The age of Lake Karas in Mari El exceeds 10 thousand years. It is difficult to understand how the legends about his education have come down to our times, but they exist - amazing, a little creepy and at the same time romantic. But first, a little about what the lake itself is, how it was formed and why.
Big and Small Kokshaga - rivers of republican significance
Lake Karas in Mari El is located 23 km from the capital, in the place where two rivers converge - Bolshaya and Malaya Kokshaga. Both rivers are left tributaries of the Volga, which flow through coniferous, and in some places mixed and marshy forests. Malaya Kokshaga is a river that flows completely through the Republic of Mari El, and the capital of the republic, the city of Yoshkar-Ola, is also located on it. The large one also flows through the neighboring Kirov region, and then flows into the Kuibyshev reservoir. The Bolshaya Kokshaga river basin is sparsely populated; Russians and Maris live here interspersed in small villages at a decent distance from each other. Therefore, most of the territory is occupied by a reserve with the same name.name - "Big Kokshaga".
Both rivers took part in the formation of Lake Karas - it is located between them. But closer still is Malaya Kokshaga, the river, which is considered the largest water artery in the republic. Water washed away the soil from the inside until eventually a sinkhole formed at latitude 56.3407909 and longitude 47.7463119, which we today call Lake Karas.
Educational history and local landscape development
Lake Karas in Mari El is karst, that is, it was formed due to the activity of water. Karst refers to any phenomena that are associated with washing out, dissolution of various rocks with water, and therefore voids of various shapes are formed at the place of application of water forces. Usually, water successfully transforms the appearance and shape of gypsum rocks, limestone, marble, dolomite. The bottom of Lake Karas is a layer of pure white quartz sand, covered with dark green silty deposits of dead algae.
The greatest depth in Lake Karas is 46.1 m. In shape, it resembles an oval measuring 426 x 597 m, elongated from north to south. Karst processes in it did not stop and now continue to change the relief of the bottom and coast quite intensively. So, over the past 100 years, the reservoir has added 10.2 m to a depth. Its southwestern shore decreases at a rate of 12 cm per year, and the northeastern one at a rate of 28 cm per year. As a result of the activity of water, coastal rocks turn into sand, which covers the bottom and shores of the lake.
Today, local scientists are sounding the alarm, noting thatthat karst processes in Lake Karas in Mari El not only do not stop, but are also activated. The runoff and inflow of water increased, which accelerated the processes of erosion of the rock, voids and funnels began to form more often and faster. Scientists believe that this may pose a danger to nearby construction buildings.
Who lives on the lake today
Most of the buildings around the lake are dachas of the local elite and sanatoriums, in which, in principle, everyone can relax. It's just so difficult to get here - most of the territory is blocked off. This moment is very annoying to the public, but the status quo remains.
The largest local sanatorium is called "Sosnovy Bor" and is popular with those who want to relax in peace and quiet among the amazing beauty of nature. The landscape here is truly unique, as are the natural and climatic conditions. The air is rich in oxygen ions and phytoncides from a variety of medicinal herbs, the water is crystal clear, through a thickness of 8 m you can see every pebble at the bottom. In such conditions, he alth recovers even faster.
Legend of Lake Karas
Let's go back to the time of the formation of the lake, which is beautifully described in the legend. In one village nearby lived a guy who spoiled everyone's life. His name was Epanai. His fellow villagers tolerated him until he stole a horse from one household. They could no longer forgive him for this - the horse meant too much at that time. Having miraculously survived (he was protected from fellow villagers by a local old man named Akrey), Epanaihe fled into the forest and continued his dark deeds there: he gathered a gang of the same hermits and began to rob and kill people. On this he got rich, providing himself with everything that only his soul desired.
But you won't be fed up with jewels alone, Epanay wanted love, and by coincidence, the daughter of the same Akrey who had saved him became the subject of his passion. Well, he would have come up with goodness, maybe that would have happened, but after all, the robber, he is the robber - he decided that he could capture Karasii (that was the name of the girl) by force and bring him to the forest. He sent robbers to her, but they returned with nothing - old Akrey outwitted them. Epanai got angry, started screaming and stamping his feet. Then the irreparable happened - the house of Epanai, together with him and all the robbers, collapsed, and water splashed at the bottom. The villagers only from time to time heard the cry: "Karasiy …". So the lake was named.
How to get to the lake
The most direct route leads through the capital, which can be reached by plane from anywhere in Russia. Then only by land transport: by car or bus. The Yoshkar-Ola - Cheboksary highway is clearly visible on the map. The lake is only 3 km from it and 23 km from the capital. That is, you need to turn off the highway a little south of the republican center towards the lake and in a few minutes you will see a landscape of extraordinary beauty. This will be Lake Karas in Pine Forest, Mari El - a well-known landmark throughout the country and just a great place to relax and restore he alth.
