| Bagyrlai | |
| Other Name: | Бағырлай |
| Source1: | Ural near Atameken |
| Source1 Elevation: | -8m (-26feet) |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 49.4083°N 54.7053°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | -13m (-43feet) |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 48.1819°N 51.2358°W |
| Subdivision Type1: | Countries |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kazakhstan |
| Length: | 239km (149miles) |
| Basin Size: | 2000km2 |
| Pushpin Map: | Kazakhstan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Mouth location in Kazakhstan |
The Bagyrlai (Kazakh: Бағырлай; Russian: Багырлай) is a river in Akzhaik District, West Kazakhstan Region, and Inder District, Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan. It is a right distributary of the Ural river, with a length of and a drainage basin of 2000km2. The river was originally a branch of an ancient delta of the Ural.
Its water is fresh, but mostly turbid. It is used for agricultural purposes and the riverbanks are a grazing ground for local cattle.
The Bagyrlai begins branching off the right side of the Ural river northwest of the village of Atameken (until 1994 Antonovo), close to Bazartobe. It heads southwards parallel to the Ural, forming meanders. Its mouth is to the north of lake Terenkyzyl, where it disperses in the sand about 20km (10miles) WSW of Orlik, a town on the banks of the Ural river.[1] [2] [3]
The Bagyrlai valley and channel are wide. The right bank is generally steep. The river freezes yearly between December and April.The Bagyrlai Dam, having a surface of 5.5km2, was built on the middle course of the river in 1962, at the time of the Kazakh SSR.[4] There are other small earthen dams along its course.[2]
