Bosten Lake
The Bosten Lake (also: Bagrax Hu; Chinese博斯滕 湖, Pinyin: Bositeng Hu; Uighur: باغراش كۆلى / Baghrash Köli / Baƣrax Kɵli ) is located 57 km northeast of the city of Korla in a circle Bagrax ( Bohu博湖县) of the Mongol Autonomous Prefecture Bayingolin of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the Yanqi basin焉耆 盆地in the southeastern edge region of the Tian Shan (天山). He is one of the largest freshwater lakes in China.
Geography
The Bosten Lake, including several small tributary lakes occupies an area of approximately 1,000 km ² (length 55 km, width 25 km). Its volume is approximately 7.7 km ³. The lake lies at an altitude of around 1048 m. It has a depth of up to 15.7 meters were measured, the lake level fluctuates seasonally and is currently recorded a total increase of the water level. In the eastern basin, there are several hot springs, yet the sea from November to March is frozen.
The Yanqi Basin, where the lake is located, is bordered in the north by about 4000 meters high glaciated mountain ranges ( Sarmin - Chajdutau and Bortoula chain), to the south by Kokteketau and Borochotan Mountain and the Kuruk day, about 2500 m are high.
The history of the lake
After removal of a sample at the hole in the bedrock of the Bosten Lake in 1957 suspected the Russian engineer Jida that the lake is 4000 years old.
According to a report by the Chinese Li Daovuan with Title Shui Jin Zhu (Part 2) from the sixth century was at the time instead of the lake, just a wetland, the designated the Chinese with the following names: Su ( = swamp with some water), Zhu (= small island in the water ) or Pu ( = water surface).
During the time of the Chinese Emperor Jiaqing (1798-1820) in the Qing Dynasty visited Xu Song the Bosten Lake and measured him. The Sea was 138 km long and 23 km wide; the depth of the lake was 16 meters. He was surrounded by vast wetlands.
Tributaries of the lake
Among the various tributaries of the lake are the four largest in the Kaidu开 都 河, the Huang Shui Gou黄 水沟, the Qing Shui清水 河and the Wu -La -Si -Te乌拉 司 特 河. Of these four rivers originate 96 % of the lake water. From the river water has the largest river, the River Kaidu开 都 河, a share of 83%. The Kaidu River runs primarily in the summer months from May to September water, namely groundwater and surface water mainly from rainfall and meltwater from glaciers.
The lake and its importance
The Bosten Lake has for the region because of its rich fish stocks and as a wetland of 1400 km ² of great importance. It is subject to fluctuations in the lake level and has since its description by Sven Hedin beginning in March 1896 greatly reduced its depth and its circumference. The water from the Bosten Lake and the River Kaidu about 100,000 ha of arable land in Yanji Basin are irrigated. In addition, the lower reaches of the Tarim and located there Daxihaizi Reservoir from the Bosten Lake on the Konqi ( Kong Que孔雀河= Peacock River ) receive a significant portion of their water flow. Thus, a green corridor is obtained, which protects the eastern road 218 to the Tarim Basin and the Taklamakan desert塔里木盆地separates from the deserts Kuruk day and Lop Nor. Before the extensive irrigation systems in Yanji Basin of Konqi was a major tributary of the now auagetrockneten Lake Lop Nor罗布泊.
Climate
The monthly average temperature in January is -10 ° C and in July 28 ° C. The annual average temperature is 9.5 ° C.
Recent Developments
Was feared to fall another Whereas at the end of the last century and salty lake, recent studies indicate a rise in the lake level. The reasons for the resurgence of the water table, additional water is suspected due to increasing glacial melt and an increase in annual precipitation.
Etiologic legend of the Bosten Lake
After an aetiological tale which seeks to explain the origin of the name " Bosten Lake ," there was in Yanji Basin earlier no lake, but only a great steppe, who lived on a pair of young lovers. The boy, whose name was Boston, loved the girl Gaya. But the rain spirit in the sky abducted the girl and tried to make Gaya to his wife. Boston defeated him, but he was then so exhausted that he died. Gaya mourned and wept and wept. Her tears turned the desert into a wide lake. This loving couple in honor of the Lake Bosten Lake was named.
Chinese nuclear weapons test site
100 km southeast of Bosten Lake is the Chinese nuclear test site Lop Nor. There were (most recently on 16 October 1980) and carried out underground nuclear tests 1964-1996 a total of 45 aboveground. The nuclear weapons test site is provided as an interim storage and eventual disposal as for hot and high-level radioactive waste.