City of Cholpon-Ata. City Beach. Guesthouses: Elnuru, Blue Issyk-Kul, State Residence.
We are accustomed to considering Issyk-Kul one of the cleanest bodies of water on the planet, naively believing that a plastic bag or bottle thrown on the beach next to a trash can won't harm the lake. The wind scatters piles of garbage along the shore, and some waste inevitably ends up in the water. Over the decades, real underwater dumps have formed in the coastal areas of popular beaches.
Today, you can probably find anything at the bottom of Issyk-Kul—from the remains and artifacts of ancient settlements to rubber slippers, used car tires, and even old furniture. Moreover, the amount of modern "goodies" in the lake increases year by year. Sometimes trash is retrieved from the bottom, but the quantity of waste brought to the surface is incomparably less than what is thrown into the lake.
The dirtiest underwater and coastal areas of the lake are located near busy urban, rural, or commercial beaches. This includes the city of Balykchy – the area of the city beach and port. There are bays near the villages of Chok Tal and Bayet. Many polluted spots are found in the so-called Dolinka, in the bays near popular boarding houses. In Cholpon-Ata, this includes the city beach, the area of a large sanatorium, and the State Residence. One of the longest underwater dumps—about a kilometer long—is located near the village of Bosteri. Another underwater dump has been recorded near a large boarding house in Bulan Sogottu. In Karakol, this includes the water area of the Pristan and the local beach, while in the village of Ton on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, it includes the water area of Koltsovka Bay and the village beach. The local beach in the village of Tamga is also polluted.
According to divers, the main elements of the trash are plastic bottles and bags, as well as swimming gear from tourists. The majority of the pollution is concentrated in boarding houses and other recreational areas.
Underwater cleaning of trash is a complex process. It is not just a walk with a scuba tank. Trained specialists with significant diving experience and sufficient time spent underwater are needed.
Imagine rummaging through a trash container with your eyes closed and searching for something for a long time. What would your feelings be? And with your eyes closed? Because when you work, a cloud of murk rises, and everything is done by touch. You have to go over the same spot several times to collect all the trash," said diver Petr Ilchishin.
No one knows how much trash has accumulated at great depths and how to retrieve it. Meanwhile, the trend of increasing underwater waste deposits year after year poses a threat to the viability of the biosystem of Lake Issyk-Kul, which is a national treasure for the Kyrgyz Republic.
Areas of pollution of the coastal and underwater parts of Lake Issyk-Kul with solid household waste
City of Balykchy (city beach area, port)
Village of Chok-Tal (area of the Royal Beach boarding house)
Village of Bayet (Ak-Maaral Boarding House)
Village of Kara Oi (Dolinka – boarding houses: Akun, Altyn-Kul, Eurasia)
City of Cholpon-Ata (City beach, boarding houses: Elnuru, Blue Issyk-Kul, State Residence)
Village of Bosteri (Golden Sands)
Village of Bulan-Sogottu (Aurora)
City of Karakol (Pristan water area, village beach)
Village of Ton (Koltsovka Bay water area, village beach)
Village of Tamga (village beach)
FOR REFERENCE: The Government of Kyrgyzstan also notes that an unfavorable ecological situation has developed in the resort area of Issyk-Kul. This has already led to a decrease in the recreational value of the lake complex and, if existing negative trends continue, may result in irreversible ecological and economic losses. One of the main sources of pollution is the cities and settlements located in the coastal area and along the rivers flowing into Issyk-Kul. Many private boarding houses, recreation centers, hotels, and other facilities lack sewage systems and treatment facilities.
EcoMiR - Environmental Monitoring and Investigations thanks Dmitry Luzhansky and Petr Ilchishin for the provided material.
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