Lake Ağgöl
Encyclopedia
Ağgöl is a large salty lake in Kur-Araz Lowland, Agjabadi and Imishli raion
s of southeastern part of Azerbaijan
. It is one of about 250 lakes of the country. Ağgöl is considered one of the most important habitats in Azerbaijan as well as in Caucasus. Located in Ağgöl National Park, it is a part of the wetland
system which is an important location for migrating birds, especially for globally endangered species stopping-over and breeding at Aggöl.
on September 25, 1139, when huge block of Mount Kapaz
collapsed blocking the path of rivers thus creating a beautiful lake Göygöl
and seven other smaller lakes: Maral-gol
, Jeyran-gol, Ordek-gol, Zalugolu, Aggöl, Garagol and Shamligol. The further formation of the lake was also due to landslides.
Origins of the lake are connected to Araz and Kura
rivers as well as rivers originating in Karabakh Plateau. The water flowing in from Araz enriches the lake with chloride
s and has high mineralization
. It is argued that throughout the ages, the rivers have flooded the area creating depression
s and then refilled them with water. Before the 20th century, Ağgöl was already partially fed by drainage waters from irrigated fields. The volume of water in the lake had fluctuated in the past when it faced being dried out in single years and when it reached very high volumes of water in other years. When the Mingachevir
dam was built in mid 20th century, the water regime in the Mil steppe and Kura-Araz lowland changed. From 1960, the water to the lake inflowed only from saline water collectors built in the region to drain irrigation waters. In the present, the lake is fed by "K-2" and "K-3" collectors. Some areas around the lake have been used as pasture grounds. Other areas were transformed into irrigated agricultural lands used to grow cotton, wheat, lucerne, vegetables and wine.
.
In 1978, the area of the lake was declared zapovednik thus setting the highest level of protection category allowing only the scientific research. In 2001, the global importance of the lake was internationally recognized when the area was declared as Important Bird Area
(IBA) when it was placed in the list of Ramsar wetlands of international importance. Therefore, in 2003, the protected area was enlarged by the presidential
decree to the size 18000 hectare. It is managed by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic. The ministry supervises the activities in preservation of the flora and fauna in the protected area and guards it against illegal hunting and fishing.
region of Azerbaijan by Armenian armed forces which caused ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons
from Karabakh and Armenia, they were settled in many regions of Azerbaijan a large part of which was concentrated in 84 settlements of Agjabadi raion. Some were placed in villages around Aggöl. Due to lack of food, this also caused increase in illegal fishing thus affecting the fauna of the lake.
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
s of southeastern part of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. It is one of about 250 lakes of the country. Ağgöl is considered one of the most important habitats in Azerbaijan as well as in Caucasus. Located in Ağgöl National Park, it is a part of the wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
system which is an important location for migrating birds, especially for globally endangered species stopping-over and breeding at Aggöl.
History
Ağgöl is believed to be one of the seven lakes which were created as a result of a major earthquake in GanjaGanja, Azerbaijan
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
on September 25, 1139, when huge block of Mount Kapaz
Mount Kapaz
The Mount Kapaz or Kepez is a mountain in Lesser Caucasus near Ganja city in central Azerbaijan. Kapaz rises 3,065 meters above the sea level. It is located next to Lake Göygöl and its huge rocks broken off the mount and blocking a nearby river in 1139 earthquake were a cause for creation of the...
collapsed blocking the path of rivers thus creating a beautiful lake Göygöl
Lake Goygol
Göygöl is a natural impounded lake in Azerbaijan. It is situated at the footsteps of Murovdag, not far from Ganja.-History:Due to an earthquake which hit the area on 25 September 1139, parts of the Kapaz Mount collapsed and blocked the path of the Kürəkçay River...
and seven other smaller lakes: Maral-gol
Maral-gol
Maral-gol is a lake of Azerbaijan....
, Jeyran-gol, Ordek-gol, Zalugolu, Aggöl, Garagol and Shamligol. The further formation of the lake was also due to landslides.
Origins of the lake are connected to Araz and Kura
Kura
Kura may refer to:* Kura River in Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan* Kura River, Russia in Russia* Kura Test Range in Kamchatka Krai, Russia, a major ICBM testing site during the Cold War* Kura, Nigeria, a Local Government Area of Kano State...
rivers as well as rivers originating in Karabakh Plateau. The water flowing in from Araz enriches the lake with chloride
Chloride
The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine, a halogen, picks up one electron to form an anion Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and can also be called chlorides. The chloride ion, and its salts such as sodium chloride, are very soluble in water...
s and has high mineralization
Mineralization
Mineralization may refer to:* Mineralization , the process through which an organic substance becomes impregnated by inorganic substances...
. It is argued that throughout the ages, the rivers have flooded the area creating depression
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
s and then refilled them with water. Before the 20th century, Ağgöl was already partially fed by drainage waters from irrigated fields. The volume of water in the lake had fluctuated in the past when it faced being dried out in single years and when it reached very high volumes of water in other years. When the Mingachevir
Mingachevir
Mingachevir , sometimes spelled Mingecevir, is the fourth-biggest city in Azerbaijan with a population of about 100,000. It is known as city of lights because of its hydroelectric power station on the Kur River, which splits the city in half....
dam was built in mid 20th century, the water regime in the Mil steppe and Kura-Araz lowland changed. From 1960, the water to the lake inflowed only from saline water collectors built in the region to drain irrigation waters. In the present, the lake is fed by "K-2" and "K-3" collectors. Some areas around the lake have been used as pasture grounds. Other areas were transformed into irrigated agricultural lands used to grow cotton, wheat, lucerne, vegetables and wine.
Protected area
The Ağgöl is often described as eutrophic lake. The overall area is about 56.2 sqkm and the volume of water in the lake is 44.7 million m3. The average water depth of 0.8 m, maximum depth being 2.5 m. Water levels tend to be lowest in August. With arrival of fall, the level rises and reaches its maximum during rain season in the spring. There are two islands (10 ha) covered by reedReed (plant)
Reed is a generic polyphyletic botanical term used to describe numerous tall, grass-like plants of wet places, which are the namesake vegetation of reed beds...
.
In 1978, the area of the lake was declared zapovednik thus setting the highest level of protection category allowing only the scientific research. In 2001, the global importance of the lake was internationally recognized when the area was declared as Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) when it was placed in the list of Ramsar wetlands of international importance. Therefore, in 2003, the protected area was enlarged by the presidential
President of Azerbaijan
The country of Azerbaijan is a presidential republic, with the President of Azerbaijan as the head of state, and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan as head of government...
decree to the size 18000 hectare. It is managed by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic. The ministry supervises the activities in preservation of the flora and fauna in the protected area and guards it against illegal hunting and fishing.
Climate
The lake usually does not freeze with a few exceptions due to infrequent severe frost. The total annual precipitation at the lake is up to 332 mm, minimum being 13 mm in August and maximum of 37 mm in March.Effects of Karabakh conflict
Due to occupation of Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
region of Azerbaijan by Armenian armed forces which caused ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees and internally displaced persons in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani SSR was the first republic of Soviet Union that faced the problem of refugees. Those people were the Azerbaijani inhabitants of Armenia.-Refugees from Armenia:...
from Karabakh and Armenia, they were settled in many regions of Azerbaijan a large part of which was concentrated in 84 settlements of Agjabadi raion. Some were placed in villages around Aggöl. Due to lack of food, this also caused increase in illegal fishing thus affecting the fauna of the lake.
See also
- Ağgöl National Park
- Gizil-Agach State ReserveGizil-Agach State ReserveGhizil-Agaj State Reserve, meaning golden forest, was established on an area of 884 km² south-west of the Caspian Sea shore for the purpose of protecting, creating conditions for wintering and nesting of migrant, swamp and wild birds in 1929....
- Lake SarysuLake SarysuSarysu is a relatively large lake of Azerbaijan located in Imishli and Sabirabad raions of the Kur-Araz Lowland.-Overview:Sarysu lake stretches along the Kura River from Imishli Rayon southeast to Sabirabad Rayon reaching the total length of . It is one of the four lakes present in the area and is...
- Rivers and lakes in AzerbaijanRivers and lakes in AzerbaijanThe water bodies of Azerbaijan were formed over a long geological timeframe and changed significantly throughout that period. This is particularly evidenced by remnants of ancient rivers found throughout the country. The country's water systems are continually changing under the influence of...