ISSYK-KUL

Ysyk-Köl, Kyrgyz: Ысык-Көл, romanized: Ysyk-Köl, lit. 'warm lake', [ɯsɯk kœl]

Issyk-Kul is an alpine lake in Kyrgyzstan with a history dating back millions of years and is one of the oldest bodies of water in the world. With a depth of over 700 meters, it is one of the deepest lakes on the planet. Its name translates as "hot lake", although it never freezes over despite its location in the mountains. This unique characteristic makes it a magnet for visitors from all over the world.

Karakol, originally a Russian military outpost established on July 1, 1869, expanded during the 19th century due to explorers mapping the region between Kyrgyzstan and China. In the 1880s, it saw an increase in population with the arrival of Dungans, Chinese Muslims fleeing conflict. Renamed Przhevalsk in 1888 after the death of Russian explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky, it reverted to Karakol in 1921, only to be renamed Przhevalsk again in 1939 by Stalin. The Soviet era saw Karakol as a significant military center due to its proximity to Issyk Kul Lake, used for torpedo testing. Post-Soviet, it remains a key destination for visitors to the lake.

Kadji-Say is a settlement with approximately 3,000 souls and lies along the south bank of Lake Issyk-Kul. Primarly developped as a mining area for brown coal it became today a ghost town in most parts of it. Until a few decades ago around 15,000 people were living there. Most of them were relocated to far away Kyrgysystan by the Soviet government, firstly for the coal but soon after discovering Uran it became the main reason for workers.

The boom was clearly shorter than expected, the fields with Uranium smaller as hoped for. That guided to the abandoning of a bigger part even before some of the buildings and facilities were finished. The traces of the Exodus are visible everywhere: Empty housing blocks, kindergarten, administrative buildings, the whiff of urban life – mostly unused. The remained inhabitants split up into a lower town right at the lake and upper town surrounded by an outstanding green and lush vegetation. Around the settlements pile up the evidence of the past in form of tailings of heap all over the place.

The problem of atomic waste is not solved at all. In proximate distance of town a dilletantly enclosed repository lies fallowed in environment which makes the poisonous waste accesible for everyone.  

A desiccated river bed in the area is profoundly polluted. Each spring danger occurs that the water masses of the snowmelt in the mountains around could flush the waste into Lake Issyk-Kul and destroy its whole wildlife.