kara bogaz gol Google Maps detail showing the current in the strait Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Garabogazkol amp oldid 1125282435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
