| Maly Uzen Kishi Uzen (Saryozen) | |
| Other Name: | Малый Узень / Кіші Өзен |
| Source1: | Obshchy Syrt |
| Source1 Elevation: | ca 100m (300feet) |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 51.3831°N 48.3181°W |
| Mouth: | Saryaydyn, Kamys-Samar Lakes |
| Mouth Elevation: | -8m (-26feet) |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 48.9392°N 49.6567°W |
| Subdivision Type1: | Countries |
| Subdivision Name1: | Russia Kazakhstan |
| Length: | 638km (396miles) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 3.4m3/s782m3/s at Maly Uzen |
| Basin Size: | 18250km2 |
| Pushpin Map: | Kazakhstan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Mouth location in Kazakhstan |
Maly Uzen (Russian: Малый Узень) or Kishi Uzen (Kazakh: Кіші Өзен, Kishi Ózen; Tatar: Кесе Үҙән), also known as the Saryozen in Kazakhstan,[1] is a river in Saratov Oblast of Russia and West Kazakhstan Province of Kazakhstan. It is 638km (396miles) long, with a drainage basin of 18250km2,[2] The river is part of the Kazakhstan–Russia border area.
The river is used for water supply and irrigation. Water quality tests conducted in 2005 in the Russian section indicated 'moderately polluted'.[3] A 2011 report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe listed the discharge of wastewater, surface run-off, sediments and riverbank erosion as damaging to water quality.[1]
The Maly Uzen has its sources on the western edge of the Obshchy Syrt to the north of Yershov town. It flows in a roughly SSE direction over the steppes of the Caspian Depression. The river runs parallel to the Bolshoy Uzen, some 50km (30miles) further east. The Maly Uzen has its mouth in lake Saryaydyn, part of the Kamys-Samar Lakes of West-Kazakhstan. Lake Balykty Sarkyl lies between the Maly Uzen and the Bolshoy Uzen.[4]
Most of the river's waters come from melting snow and its discharge is at its peak in April. Some stretches of the river usually dry up completely in the summer. At Maly Uzen village the discharge varies from 3.4m3/s782m3/s. The Maly Uzen freezes over in December, and stays icebound to the end of March or beginning of April.
