Which body of water contains salt water. The largest salt lakes in the world. The most salty lake in Russia

There are several contenders for the title of the most salty lake in the world. Each of them is unique in its own way, stands out from the rest in some way and has every right to worldwide fame. Let's consider which is the most salty lake in the world, depending on various parameters.

The most famous salt lake

If we talk exclusively about such a parameter as the popularity of a reservoir, then in the first place is. And do not rush to resent the inconsistency of the name. In fact, the Dead Sea is a large lake, because it does not have a drain, that is, it does not flow into the ocean, as it should be with every sea.

It is located in Jordan, or rather, on its border with Israel. The Jordan River and several other small rivers and streams flow into it. Due to the hot climate, water is constantly evaporating here, while salt does not go anywhere, but only accumulates, which is why its concentration is constantly increasing.

On average, the salt concentration here reaches 28-33%. For comparison: the concentration of salt in the oceans does not exceed 3-4%. And the highest concentration in the Dead Sea is observed in the south - at the farthest end from the confluence of the river. Salt columns are even formed here due to the active drying of the brine.

The largest salt lake in the world

If we talk not only about the concentration of salt, but also about the size of the reservoir, then Lake Uyuni in the south of the Bolivian desert plain is called the world's largest salt lake. Its area is 19,582 square kilometers. This is a record figure. At the bottom of the lake there is a thick layer of salt (up to 8 meters). The lake is filled with water only during the rainy season and becomes like a perfectly flat mirror surface.

The lake during the drought period resembles a salt desert. There are active volcanoes, geysers, entire islands of cacti. From salt, residents of nearby settlements not only cook, but even build houses.

The most salty lake in Russia

There are many salt lakes in Russia, which are its natural wealth and attractions. So, the most salty lake in Russia is located in the Volgograd region and it is called Elton. Its surface has a golden-pink hue, and the water and mud from the bottom have healing properties. Therefore, it is not surprising that more than one health resort has been built around the lake.

By the way, the concentration of salt in Elton is 1.5 times higher than in the Dead Sea. In summer, this lake dries up so much that its depth becomes only 7 cm (against 1.5 meters in spring). The lake is almost perfectly round in shape, 7 rivers flow into it. So, Lake Elton is also the most saline lake in Eurasia.

Another Russian salt lake is Lake Bulukhta. And although it does not have the same healing properties as Elton, tourists still love to visit here. The lake is located among the wild nature, and getting here is not so easy.

The coldest salt lake in the world

An incredibly salty Lake Don Juan was discovered on a glacier in Antarctica, which also has the right to be the first in terms of salinity and geographical location. The lake got its name from the names of two helicopter pilots who discovered it - Don Ro and John Hickey.

According to its parameters, the lake is small - only 1 kilometer by 400 meters. Its depth in 1991 was no more than 100 meters, and today it has dried up to a level of only 10 cm. The lake has also decreased in size - today it has a length of 300 m and a width of 100 m. Until the end, the lake does not dry out only thanks to groundwater. Salt concentration here is higher than in the Dead Sea - 40%. The lake does not freeze even in 50-degree frost.

Lake Don Juan is also interesting because the geography in its vicinity resembles the surface of Mars. Scientists suggest the presence of similar salt lakes on Mars.

There are several contenders for the title of the saltiest lake in the world. Let's take a closer look at these lakes, because each of them is unique in its own way.

1. Dead Sea

Perhaps the most famous contender. Although it is called the sea, in fact it is a lake, since it is endorheic, that is, it does not have access to the ocean.

The Dead Sea is located on the border between Israel and Jordan. It is quite small in size: 76 kilometers long and 18 kilometers wide. Its area is 810 km 2, and its depth is about 370 m, and it is constantly decreasing. Only one large river, the Jordan, flows into the Dead Sea, as well as several small rivers and streams. For centuries, the Jordan has been bringing its waters here, which evaporate intensively - the temperature here rarely drops below 40 ° C - and the salts remain and accumulate. In addition to the waters of the Jordan River, the Dead Sea feeds a large number of mineral springs that gush on its southern coast. As a result, the concentration of salts in the Dead Sea is, on average, 28%, and in some places reaches 33%. For comparison, the concentration of salts in the World Ocean is about 3-4%. The most fresh water ("only" 24%) is in the north of the Dead Sea - where the Jordan River flows into it. The further south, the saltier the water in the lake. At the southernmost tip, even salt pillars are formed from the drying supersaturated salt solution. One of them resembles in its outlines a female figure in a cloak and is called "Lot's wife". This name is closely connected with the biblical legend, according to which God decided to punish the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, located in the Dead Sea region, because these cities were mired in debauchery. God warned the righteous Lot about this, ordering him to leave the city on the eve of its destruction, without stopping anywhere and without turning around. But the wife of the righteous, breaking the prohibition of the Lord, looked back, leaving, at her native walls, for which she was punished, turning into a pillar of salt).

The waters of the Dead Sea are actually dead, as its name says: there are no fish here, no algae grow; its shores are also lifeless. Even the surface of this lake does not resemble water - it is a thick, oily-looking liquid with a metallic sheen and yellowish-white flakes of salt in small places. However, it is not completely "dead": various salt-loving bacteria and even fungi live in its waters.

Due to such a high concentration of salts, it is impossible to drown in the Dead Sea. It is also impossible to swim or dive - a person can only swing on the surface of the Dead Sea water, like a float. You can safely stretch out with a book on the surface of this unique lake - thick, dense brine will not let you drown. However, it corrodes the skin, and the slightest scratch, when this brine gets on it, begins to hurt. Therefore, swimming in the Dead Sea is the lot of exotic lovers or those who do it according to the doctor's prescription - the healing properties of these waters, as well as the Dead Sea mud, rich in bromine, potassium, sodium and iodine, have been known since the time of the biblical King Herod. Dead Sea water is good for treating skin and other diseases.

The coast of the Dead Sea is the lowest place on the land of our planet and lies 400 meters below the level of the oceans.

2. Lake Don Juan

On the glacial continent of Antarctica, in the Wright Valley on the land of Victoria, another lake has been discovered that claims to be the palm for its salinity.

It was named not at all in honor of the famous womanizer, as it might seem at first glance, but in honor of the people who discovered it in 1961 - these were helicopter pilots Don Ro and John Hickey. It is quite small. Back in 1998, it was no more than 100 m deep, its length and width were 1 and 0.4 km, respectively. At the moment, the depth of the reservoir does not exceed 10 cm, and its size is 300 meters long and 100 meters wide. Water evaporates very quickly, but the lake does not dry up completely, thanks to underwater waters. Actually, this lake is a place where groundwater (underground) water comes out.

The reason for the incredible salinity of the lake, as scientists suggest, is the high salt content in sedimentary rocks through which melt water from springs passes, feeding the lake. The air in the valley is extremely dry, and in such conditions the water evaporates strongly.

Another reason for the interest of scientists in the lake is the possible similarity of conditions in its vicinity with the surface of Mars. It is believed that there are many lakes on Mars similar to Don Juan.

3. Lake Elton

Lake Elton (the name probably comes from the Mongolian "Altyn-Nor" - a gold mine) is located in Russia, in the Volgograd region, not far from the border with Kazakhstan. This is the largest mineral lake in Europe (152 km 2). The depth of this amazing lake is only 5-7 cm in summer and up to 1.5 m in spring.

The mineralization of Elton waters reaches 200-500 g/l, which is one and a half times more than that of the Dead Sea. Until 1882, salt was mined here. In 1910, a sanatorium was built on the shores of Lake Elton. Since 2001 Lake Elton has been a part of the Eltonsky Natural Park.

The shape of the lake is almost round. It is located in a depression between large salt domes and has no runoff. It is fed by 7 rivers, and at the bottom there are outlets of salty springs. The climate in the Elton region is arid, with frequent strong winds. The level of Lake Elton is 15 m below sea level.

The waters of Lake Elton have a reddish tint, which is given to it by bacteria of the species Dunaliella salina.

4. Lake Baskunchak

Lake Baskunchak is located near Lake Elton - in the Akhtubinsky district of the Astrakhan region (Russia).

Its salinity reaches 37% (370 g/l). This unique reservoir with an area of ​​100 km 2 is a depression on the top of a salt mountain, leaving its base thousands of meters deep into the earth and covered by a layer of sedimentary rocks.

The lake is fed mainly by springs. Baskunchak's salts are unusually pure (99.8%), "like ice", sodium chloride NaCl - table salt. That is why it is here that 80% of all salt in the Russian Federation is mined, for which it was nicknamed the "All-Russian salt shaker". Salt mining began here in the 8th century. The depth of salt in the lake reaches 6 km, and numerous springs flowing into it daily replenish its supply by more than 2.5 thousand tons, so that the salt reserves here are practically inexhaustible.

In some places of Lake Baskunchak, special
wooden stumps - salt crystallization points.

Photo of Lake Baskunchak

Almost the entire surface of the lake is covered with salt, and you can walk on it.

The air near Lake Baskunchak with a high content of bromine and phytoncides, as well as its + silt mud, have a healing effect, which guests of the local sanatorium-preventorium "Baskunchak", located on the shore of the lake, can appreciate.

In our vast Russia there are many salt lakes, beauty and uniqueness, which are incomparable with anything. The Dead Sea in Israel, in terms of mineral content, is currently compared with Lake Elton in the Volgograd region (140-200 ‰), Lake Baskunchak in the Astrakhan region (300 ‰), Lake Medvezhye in the Kurgan region (350-360) and Lake Razval in the Orenburg region area (300 ‰).

You can find a healing lake in almost any region of the country. Here is the whole list.

Stavropol Territory - Tambukan, Salt Lake - Petrovsky District x. Salt Lake, Salt Lake is located between the villages of Krasnogvardeyskoye and Ladovskaya Balka, 9 km southeast of the farm Medvezhensky Krasnogvardeysky District.

Astrakhan region - Baskunchak Lake, Akhtubinsk city, Tinaki, FBU Rehabilitation Center of the FSS RF "Tinaki".

Volgograd region - Lake Elton, Lake Bulukhta, Botkul (Salt mud of Botkaly-Sor).

Krasnodar Territory - Salt Lake (Veselovka village), Khanskoye Lake, Yeysk, Mud-healing Ubezhinsky salt lakes.

Khakassia - Lake Tus, Lake Shira.

Rostov region - Lake Pelekino.

Novosibirsk region - Salt Lake (Novoklyuchi), Plakhino Lake, Krasnozersky Sanatorium, Krasnozerskoye miracle - lake.

Republic of Tuva - Medicinal lake Dus-Khol (Svatikovo) Kyzyl, Lake Kok-Khol, Lake Khadyn, Resort Cheder, Hot springs Ush-Beldir and Tarys.

Omsk region - Ebeity, Lake Ulzhay.

Altai Territory - Big Yarovoe, Salt Lake (village Zavyalovo), Gorkoe Lake, Crimson Lake.

Kurgan region - Bear Lake, Lake Gorkoe (Zverinogolovskoye), Gorkoe-Victoria (Shchuchansky district)

Chelyabinsk region - Lake Gorkoe (village of Khomutino)

Orenburg region - Lake Razval, lake Zhetykol pos. Ozerny.

Tyumen Region - Salt Lake is located 1 km. from the village of Okunevo, Berdyugsky district.

Buryatia - Lake Kiran.

I managed to visit the Salt Lake near the village of Veselovka on the Taman Peninsula and the Tizdar mud volcano. Mud, in addition to sources, can also be found on the coastal strip, if you dig a hole in the hills, gentle slopes. The mud and water of the Sea of ​​Azov have healing properties.

Medicinal lakes of Russia (mineral lakes) contain unique sets of microelements, water has natural antiseptic properties, mud is a natural health complex. Treatment of diseases on a salt lake occurs due to several factors: ultraviolet, brine, silt mud. After swimming, when you come out of the lake and dry off, you are immediately covered with a thin white layer of salt that crumbles off.

I would like to focus on several of the country's most popular resorts on the Lakes and tell you a little about them.

This is Lake Tambukan, located near Pyatigorsk. Tambukan mud belongs to the group of silt highly mineralized, medium sulfide muds. Mineralization of mud ranges from 30 to 100 grams per liter. It also contains calcium, magnesium, selenium, silver, strontium, manganese, and some organic compounds. Tambukan mud is an amazing natural antioxidant that can have a rejuvenating and cleansing effect, improves skin microcirculation and blood circulation, simultaneously activates skin immunity and metabolism, stimulates regenerative processes, which allows for the removal of toxins and toxins, normalizes skin balance by breaking down fats and adsorbing excess skin fat, moisturizing and toning the skin.

Buryatia, Lake Kiran. The bottom of the lake is composed of healing silt. Salts contain sodium chlorides, sulfates and carbonates. The therapeutic mud of Lake Kiran is used not only by local medical institutions, but is also exported outside the Kyakhta region. Indications for treatment at Kiran essentially do not differ from the indications for most mud resorts, namely: chronic diseases of the joints, bones, muscles of various etiologies, diseases of the peripheral nervous system (neuralgia, neuritis, neurositis, plexitis, polyneuritis), chronic inflammatory diseases female genital area, pelvic tissue and peritoneum and some types of chronic eczema, as well as diseases of the male reproductive apparatus. Mud is also used in cosmetology.

Lake Shira in Khakassia. The healing properties of lake water have become widely known since the second half of the 19th century. An active participant in the establishment of a resort here was the Tomsk gold merchant Z. M. Tsibulsky. According to legend, Cybulsky drew attention to the fact that his dog, accidentally wounded by him while hunting near a lake and left to a local resident to die, swimming in the lake, healed his wounds and ran home completely healthy. Deciding to check how healing the lake water is, Cybulsky tried to treat his chronic sciatica with baths and, indeed, got rid of the disease. On the shore of the lake, a number of resort and medical institutions arose, united under the name "Resort "Lake Shira"". Mineral lake water is similar to the Batalinsky water of the Caucasus and contains a salt concentration of 17-20 g / liter. Also, silt mud extracted from the bottom of the reservoir is used for treatment.

And, of course, the healing nature of the Altai Territory has preserved many healing lakes for us. Lake Big Yarovoe. Therapeutic mud of Lake Bolshoye Yarovoye is used for arthrosis, arthritis, joint deformities, adhesive processes in the abdominal cavity, and in the small pelvis. In gynecology, mud is used to treat chronic endometritis, menstrual irregularities, infertility, recurrent miscarriage. In andrology, the mud of the lake is used to treat chronic prostatitis and sexual disorders. Mud in Lake Bolshoye Yarovoe has indicators that are not inferior to the mud resorts of the Crimea and the Caucasus (Saki, Staraya Russa). The effect of treatment on Lake Yarovoe is 90%.

Raspberry lake. History of the lake. Foreigners who were lucky enough to share a meal with the great Empress Catherine II were surprised at the unusual pinkish-crimson salt served at the table. They have not seen such a curiosity anywhere else. And the Russians knew that it was brought from the far, far Kulunda steppe, located at the foot of the Altai Mountains. But few people could visit those distant places - it was so hard to get there. There were only legends that a huge pink lake was splashing there, having bathed in it, non-native women would soon bring babies, and the pockmarked ones would become prettier.

The bitter-salty water in it is pink-crimson in color, this shade gives it a special phytoplankton. Another feature of this lake is the supply of therapeutic mud. At the same time, the unique natural object is not protected in any way: it does not have the status of a specially protected natural area, even at the local level. Meanwhile, together with the pine forest and the vegetation of salt marshes, Raspberry Lake is a unique natural complex that needs protection.

According to research conducted by the Research Institute of Balneology and Physiotherapy, employees of the Altai State Medical University, the most promising for therapeutic use in resort and non-resort conditions are brine, mud and clay of the lakes: Big and Small Yarovoye, Salty, Krivoe, Belenky, Krivaya Pucha, Kulundinskoye, Kuchuk, Syropyatovskoe, Kharkovskoe, Guseletovskoe, Gorky-Melnikovskoe, Cormorant, Baklanenok, Medical, Raspberry, Big Mormyshanskoe, Bitter, Gorky-Peresheechnoe, Shchekulduk.

The beauty of Russian nature must be used by us rationally and preserved for posterity. Good luck with your trip, stay healthy!

No one will undertake to say exactly which of the lakes is the saltiest in the world. Since this task is quite difficult. All lakes differ not only in the concentration of salts and minerals in their water, but also in their origin, occupied area, location, and depth. Moreover, some indicators may change over time or directly depend on the time of year. There are salt lakes on almost every continent (even in Antarctica), many of them are very popular (the Dead Sea), and the world learned about some not so long ago (Lake Don Juan was discovered only in 1961). Everyone can draw their own conclusions about which lake can be called the most salty after reading the information provided.

Although the official name of this reservoir is the word sea, this does not mean that it is. “Sea” is called rather because of its size (810 m2), but since it does not have direct access to the ocean (an exit is required by the sea!), It follows from this that the Dead Sea is a lake. It is located between the countries of Israel and Jordan. Its location is unique, because the coast of the entire lake is located at the lowest altitude in relation to the world's oceans.

The depth and total area of ​​the lake is rapidly decreasing with each subsequent year due to a number of reasons, including climate change and a decrease in the level of groundwater (a consequence of industrial development). Now the depth is about 300 m, and the natural watercourse in the Dead Sea is disturbed.

The Jordan River and several streams that dry up from time to time replenish the water reserves of this salt lake. The general composition of the water in the Dead Sea differs depending on the remoteness of the site, on the confluence of the river and on temperature. So the concentration of salts varies from 28 to 33%.

This composition of water does not allow living organisms to settle in the lake. For a long time it was believed that there really is no life there (and therefore the Dead), but as it turned out later, some types of bacteria and fungi live in these waters.

The water, saturated with so many salts and minerals, is heavy enough to support even the human body, so even diving is impossible. Although such a desire, most likely, will not appear. But due to the fact that it has healing properties (mud from the lake too), a large number of people come here.

This is a unique reservoir, which is located in Bolivia. Its features are that during a drought it dries up and only a bottom of salt remains (its thickness is about 8 m), and with the arrival of rains, the salt is covered with a relatively thin layer of water and the lake resembles a huge mirror reflecting the sky. Being in such a place, there is a strange feeling when heaven and earth are not separated from each other. The local population even makes residential buildings from salt, which is mined from the bottom of the lake.

The total area of ​​such an amazing mirror lake is 10,588 km2. And the total amount of salt is about 10 billion tons. Such figures and indicators are simply difficult to perceive and evaluate correctly.

The most salty lake in Russia

There are a fairly large number of salt lakes on the territory of the Russian Federation, but the most salty is located on the territory of the Volgograd region. Lake Elton is one of the natural resources of our country. Due to the fact that its waters and mud have healing properties, sanatoriums and health resorts were built on the banks. They are very popular among the population.

A feature of Lake Elton is its picturesqueness due to the interesting color of the water, it seems to shimmer from golden to pink. It is also worth recalling that the water level in the lake varies significantly with the seasons. In spring, the depth of the lake is about 1.5 meters, and in autumn, due to drying out, it decreases to 7 centimeters. The level of salt in the water of this lake is higher than in the Dead Sea.

Another salt lake Bulukhta is located between Lake Elton and the Volga River. It is located in a very swampy and inaccessible area, so the influx of tourists to it is not so big. Although those wishing to visit this place, of course, exist. The lake is shallow, the water contains salts and minerals.

Salt lakes of the Altai Territory

Lake Yarovoye is located in the Kulunda steppe of the Altai Territory. In its region, it is the deepest reservoir (7-8 meters) and the lowest point of the region.

Just like the rest of the salt lakes, it is not without attention from those who want to improve their health with the help of its waters and therapeutic mud. Also in this region there are such salt lakes as Raspberry (the name comes from the color of the water in early spring at dawn) and Kulundskoe.

Salt lake of Antarctica

It is impossible not to remember the coldest and at the same time salty lake Don Juan. This small reservoir (gradually decreasing) is located among the ice of Antarctica on the land of Victoria. It was discovered by helicopter pilots who accidentally flew by (they saw that the water did not freeze at a very low temperature).

It occupies a modest area and is rapidly decreasing, since only groundwater feeds it. Now the depth does not exceed 10 cm, and the length is 300 m. The salt concentration in the water is more than 40%.

Another feature of the lake is that it does not freeze. The landscape around it is so unique that nothing like it exists on Earth.

In this article, we will tell you about the seven largest salty seas and lakes on the entire planet.

More precisely, salt lakes would be more correctly called mineral, since the mineralization of such lakes is more than 1 ppm. Often, salt lakes are endorheic reservoirs located in arid zones. So, let's begin!

Caspian Sea

In terms of size, this drainless salt lake is really more like a sea - 371 thousand square kilometers! It is considered the largest lake on the planet. The Caspian coast with therapeutic mud, sandy beaches, and mineral springs is an excellent tourist destination for treatment and recreation. But due to some difficulties in the interstate relations of the Caspian countries - Kazakhstan, Iran, Russia and Turkmenistan, tourism in the Caspian Sea is very poorly developed.

Aral Sea

On the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, there is a former salt lake, the second largest in the world. And the former it, because in the early sixties, the lake began to shallow very quickly, due to the increased water intake for irrigation of cotton fields from the rivers flowing into the Aral Sea - Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya. To date, it has broken up into 2 small lakes - the Southern and Northern Aral.

Dead Sea

On the border of Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel is the lowest land on the planet - the coast of the Dead Sea. The water in it is mineralized to a gigantic degree, due to which the lake has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times, and today it attracts many tourists.

Great Salt Lake

And in the Western Hemisphere, the largest is Great Salt Lake - a lake of 5 thousand square kilometers. It is located in a desert area in the southwestern United States. Table salt is actively mined on the coast, as well as Glauber's salt - a rather valuable medicinal preparation and chemical reagent.

Elton

One of the largest European salt lakes, and one of the most mineralized on the planet. Located on the territory of the Russian Federation in the Volgograd region, near the border of Kazakhstan. Industrial salt mining was carried out until the end of the 19th century, after which it stopped. Today, a mud and balneological resort has been organized on Lake Elton.

Baskunchak

The main "salt mill" of Russia - about 80 percent of table salt in the country is mined here. It is located in the Astrakhan region in the Caspian lowland. Thanks to the deposits of therapeutic clay on the coast of the lake, mud tourism is developed here. Travelers are also attracted by the opportunity to visit the only and very picturesque Bogdo mountain in the Caspian Sea, which, like Lake Baskunchak, is a protected area.

Underwater salt lakes

The objects are located in the Arctic in the Gulf of Mexico, and some other places in the Pacific Ocean. Due to the difference in water density, ocean water flows do not mix, forming a clear boundary, and forming "shores" of underwater salt reservoirs.