The nature of Tatarstan is amazingly diverse. And it is this diversity that our article will be devoted to. Rivers and springs, lakes and ponds, picturesque ravines, pastel-colored hills and colorful meadows - this region is beautiful at any time of the year.
The main topic of our story will be the lakes of Tatarstan. You will find a list and descriptions of the largest reservoirs in the region in this article.
Brief geography of Tatarstan
Tatarstan is a republic within the Russian Federation, the eighth in terms of population and the 44th in terms of its area. It is located in the northern part of the Volga region, in the place where two of the largest rivers in Europe, the Volga and the Kama, connect their waters. Tatarstan is adjacent to Bashkortostan, Udmurtia, Chuvashia, the Republic of Mari El, Samara, Orenburg, Kirov and Ulyanovsk regions. The main cities of the republic are Kazan (the capital), Naberezhnye Chelny, Nizhnekamsk, Zelenodolsk.
The extreme northern point of Tatarstan is located on the 56thparallels, and the extreme south - on the 53rd. The distance between these two points is almost 300 kilometers. The region stretches for 450 km from west to east.
The territory of the republic is located within the Volga-Ural anteclise of a fairly large tectonic structure - the Russian platform. A number of combustible and non-metallic minerals (gas, oil, coal, bitumen, sand, building stone) are mined in the region.
In general, Tatarstan is a well-developed and important economic region of the country with a developed industry and agriculture. Its development was facilitated by its favorable economic and geographical position (at the junction of Europe and Asia), the proximity of the raw material bases of Siberia and the powerful industrial centers of the Urals.
Diversity of nature in Tatarstan
The region is located far from the seas, oceans and mountain systems. Nevertheless, its nature is distinguished by beauty and great variety.
The climate of the region is temperate continental. It is warm here in summer, not very cold in winter. In short, the climate is ideal for human life and the development of agriculture. An interesting fact: with a relatively small territory, climatic conditions in different parts of the republic differ significantly. Thus, against the background of its “cool” regions (Ante Kama and Eastern Trans Kama), Western Trans Kama is noticeably distinguished by its warmth and frequent droughts.
Once forests covered almost half of Tatarstan. But man, with his active economic activity, has greatly changed the nature of the region. Untouched steppes were plowed up, and forests were cut down. Today, forests occupy no more than 20% of the territory of the republic. However, in terms of absolute figures, the area of the "green carpet" of Tatarstan is about one million hectares. An impressive figure that retains the title of the most forested region of the entire Volga region for Tatarstan.
Another natural we alth is the lakes of Tatarstan. They are widely used for water supply of settlements, as well as for recreation purposes. Many of them are also suitable for fishing, such as Lake Bishops. Tatarstan is often called the "country of four rivers", referring to the Volga, Kama, Vyatka and Belaya. In total, there are about 3 thousand rivers and streams within this region. But few people know that there are even more lakes here!
Lakes of the Republic: general characteristics and list
Lakes of Tatarstan – how many are there? Hydrologists counted at least 8 thousand natural reservoirs within the region. In addition, four large reservoirs and 550 artificial ponds were created in Tatarstan in the second half of the 20th century.
Most of the lakes of this region, according to the type of genesis, are floodplain and karst. More than 40 species of bony fish are found in the reservoirs of Tatarstan: pike perch, bream, catfish, carp, pike and others. There are only 30 large lakes in the republic. Sredny Kaban is the largest lake in Tatarstan. The area of its water surface is 112 hectares.
The lakes of Tatarstan are mostly shallow. Most of them have a depth not exceeding three meters. The deepestthe reservoirs of Tatarstan are Tarlashinsky Lake and Aktash Proval.
Of course, it is simply impossible to describe and list all the reservoirs of the republic in one article. Below are the largest lakes in Tatarstan (the list includes the ten largest reservoirs, see the table).
| Lake name | Area (in hectares) | |
| 1 | Medium Boar | 112 |
| 2 | Kovalinskoe | 88 |
| 3 | Tarlashinsky | 60 |
| 4 | Lower Boar | 56 |
| 5 | Swan Lakes | 34 |
| 6 | Collective | 33 |
| 7 | Raifian | 32 |
| 8 | Ilinskoe | 28 |
| 9 | Upper Boar | 25 |
| 10 | Salamykovskoe | 24 |
We will tell about the most interesting and famous lakes of Tatarstan further.
Blue lakes
Tatarstan is a forest, river and, of course, a lake region. Moreover, many natural reservoirs of the republic arepopular places of rest and recreation for local residents. A vivid example of this is the Blue Lakes, located on the outskirts of Kazan.
This is a hydrological system of three small lakes with a total area of 0.3 hectares - Flowing, Big and Small Blue lakes. All of them are oxbow lakes of the Kazanka River, which were complicated by suddenly formed sinkholes two hundred years ago.
Blue lakes are proudly called the natural miracle of Tatarstan. Depending on the season, the water in them changes its color from black to azure. From the bottom of the lakes, a unique s alt mud is mined, with the help of which many skin diseases are treated. These reservoirs are also very popular with divers and walruses, who traditionally make New Year's dives here.
Studying the nature of the lakes took up in 1829 local historian Karl Fuchs. In 1994, the natural reserve of the same name, Blue Lakes, was established here.
Tatarstan can tell many more interesting stories about its reservoirs. Let's continue our virtual journey through the lakes of this beautiful region!
Bishops Lake
Bishop's (or Tarlashinsky) lake is a drainless karst reservoir near the village of Tarlashi, Laishevsky district. It stretches for more than two kilometers in length with a maximum width of 500 meters. The deepest lake is 18 meters.
The Bishop's Lake has been declared a natural monument, because it is unique in its origin. In addition, the reservoir feeds mainly on groundwater. Unfortunately the lakeshores todayactively overgrown with spontaneous and unauthorized beaches.
Near the expanse of the Bishop's Lake, a beautiful stone church, dating back to the 19th century by historians, has been preserved. A fabulous view of the old church opens up from the opposite bank of the reservoir.
Lake Raifskoe
Raifskoye Lake is located 20 kilometers west of Kazan. On its banks is the complex of the Bogoroditsky Monastery, a valuable architectural monument of the 17th century. The high white bell tower of the monastery, combined with the expanse of Raifa Lake, is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque landscapes in all of Tatarstan.
Today, the area of the lake is about 32 hectares. The reservoir has an oval shape, its total length is 1.3 kilometers. The maximum depth of Raifa Lake is 19 meters. In recent decades, it has been decreasing due to active processes of siltation of the reservoir.
Karst abyss of the Republic
Lake Aktash Proval in the Almetyevsk region is the deepest in Tatarstan. Its depth reaches 28 meters! This reservoir is nothing more than a karst failure filled with water. It was formed relatively recently - in the 1930s. According to one version, the earth in this place failed due to voids, which, in turn, remained from old oil wells.
Initially, the failure was very tiny: only 2 by 3 meters. But over time, it increased in size. The lake at the bottom of the sinkhole was formed in the early 50s.
Among the localsA funny legend about the Aktash failure is popular among residents. Rumor has it that in Soviet times, a barrel was thrown into this lake, which after a certain time floated into the Caspian Sea.
Monster of Kara-Kul Lake
It turns out that Tatarstan has its own Loch Ness monster! It lives in the Vysokogorsky region of the republic, in the tiny lake Kara-Kul. At least, that's what a rather popular legend among the local population says.
The name of the reservoir is translated from the Tatar language as "black lake". The water in it is really very dark in color due to the active dissolution of karst rocks. Many eyewitnesses say that they managed to see the mysterious lake monster or hear its wild roar. True, everyone describes it differently.
Whether any mythical creature actually lives in the Kara-Kul Lake is unknown. But perch, carp and silver carp feel great in its waters.
In conclusion…
The variety of nature of Tatarstan surprises and amazes everyone who travels through the local expanses. It is simply impossible not to fall in love with her beauty! The lakes of Tatarstan are one of the main natural treasures of this region, which has a huge recreational and tourist potential and is of great ecological importance.
