Shagan (lake) explained

Shagan
Other Name:Шаған
Coords:49.9353°N 79.0083°W
Inflow:Shagan and Ashchysu
Outflow:Shagan (until 1965)
Basin Countries:Kazakhstan
Length: (pothole)
Width: (pothole)
Max-Depth:ca
Volume:0.0191km3[1]
Residence Time:UTC+6
Pushpin Map:Kazakhstan#Asia
Pushpin Map Alt:Location in Kazakhstan.

Shagan (Kazakh: Шаған) or Chagan (Russian: Чаган)[2] is a lake in Zhanasemey District, Abai Region, Kazakhstan.[3] Formed by a nuclear test explosion in 1965, it is part of the Balapan complex, one of the main tourist attractions of the Semipalatinsk Test Site.[4]

Geography

The lake lies to the south of the Irtysh and about to the southwest of Semey, formerly Semipalatinsk. The lake lies to the north of the confluence of the Shagan river, of the Irtysh basin, and its tributary the north-flowing Ashchysu.[5] The Shagan river was channeled to fill the newly created crater until 1965. A few years later, a dam was built on the left bank of the river to control the water level in the reservoir that formed to the south. The reservoir still exists today, unchanged since the explosion. It is used to provide water for local cattle.[6]

History

See main article: Chagan (nuclear test). The lake was formed in the area known as the Balapan Complex by the Chagan nuclear test on January 15, 1965, which was conducted as part of the Soviet Union Nuclear Explosions for the National Economy program. A 140 kiloton device was placed in a 178adj=midNaNadj=mid hole in the dry bed at the confluence of the Shagan and Ashchysu rivers. The blast created a circular crater across and deep with a lip height of . The crater was filled shortly after the nuclear blast by the water of the rivers and it is often referred to as "Atomic Lake" (Kazakh: Атом көлі). The crater lake's volume is approximately 10e6m3. To the south, the rim of the crater holds back the waters of a two-lobed reservoir.

It was estimated that some 20% of the radioactive products from the Chagan test escaped the blast zone, and were detected over Japan. This infuriated the United States for violating the provisions of the October 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty, which banned atmospheric tests.[7]

The water continues to be radioactive – about 100 times more than the permitted level of radionuclides in the water.[8] [9] Locals fish in the lake, despite warnings by authorities that it is hazardous.[10]

Media

In Netflix's documentary series Dark Tourist (season 1 episode 4, "The Stans"), David Farrier visits and swims in Lake Chagan, and eats a fish from the lake, during his tour of Kazakhstan.

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Present thermal regime of Lake Atomic (Semipalatinsk test site) . Russian Geology and Geophysics . D. E. . Ayunov . A. D. . Duchkov . S. A. . Kazantsev . V. V. . Romanenko . S. B. . Subbotin . 1 . 58 . 7 . 864–867 . July 2017 . 10.1016/j.rgg.2017.06.009. 2017RuGG...58..864A .
  2. https://silkadv.com/en/content/trip-lake-atomic Trip on lake Atomic
  3. [Google Earth]
  4. https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g737144-d15411204-Former_Semipalatinsk_nuclear_test_site-Semey_East_Kazakhstan_Province.html Former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site - Tourism
  5. Web site: M-44 Topographic Chart (in Russian). 15 April 2024.
  6. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/408695 The Soviet program for peaceful uses of nuclear explosions
  7. Web site: Lake Chagan, The Atomic Lake Filled With Radioactive Water . 2023-03-23 . www.amusingplanet.com . en.
  8. Web site: Lake Chagan, The Atomic Lake Filled With Radioactive Water . 2023-03-23 . www.amusingplanet.com . en.
  9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49711151_Current_Concentration_of_Artificial_Radionuclides_and_Estimated_Radiation_Doses_from_Cs-137_around_the_Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant_the_Semipalatinsk_Nuclear_Testing_Site_and_in_Nagasaki Current Concentration of Artificial Radionuclides and Estimated Radiation Doses from Cs-137 around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site, and in Nagasaki
  10. Web site: Семейдегі «Атом көлі» қараусыз жатыр. Qazaqstan TV. 2021-08-17. kk. https://archive.today/20211217073505/https://qazaqstan.tv/news/144193/. 2021-12-17. 2021-12-17. live.