THE ALMATY SEA

To the northeast, it is bordered by the foothills of the Jungar Alatau, and to the south, a plain extends, gradually merging with the foothills of another Alatau range, known as the Zailiysky.

The sources of the Ili River lie in the mountains of Central Tian Shan, located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. Its banks, along with numerous branches and channels that form islands, are covered with shrubs, Tugay forests, and reed thickets in some places, providing a habitat for many species of animals.

Starting from the border of Kazakhstan, the riverbed traverses vast expanses before spreading out into an artificial sea. Near Konayev, the rocks narrow the channels of the Ili. It's no wonder the old name of the city—Qapshağay—means ‘narrow gorge’ or ‘dungeon’ in Kazakh. Here, the river falls into the trap of the dam: its downward pressure sets the turbine blades of the hydroelectric power station in motion, after which the river carries its waters through the expanses of the Jetisu region—Semirechye—to Lake Balkhash.

During the hot months of the summer, this destination is the perfect retreat, attracting visitors who not only want to cool off in the water but bask in the sun on the warm, sandy beaches. The main visitors to Qapshagai are the residents of Almaty, who are only 75 kilometers away from this beautiful shoreline. Both sides of the reservoir offer excellent spots for weekend getaways, catering to off-road enthusiasts and families alike, with options to suit various tastes and budgets. Whether one prefers rugged camping along the deserted shore or indulging in upscale amenities and comfort, there's something here for every kind of nature lover.

Yet, this reservoir, the second-largest artificial one in Kazakhstan, was not created for fishing, tourism, or swimming. All of these are just small, albeit pleasant, bonuses. The implementation of the Qapshagai Reservoir construction project began in the 1960s as part of a large-scale infrastructure development program for Kazakhstan.

Key Goals for the Qapshagai Reservoir

Some of the main aims of the Qapshagai Reservoir project are to:

• Ensure a stable water supply during dry periods and regulate the water level of the Ili River.

• Provide drinking water for the population of Almaty. Currently, it supplies almost a quarter of the metropolis's total consumption.

• Create conditions for the successful operation of a hydroelectric power station. This would supply electricity to the rapidly developing residential infrastructure of Alma-Ata, which served as Kazakhstan's capital at the time.

• Meet the electricity and water needs of the industrial and agricultural sectors of the Almaty region and adjacent regions.

Building the Qapshagai Reservoir would prove to be a grandiose plan, requiring a titanic effort. Let’s look at a brief timeline of its construction.

1969: The Ili River is blocked at the point where steep, rocky shores narrow its channel.

1965: Construction work is begun by the Management of the Kapchagay Hydroelectric Power Station (HPS).

1970–1971: The first and last units are commissioned, and the Kapchagay HPS becomes part of the Almaty Power Plants structure.

1972: The station begins operating with a capacity of 434 megawatts.

1980: Construction of the station is completed.

The Kapchagay Hydroelectric Power Station was named after Shafik Chokin, the academician who developed the project. It supplies energy to the Almaty region, including the cities of Almaty, Taldykorgan, and Konayev. Its complex includes:

• A dam that is 470 meters long, 50 meters high, and 450 meters wide at the base.

• A secondary dam that is 370 meters long, 56 meters high, and 270 meters wide at the base, consisting of rocky and sandy materials.

The station can produce up to 1,163 million kilowatt-hours per year, which accounts for 17 per cent of the total electricity generated at the Almaty Power Plants JSC.

As early as 2011, Kazakh media sources published information that Professor Viktor Inyushin, the then head of the Department of Biophysics at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, was of the opinion that the Qapshagai Reservoir created pressure, which was beneficial, equivalent to ‘... an earthquake of a technogenic nature. The reservoir is filled, and as a result, there are movements and changes. Similar phenomena are observed around large hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs—reaching up to 5–6 on the Richter Scale ... Similar earthquakes have occurred in Egypt, Dagestan, and other places, within the range of 5–6 on the Richter Scale. Such earthquakes reduce the likelihood of major earthquakes with a magnitude of 8–10 ... Reservoirs save us from very severe and destructive earthquakes. Qapshagai serves this function. It prevents the occurrence of a major earthquake.’

During the winter, the reservoir area can be cold and dry, with temperatures dropping to –12 degrees Celsius. Snowfalls and precipitation are generally rare, and sometimes, the water freezes, forming a thick layer of ice. The cold season lasts from 21 November to 2 March. In the summer, it's usually sunny with clear skies. The temperatures range from a minimum of 16–17 degrees Celsius to highs of up to 40 degrees Celsius, especially in July and August.

The summer lasts from 20 May to 15 September. One notable aspect of the weather in the area is the low humidity, particularly in summer, making the heat more bearable. In the spring, the areas surrounding the reservoir bloom with tulips, poppies, and other plants, coloring the landscape in multiple hues and making it seem like a fairyland.

Locally, the reservoir is known as the Qapshagai Sea. The city of Konayev sits on its western shore, boasting hotels, beaches, water parks, restaurants, and yachts and is one of the country's main tourist hubs. On the northern shore stands the Fishing Village, established by a group of enthusiasts who regularly organize fishing competitions. These contests range from local tournaments to national events. It's worth noting that they trained the team responsible for Kazakhstan's gold medal at the World Championship for this sport in Korea.

The northeastern part of the Qapshagai Reservoir falls within the Altyn-Emel National Park, extending from the right bank towards the foothills of the Jungar Alatau. Therefore, the park's ichthyofauna closely resembles the reservoir’s, and exploring the park's website reveals that it was once home to several indigenous species.

Currently, twenty-eight species of fish inhabit the waters of the Altyn-Emel National Park. Local myths claim that the catfish in the area have the ability to swallow unsuspecting swimmers whole. Thankfully, biologists dismiss the validity of such ideas—the throat capacity of these large fish wouldn't permit them to ingest anything larger than a plump frog. Nevertheless, the catfish found in Qapshagai are remarkable for their large size. An example is the verified capture of a 274-centimeter catfish from the Ili River by angler Cornelius Becker from Berlin in 2007.

Lynxes also roam the park's territory, but tourists are unlikely to spot them as they prefer to avoid humans and rest in cool areas during the bright hours of summer days. However, tourists are more likely to see kulans, Przewalski's horses, or goitered gazelles.

The park also features cultural sites sacred to the Kazakh people. Among these are the Bes-Shatyr Saka burial mounds. These mounds hold the remains of Saka nobility dating back to the sixth to fourth centuries BCE. Historians believe they also served as sites for various religious ceremonies and sacrifices. In addition, carvings of mountain goats, boars, wolves, sun symbols, circles, and other signs adorn the stone slabs surrounding individual burials.

Archeological excavations in the 1950–60s revealed thirty-one burials, some of which were enormous. For instance, it was estimated that constructing a large burial mound with a diameter of up to 150 meters would take a worker 40,000 days.

The Singing Dune, a 3-kilometer-long sand ridge towering 150 meters, is another significant attraction of the Altyn-Emel National Park. In dry weather, it produces sounds resembling an organ. According to legend, Chinggis Khan and his army are buried beneath the Singing Dune, and the sounds of the sand are their song of glorious victories of days gone by. However, Chinggis Khan ordered his grave to be hidden and all witnesses to the burial to be killed. Therefore, you can hear such tales in many places from the Alatau Mountains to Mongolia.