Shagan
Шаған
Irtysh basin with the Shagan in the lower right
Shagan (Irtysh) is located in Kazakhstan
Shagan (Irtysh)
Mouth location in Kazakhstan
Physical characteristics
SourceKazakh Uplands
  locationChingiztau
  coordinates48°39′51″N 78°29′03″E / 48.66417°N 78.48417°E / 48.66417; 78.48417
  elevation915 metres (3,002 ft)
MouthIrtysh
  coordinates
50°37′55″N 79°15′45″E / 50.63194°N 79.26250°E / 50.63194; 79.26250
Length275 km (171 mi)
Basin size25,400 km2 (9,800 sq mi)
Discharge 
  average1.02 m3/s (36 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionIrtyshObKara Sea

The Shagan (Kazakh: Шаған - Şağan) is a river in the east of Kazakhstan and a tributary of the Irtysh. The river is 275 km (171 mi) long and the area of its basin is 25,400 km2 (9,800 sq mi).

Geography

The Shagan has its sources in the northwestern slopes of the Chingiztau, a subrange of the Kazakh Uplands. It heads mainly northwards along semi-desert areas all along its course. Finally it meets the left bank of the Irtysh 275 km (171 mi) to the west of Semey, former Semipalatinsk, city. Its food is mainly snow and the river is under ice between November and April. It flows during the spring floods, from May to June. In the summer it dries up or breaks up into disconnected pools. Its main tributary is the Ashchysu from the right,[1][2]

History

It is located in the area of the Semipalatinsk Test Site, which was used as the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons. The river flows along the eastern boundary of the test site and fills the "Atomic Lake" Lake Shagan (or Lake Balapan), a lake created by the Chagan nuclear test.[3] The lake was formed at the confluence with the Ashchysu in January 1965.[4]

See also

References

  1. Шаган; Great Soviet Encyclopedia in 30 vols. — Ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M. Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969–1978. (in Russian)
  2. "M-44 Topographic Chart (in Russian)". Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  3. Trip on lake Atomic
  4. International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
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