Lake Amtkeli

Lake Amtkeli
Амтҟьал
ამტყელის ტბა
Амткел
Location Gulripshi district
Coordinates 43°05′42″N 41°17′54″E / 43.09500°N 41.29833°E / 43.09500; 41.29833Coordinates: 43°05′42″N 41°17′54″E / 43.09500°N 41.29833°E / 43.09500; 41.29833
Primary inflows Amtkeli
Primary outflows Jampali (through sinkholes)
Amtkeli
Catchment area 153 km2 (59 sq mi)
Basin countries Georgia, (Abkhazia[1])
Built 3 October 1891
Max. length 2.4 km (1.5 mi)
Surface area 0.58 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Max. depth 65 m (213 ft)
Surface elevation 512 m (1,680 ft)
Frozen very rarely
Settlements Azanta

Lake Amtkeli or Amtkel[2] (Abkhaz: Амтҟьал; Georgian: ამტყელის ტბა; Russian: Амткел) is a lake in the Gulripshi District of Abkhazia, Georgia that was formed on 3 October 1891 when an earthquake caused a landslide on the south-western slope of Mt. little Shkhapach into the valley of the Amtkeli River.[3][4][5]

Geography

Lake Amtkeli is fed by the Amtkeli River, but only a small part of its water percolates through the obstructing rubble back into the river. The greater part leaves the lake through underground passages to the Jampal River. Due to the lake's limited discharge capacity, its water level rises strongly during snowmelt in May, leading to annual fluctuations of up to 40 m (131 ft) in the lake's average 512 m (1,680 ft) height above sea level and 65 m (213 ft) maximal depth, and increasing its length from 2.4 km (1.5 mi) to 4 km (2.5 mi). The average surface area of Lake Amtkeli is 0.58 km2 (0.22 sq mi), and its drainage basin measures 153 km2 (59 sq mi).

Due to the lake's origin, its underwater slopes are steep, following the surface slopes.[4]

Environment

Lake Amtkeli is home to trout, chub, nase, barbel and spirlin.

In July and August, the lake's average surface temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), in Winter it rarely freezes over.[4]

Human settlement

The village of Azanta is located next to lake Amtkeli, and some of its inhabitants keep fishing boats on its shore.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Abkhazia's status is disputed. It considers itself to be an independent state, but this is recognised by only a few other countries. The Georgian government and most of the world's other states consider Abkhazia de jure a part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic, whose government sits in exile in Tbilisi.
  2. ↑ "Lake Amtkel", page 63, A Checklist of the Ground-beetles of Russia and Adjacent Lands
  3. ↑ Solonenko, V.P. (1979). "Mapping the After-Effects of Disastrous Earthquakes and Estimation of Hazard for Engineering Constructions" (PDF). Bulletin of the International Association of Engineering Geology. Krefeld. 19: 138–142. doi:10.1007/bf02600466. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Озеро, рожденное обвалом (in Russian). bluekaz.ru. 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Bondyrev, I. V.; Z. K. Tatashidz; V. P. Singh; E. D. Tsereteli; A. Yilmaz (2004). "Impediments to the Sustainable Development of the Caucasus-Pontdes Region". Journal of Comparative Social Welfare. London: Routledge. 20 (1): 33–48. doi:10.1080/17486830408417009. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
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