Social media are full of photos witnessing critical condition of Lake Kizil-Yar located 10 km from Sakyin occupied Crimea. The lake belongs to the group of Yevpatoria’s salt lakes and faces the sameproblems as almost all other Crimean water bodies. The North Crimean Canal and the MizhhirneReservoir, which supplied Kyzyl-Yar with fresh water, are already empty, which naturally influences thelake. ‘Now it’s a dull and desolate landscape. Although there is still enough water in the lake, becauseof hunters and planned transfer of the reservoir to fish farmers, we might as well forget thisabundance of wild birds and animals quite soon’, Crimeans write on social media.
Occupation authorities do not respond to the problem.
The warm winter with minimum level of precipitation have shrunk many rivers and lakes on thepeninsula; some water bodies have turned into puddles.
The lake used to be 3.7 metres at its deepest and to cover an area of 8 square kilometres. This waterbody is unique because its bottom layers are saline, but closer to the surface the water is fresh. Kyzyl-Yar means ‘red cliff’ in Tatar. The lake was formed approximately 6,000 years ago.
It should be reminded that the North Crimean Canal used to supply 85% of water to Crimea. Thesupply was cut off on 3 May 2014 following Russia’s occupation of the peninsula. Ukraine officiallystates there are no intentions to resume water supply. The Permanent Representative of the Presidentof Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea says Ukraine will supply water to annexed Crimeaonly after de-occupation.
