Lake Kaindy ( kk, Қайыңды көлі, ''Qaiyñdy kölı'', meaning the "birch tree lake" or ''landslide'') is a

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

located in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

. The lake reaches depths of nearly . It is located east-southeast of the city of

Almaty Almaty (; kk, Алматы; ), formerly known as Alma-Ata ( kk, Алма-Ата), is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population of about 2 million. It was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1936 as an autonomous republic as part of ...

and is above sea level.

History

Lake Kaindy is located in the south of Kazakhstan, within Kolsay Lakes National Park. It is located above sea level, east of

. The lake was formed as the result of a major limestone landslide triggered by the

1911 Kebin earthquake The 1911 Kebin earthquake, or Chon-Kemin earthquake, struck Russian Turkestan on 3 January. Registering at a moment magnitude of 8.0, it killed 452 people, destroyed more than 770 buildings (which was almost all of the city) in Almaty, Kazakhst ...

forming a natural dam. It blocked the gorge and was filled by mountain river water. Lake Kaindy is about 400 meters long, reaching depths of nearly 30 meters at its deepest point. Altered by limestone deposits, the water maintains a bluish-green color. The lake contains trunks of submerged ''

Picea schrenkiana ''Picea schrenkiana'', Schrenk's spruce, or Asian spruce, is a spruce native to the Tian Shan mountains of central Asia in western China (Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It grows at altitudes of 1,200–3,500 metres, usually in pure fore ...

'' trees that rise above the surface of the lake. The area is often referred to as a "sunken forest". The cold water helps preserve the tree trunks, which are overgrown with algae and various other water plants. In recent years, Lake Kaindy has become a popular international tourist destination. The lake is also known for ice diving and trout fishing in the winter season. The uniqueness of the lake lies in the fact that after the emergence of a natural dam that blocked the gorge, the water that filled the dam formed the lake and did not destroy the spruce trees growing in this place along the river. (The Kaindy river flows into the lake, passing through a two-sided rock face about 20 meters high). The upper part of the trees protruding from the water lost their side branches and bark, and the wood turned white. When you look at such a panorama, you get the feeling that you are looking at a submerged squadron: the bare trunks of trees resemble the masts of submerged ships. The lake surface itself changes color regularly and is often a very beautiful blue color. This strange color is caused by lime and other minerals that were in the water a hundred years ago. But as soon as you get closer to the lake, the water becomes crystal clear, and sometimes you can even see trout in it. Despite the low water temperature, Kaindy lake is popular with diving enthusiasts.

References

Lakes of Kazakhstan Landslide-dammed lakes {{kazakhstan-geo-stub