Ay-Kul

Ay-Kul
Ay-Kul
Айкөл (Kyrgyz)
	Ay-Kul Ay-Kul
Coordinates	39°38′05.3″N 69°38′06.7″E / 39.634806°N 69.635194°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)
Max. width	0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi)
Surface area	.82–1 square kilometre (0.32–0.39 sq mi)
Water volume	0.057 km3 (0.014 cu mi)
Surface elevation	2,838–2,938 metres (9,311–9,639 ft)

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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 km² (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 km² (0.32 sq mi)^[1] to 1.5 km² (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

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Oruzbaeva, B., ed. (1987). "Ай-Кёл" [Ay-Kyol]. Oshskaya oblast'. Entsiklopediya (in Russian). Frunze: Glavnaya redaktsiya Kirgizskoy sovetskoy entsiklopedii. p. 174.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j 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.
^ ^a ^b Yoqubov, Temirboy (2001). Nishonov, Nurullo (ed.). Исфана (Аспанакент) тарихи [The History of Isfana (Aspanakent)] (in Uzbek). Isfana. pp. 71–72.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[OE-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Oruzbaeva, B., ed. (1987). "Ай-Кёл" [Ay-Kyol]. Oshskaya oblast'. Entsiklopediya (in Russian). Frunze: Glavnaya redaktsiya Kirgizskoy sovetskoy entsiklopedii. p. 174.

[KG-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j 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.

[Yoqubov-3] Yoqubov, Temirboy (2001). Nishonov, Nurullo (ed.). Исфана (Аспанакент) тарихи [The History of Isfana (Aspanakent)] (in Uzbek). Isfana. pp. 71–72.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[1]