Rafting on the Sarysu River -
The Sarysu is a river in the Telekol basin.
Geographical Location
It flows through the Karaganda and Kyzylorda regions. Its length is 800 km. Its drainage area is 81,600-99,100 km2.
River Origin
The Sarysu River, originating at the foot of the Bugyly Mountains in Saryarka and flowing from the confluence of the Zhaman-Sarysu Rivers near the Bainazar and Zhaksy Tagyly Mountains, flows into Lake Telekol in the Syrdarya region.
Hydrology
In dry years, it sinks into the sand before reaching the Telekol-Ashchikol Depression. Tributaries: Zhaman Sarysu, Zhaksy Sarysu, Atasu, Taldisai, Kurmanaka, Taldymanaka, Kumdiespe, and Karakengir. The average annual discharge of the river is 7.5 m³/s, 0.10 m³/s at the mouth. Flow velocity is 0.6 - 0.8 m/s. It is primarily fed by snow, so 96.6% of the annual water flow occurs in April-May, 3.1% in autumn, and 0.3% in winter.
The river water is fresh, medium, and weak, with some salinity present in the streams. The river freezes over in December and freezes over again at the end of March. The channel width widens to 15-20 m at the beginning, 40-60 m in the middle, and 150-200 m at the mouth; the valley narrows at the top. The discharge increases to 10 km. The bed and banks of the ancient riverbed consist of sandy and sandy-gravel sedimentary rocks.
The landscape here is desert-like, with wormwood, fescue, and sedge growing on light-brown soil. This desert landscape predominates at the river mouth. Part of the Syr Darya spring water is connected to the mouth of the Sarysu River via the Telekol Canal.
