Blue Lake

Blue Lake for the Wanderers is the usual gathering place. Whenever possible, we gather at the lake every Saturday and swim there. Moreover, our Team even installed new benches on the bathing pool - instead of the old and uncomfortable ones.

Blue Lakes

Geography: Blue Lake is located almost within the Kazan.

The area of ​​the reserve is 1910 hectares, the total area of ​​the lakes is 0.3 hectares.

Blue Lakes is a natural monument since 1972. In 1994, for nature conservation purposes, the status was strengthened to a nature reserve - “State nature reserve of regional significance of the complex profile“ Blue Lakes ””.

Lakes are natural attractions of Kazan.

The system consists of three unconnected lakes - Bolshoye Goluboe (below the bridge over Kazanka on the Kazan Bypass road of the M7 motorway),

Protochnoe and Maloe Goluboe (above the bridge along downstream of the Kazanka).

The lakes are the oxbows of the Kazanka River, flowing in the immediate vicinity, complicated by basins of karst origin. Karst sinkholes appeared in this area about 200 years ago.

The lakes do not have surface tributaries, they feed on groundwater, flowing down the channels to Kazanka (up to 600 l / sec). In summer, this water significantly cools, and in winter it warms Kazanka, preventing ice formation downstream. The water in the lakes is distinguished by almost absolute transparency and the optical effect of the lens, in which the depth visually seems much less real.

In the hard, bitter taste like sea, mineralized water of lakes, the content of potassium-calcium sulfite-sulfate salts is high, at their bottom there are large areas of silt salt mud blue, which gave the name to the lakes. The color of the water changes with the season and weather from azure to black. In severe frosts, the water of the lakes soars strongly with local low fog.

Water and mud are used in the nearby “Krutushka” sanatorium and by the unorganized population as curative for psoriasis and other skin diseases.

The first short description The Blue Lakes were given in 1829 by a Kazan scientist, rector of KSU and local historian Karl Fuchs.

Big Blue Lake

Early sources give the former name of the Big Blue Lake: Light.

Bolshoy Goluboe Lake has an average depth of 1-3 meters over its larger area, but there are two karst sinkholes - Bolshaya and Malaya Puchiny. The depth of the Big Deeps is 18 meters, of the Small Deeps - 6 meters. At the bottom of the Big Deeps in the northwestern round part of the lake, springs saturated with gypsum (up to 250 l / sec) are gushing. The water temperature in the deep rounded part of the lake varies little with the season and ranges from 5-7 degrees Celsius in summer to 3-4 in winter. From the deep rounded part, the lake zigzag along Kazanka and ends with a drain into it through two small waterfalls.

There are walkways at the deep rounded part of the lake; this is a favorite place for year-round swimming of walruses and year-round diving in the Great Deeps of Kazan and visiting divers from several federations and unorganized ones. Here they hold their almost weekly trainings and informal meetings, in particular, the celebration of the New Year with a traditional immersion in the abyss of a decorated Christmas tree and drinking champagne under water.

Big Blue Lake

Blue Lake is also a great place for night dives. In the light of the lanterns, the sources are viewed to a great depth, it can be seen that the outlets of the springs are interconnected at a considerable depth under the bottom of the lake. An absolutely futuristic picture of the starry sky through a completely transparent lens of water. The stars and the moon shine with all the colors of the rainbow.

The Big Blue Lake is more difficult to access than the Small, and, as a result, is less known to Kazan citizens, many of whom are identified with the Blue Lake (this is how, in the singular, the informal name of the lake system is used), first of all, Small Blue. A dirt road from the depth of the village of Shcherbakovo leads to the rounded part of the Big Lake, and an asphalt road from the village of Kadyshevo leads to the waterfall. At the waterfall part of the lake there is a small settlement-farm and earlier there was a rest house "Blue Lake".

Maloe Goluboe and Protochnoe lakes

Small Blue Lake

Keche Zәңgәr kүl

bridge on the M-7 highway across the Kazanka river with an exit to Protochny and Maloye Goluboe lakes

Coordinates: Coordinates: 55 ° 54'58 ″ s. NS. 49 ° 10'51 "in. d. / 55.916111 ° N NS. 49.180833 ° E d. (G) (O) (R) 55.916111, 49.18083355 ° 54′58 ″ s. NS. 49 ° 10'51 "in. d. / 55.916111 ° N NS. 49.180833 ° E d. (G) (O) (I) (T)

Location Krutushka, Kazan

Maximum depth 4 m

Blue Lakes

Small Blue Lake

Maloye Goluboe Lake is much smaller in area, its depth is up to 4 m. The lake has two drain to Kazanka, incl. one with a waterfall. The lake and the surrounding area are equipped for recreation and year-round winter swimming - walkways and changing cabins are equipped. In addition to the equipped main Small Lake, downstream of the Kazanka there is another one - Protochnoe, which is much smaller in size, has a separate drain and a shallower depth. The water temperature in summer in Small Lake is almost the same as in Bolshoy Goluboe, in Protochny - slightly higher.

From the bridge over Kazanka bypass road of the M7 highway, after the village of Shcherbakovo, there is an asphalt road through Protochnoe Lake in the direction of the Small Lake, ending with a parking lot a few dozen meters from it. Further, a hiking trail leads to the lake. On the other hand, there is a dirt exit from the Krutushka sanatorium and the Baytik children's health camp and the glade, where part of the events of the Krutushka annual international folk song festival takes place.

Maloye Goluboe is connected to the Bolshoy Goluboe Lake by a pedestrian and bicycle dirt path passing under the M7 bridge along Kazanka.

Blue Lakes

For a long time, the energy of the springs filling the lake was used by a stone mill, later - by a small hydroelectric power station (until the 1950s). In 1928, Kazanka washed away the cofferdam separating the river from the lake and the lake was drained. After the restoration of the cofferdam and shore protection works, the lake was restored.

Flora and fauna

Birch, aspen and pine grow in the forests on the territory of the reserve; more than 97 species of aquatic, coastal and terrestrial plants grow near the lakes - sharp and coastal sedge, meadow bluegrass, lake reed, narrow-leaved and broad-leaved cattail, floating mannik, hard-leaved buttercup, water pine and others.

Of the animals listed in the Red Book of Tatarstan, the reserve includes the milky-white planaria and water scorpion (in the water of the lakes), a mourning house, a large spotted eagle, a golden bee-eel. Due to the low temperature and high salt content, fish are not found in the water of the lakes. On the shores of the lakes, there are frogs, snakes, small white water mouse (kotura), muskrats and beavers.

RIVER KAZANKA NEAR BLUE LAKE

It turns out that you don't have to go far for a unique natural complex (although, as anyone). Please - the Republic of Tatarstan, the outskirts of Kazan, the Blue Lakes.

This is a group of three lakes: Bolshoe, Maloe and Protochnoe, which flow into Kazanka. The lakes do not have their own tributaries. They are nourished by keys that gush from the ground, because of this, almost unchanging all year round water temperature 3-5 ° C. Therefore, the lake is not covered with ice in winter.

And all three lakes are united by a common name: Blue Lakes... Why are they called that? Because the bottom of the lakes is covered with greenish-blue silt mud.

Mud of the Blue Lakes of Kazan They smell like rotten eggs, and are likely home to hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria. Even Karl Fuchs, when describing the Blue Lakes, noticed that these muds can be useful. Today they are widely used for health purposes.

Besides the dirt, in medicinal purposes apply the same water. The water is rich mineral salts potassium and calcium. Basically, this is CaSO4. Due to the salt content, the water tastes bitter. It is better not to drink it, otherwise you will earn kidney stones by old age, and if you drink often, you will not have to wait until old age.

The lakes are the oxbows of Kazanka, plus, at a certain stage of formation, karst sinkholes were formed, the earth along with the trees went under the water. Until now, the remains of the trunks of these trees stick out from the bottom.

The water in the lake is visually unusually clear - the bottom is visible. The refraction effect works a miracle: it seems that you can literally reach the bottom with your hand, although the depth there is decent, this is due to the transparency of the water.

The blue lakes of Kazan and the adjacent territory have the status zakaznik... If my memory does not fail me, there was a question in the GIA, in order to answer it, it was necessary to know the differences between zakaznik and nature reserve... So, preserve differs from the reserve in that in the reserve EVERYTHING, absolutely EVERYTHING is under protection and it cannot be "touched". V zakaznik only some species, areas, groups are under protection.

There are no fish in the Blue Lakes of Kazan, the water is salty and cold, does not allow. But once there was a pike. And the most interesting thing: the pike from the lake could not live in the river. And the pike from the river died in the lake. Hello again, grandfather and his theory of the origin of species. It is quite possible that when the lakes separated from Kazanka, the fish adapted to the new environmental conditions: low temperature, salinity. And they lost the ability to live in river water. it physiological isolation- it is quite possible that the new kind... Which, unfortunately, died out. Most likely due to the capture. It is sad. It was made a reserve too late.

But the Blue Lakes of Kazan did not remain lifeless. The lakes are inhabited by:

Outwardly, he really has some resemblance to a scorpion: a long tail, the front limbs resemble pincers. Nepa cinerea is characterized by mimicry. His body looks like a dead leaf. He lives and hunts in the thickets, among which, thanks to such appearance, Nepa cinerea goes unnoticed. Compared to the milky-white planarian, the common water scorpion is a restored species, that is, it is no longer “rare” and does not die out, but it is still under protection. Just like milky white planaria, it is sensitive to water quality.

Another insect: butterfly Funeral... Of course, it lives not in the lakes themselves, but near them. The butterfly received this name because the color is dark, as if mourning. Like Nepa, cinerea is considered a restored species. Listed in the Red Book of the Smolensk region.

Golden bee-eater- a bright, beautiful bird. Has a wide habitat. The bird is migratory and spends the winter in Africa.

The golden bee-eater feeds on insects of the order Hymenoptera, for example bees, hence the second name of the bird - the beekeeper. For taste preferences, the golden bee-eater is not loved by beekeepers.

Great Spotted Eagle Is an endangered species of the Yastrebiny family.

Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. This area is ideal for the Greater Spotted Eagle. He loves to live near water bodies, as he feeds on water voles and frogs, which are presented here in sufficient numbers. The great eagle builds nests in the trees. Migratory species. Often uses the same socket more than once.

Blue Lakes is a place of "pilgrimage" for "walruses", not only in winter, but also in summer. The water temperature is the same all year round. Lakes also attract the attention of divers. After all, this is an ideal place for diving: good visibility, the ability to test the equipment under extreme conditions (yes, they are quite extreme here). And divers even have a tradition: every new year they put a decorated Christmas tree at the bottom of the Great Blue Lake!

But bathing does not have a very positive effect on the ecological state of the lakes. Silt rises from the bottom, the water becomes cloudy. Animals inhabiting the reservoir suffer from them from jumping into the water.

At the beginning of the article, I said that the Blue Lakes of Kazan are a unique natural complex. Let's sum up the uniqueness of this place:

1) Constant water temperature all year round.

2) Transparency and composition of water. It is close in salt content to sea.

3) Healing silt mud.

4) The presence of rare animals.

And of course the fact that the place is unusually beautiful.

But the more popular this wonderful place becomes, the more it ceases to be wonderful.

People come to the lakes and litter. Friends, this is not good. Let's not litter nature. Clean up trash after yourself, do not throw any nonsense into the water, do not destroy the ecosystem.

Despite all the measures of environmentalists, ordinary people and governments, the Blue Lakes of Kazan are experiencing negative human performance. This is both pollution and direct direct harm to the inhabitants of the area. Now there are fewer and fewer islets of pure, one might say virgin nature. This is a sad fact. After all, nature is what we live in, this is our environment, no matter how much a person separates from it. We depend on it, and we depend on it more than it might seem at first glance. And the duty of our generation is to preserve - to restore nature, not to let such unique places as the Blue Lakes die. After all, there are a lot of such in the country. Every year they lose their "naturalness" and uniqueness. Forests are being cut down, swamps are being drained. Of course, "there is even a flood after us." But the "flood" will not be after us, but earlier - it is already beginning. And it is in our power to stop it, in our power to preserve nature.

Blue Lakes (Kazan) is a system of reservoirs on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. It is also a nature reserve, which is located near Kazan. These unique places created by nature, their flora, fauna and interesting facts will be discussed in the article.

general description

"Blue Lakes" (Kazan) is a natural reserve, which is located in close proximity to the reservoirs of the same name, has forest and wetlands. The total area of ​​the reserve is 1910 hectares, and the total area of ​​lakes is 0.3 hectares.

Since 1972, the Blue Lakes (Kazan) have received the status of a natural monument of all-Union significance, protected by the state. 22 years later, in order to strengthen control and improve protection and protection, the Blue Lakes became a nature reserve. Its territory is home to a wide variety of fish, amphibians and mammals. Also in these places there are many varieties of shrubs and trees. Currently, the lakes and the reserve itself are attractions of the city of Kazan.

Lake system

The lake system consists of three bodies of water that are not interconnected. These are the Big Blue, Flowing and Small Blue Lakes. These reservoirs are oxbows (a section of the former river bed) of the Kazanka River, which flows in the immediate vicinity. Near the rivers there are sinkholes formed over two hundred years ago.

The Blue Lakes (Kazan) have no surface tributaries, so they receive water from underground springs and rivers. Subsequently, the water from the lakes flows down the channels into the Kazanka River. In the hot season, this water noticeably cools the river, preventing the fish from dying, and prevents the Kazanka from blooming. V winter period water from lakes warms the river and prevents ice from forming on its surface.

The water in all lakes is almost completely transparent, and because of this, a lens effect is created. This is an optical illusion, in which it seems that the depth in the lake is much shallower than the real one. The water in the lakes is hard due to sulfite-sulfate and potassium-calcium salts. These salts make the water in the lakes look like the sea. At the bottom of these reservoirs, there are impressive areas of silt-salt mud, which has a blue color. This dirt has medicinal properties, and also it was they who gave the names to the lakes.

Big Blue Lake

Big Blue Lake (Kazan) used to be called Light. On larger area The lake has a depth of one to three meters, but there are two karst sinkholes in it, which are called Small and Big Deeps. The Bolshoi is 18 m deep, and the Malaya is six meters deep. At the bottom of these Deeps, springs are beating, which have a temperature of three to seven degrees, depending on the season. It is they who warm the Kazanka River in winter and cool it in summer.

In Kazan in winter, the Blue Lake is liked by numerous tourists who practice winter swimming, as well as divers. V New Year the bottom of the Great Deeps is decorated with a Christmas tree for entertainment and dives are carried out to it, while drinking champagne. In Kazan, in winter, Blue Lake is popular with fishing enthusiasts. However, they do not fish in the lakes themselves, but next to them, in the Kazanka River. In places where warm water from the lakes it enters the river, fish gathers, which is what the fishermen use. Clean air, absolutely clear water and light frost dispose to this type of outdoor recreation.

Also, diving enthusiasts dive into lakes at night. It is at this time of day that the water takes on extraordinary hues in the light of lighting equipment. And when you are under water, the view of the starry night sky through the transparent lens of the water surface is especially mesmerizing.

Flowing and Small Blue Lakes

Small Blue Lake (Kazan) and rest on it will appeal to all tourists, as well as on the Big Lake. Despite the fact that it is significantly inferior in area, it is just as picturesque. There are several small waterfalls on it, and on the shore there are changing cabins and small bridges for the convenience of diving into the reservoir. Small Lake is connected to the Big bike and pedestrian paths, which run under the bridge over the Kazanka River.

In the photo of the Blue Lakes (Kazan), you will not see much difference between these bodies of water. They are all equally beautiful and fascinate with their extraordinary beauty.

The flowing lake is the smallest in area and the smallest of these three bodies of water. Because of this, the temperature in it is slightly higher. Nevertheless, all the lakes are popular with tourists all year round. Not far from the lakes there are sanatoriums and recreation centers where you can stay for relatively little money.

Flora and fauna

The flora of the Blue Lakes (Kazan) is very rich and diverse, some of its representatives are included in the Red Book of Tatarstan. In the areas adjacent to the lakes, the following trees are widespread:

• Aspen.
• Birch.
• Pine.

In the immediate vicinity of the lakes, about a hundred species of coastal, aquatic and terrestrial plants grow, such as:

• Meadow bluegrass.
• Sedge.
• Lake reeds.
• Rogoz.
• Buttercup.

The fauna of these places is as diverse as the flora. In the waters of the lakes, there are: water scorpion, planaria, and among amphibians - snakes, frogs and toads. Along the coastline you can find beaver, muskrat, kotura (water rat). Here you can also see a wide variety of birds: tits, jackdaws, golden bee-eel and great spotted eagle.

Blue Lakes (Kazan): how to get there

The Blue Lakes are located on the outskirts of the city, so the trip to them will take some time. If you get by public transport from the city center, you will need to take the bus, following route number 40. Only on this bus you can get to the Blue Lakes directly. You will need to get off at the final stop - the village of Shcherbakovo.

Getting to the Blue Lakes by private car from the city center, you will need to go along Mira Street, and then turn onto the federal highway M-7. Having reached the bridge over the Kazanka River along the highway, you will need to use the asphalt exit in front of the bridge, which leads to the Small Blue and Protochny Lakes.

Crossing the bridge will help you get to the Great Blue Lake. However, it should be borne in mind that it is forbidden to drive too close to water bodies, and the car will have to be parked in advance.

You will have to walk to the lakes themselves, along a dirt road. Getting to the reservoirs will not be difficult at all, as there are signs along the entire route. If you come to Kazan, then after the sights located in the city center, be sure to come here. Amazing nature, wonderful places and the purest surface of lake waters will delight your imagination with its beauty.

I want to tell you about one of the natural attractions of Tatarstan, more precisely, these are two whole locations: the Big and Small Blue Lakes. The system also includes Protochnoe Lake.

The place is very popular among citizens of Kazan, and not only among them. People come here from nearby regions, as well as take guests from other cities on "excursions". Coming here on weekends, one must take into account that it will not work to be alone.

How did the lakes earn people's love?

They do not freeze all year round

The water temperature is constantly kept at 4-8 degrees above zero. In this regard, the place is especially interesting in winter and looks quite exotic for our places.

The fact is that the lakes are fed by underground sources, which saturate them with potassium-calcium and sulfite-sulfate salts. Due to the constant recharge and high salinity of the lakes, the water does not freeze.

Because of this composition of water, fish are not found here, but the Blue Lakes and the reserve itself are the habitat of species listed in the Red Book. These are the inhabitants of the waters: the milky white and water scorpion planaria, the coastal inhabitants: the large spotted eagle and the mourning butterfly.

Cozy landscapes

Probably, it will not be an exaggeration if we say that the Blue Lakes are the places that must be visited in Tatarstan.

By the way, those who drive along the M7 through Kazan find it easy to stop by the lakes to take a break. The road map will be below.

The water in the lakes really has a rich azure hue, the color changes depending on the season - in winter, for example, lakes can appear black with a touch of blue.

Both lakes are located in a forest belt, so there is always a pleasant coolness. In winter, you can admire the bizarre patterns created by water, steam and cold.

The road to Small Blue Lake itself is of great interest and pleasing to the eye. A wide trail leads you under the arches of trees, along a stream that flows through rapids among mossy rocks and trees. Two times you will cross it over the bridges and here you can make beautiful shots.

Bolshoye Goluboe is located across the road, in the Kadyshevsky forest - it is also a wonderful place for picnics and walks, especially since there is a real waterfall on the Bolshoy Lake! One of the three known to me in Tatarstan.

Why is the water in the lakes blue?

The shade of the water is given by silty mud that settles at the bottom of the lake. Such layers are clearly visible in the photo. By the way, this mud is curative and is used in the nearby Krutushka sanatorium.

Unusual and affordable

As I said, the Blue Lakes are quite unusual for Tatarstan, and therefore attract so much attention. Those who have ever been to Abkhazia should know about the Blue Lake on the way to Ritsa. Also, the lakes of the same name are located on the territory of Karachay-Cherkessia. I have visited both of these places and personally, in my opinion, I like our lakes more. Largely due to the fact that so far, fortunately, they have not "overgrown" cafes and souvenir stalls, as they are little known.

Many people advise to come here at night or at dawn, they say that at this time an amazing fog spreads over the water, and if you illuminate the water with a flashlight at night, you can see an amazing play of light and the reflection of stars in the water.

Another interesting fact in the fact that before the fish was still found here. There is evidence that a subspecies of pike once lived here, which somehow adapted to the composition of the water and could not survive in fresh water, and also had an unusual light color.

By the way, there are no fish, but ducks live here all year round. Probably well fed. This time they hid behind a fence and failed to photograph.

Of course, people come here to swim!

Both lakes are equipped with walkways for easy entry into the water and changing rooms. They swim here all year round. Someone (like me) is only enough to plunge, while someone calmly swims, like in an ordinary river. In the second case, physical training is needed. Remember the water temperature?

Divers regularly appear here, because the depth of the Big Blue Lake reaches 18 meters, and the Small one is up to 4 meters. And the most important thing is the visibility of the water: 40 meters.

Another interesting fact: on the Big Blue Lake, divers of the Russian Geographical Society were trained before the expedition to Antarctica.

How to get to the Blue Lakes?

The map opens in Yandex.Maps and you can easily get directions to the point I indicated.

# 1 Directions to the Big Blue

The lowest point near the lake is the location of the waterfall. From here you can walk along the entire lake to the bathing bridge. Or you can drive right up to them (top mark) and then walk to the waterfall. In the second case, we leave the M7 to the village of Shcherbakovo and drive to the end of the street. The best place for parking you can ask the locals.

# 2 How to get to Small Blue Lake?

Click on tags and read descriptions. I will also duplicate here that in winter or on ice it is not necessary to drive under the bridge. The ascent is very steep. In summer, you can easily drive to the parking lot.

By the way, in summer you can get to the Blue Lakes by boat along Kazanka. This is a new excursion. The boat departs from the Riviera water park, the walk takes 4-5 hours.

Thank you for the attention! I tried to tell and show as much detail as possible! We ask questions in the comments.

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On Blue Lake we went as part of our road trip on Kazan... The route was planned in such a way as to see not only the city, but also the suburbs - Blue Lakes and island city of Sviyazhsk... Details of the route and the entire trip will be later, today I want to tell you whether it is worth spending time on a place popular for Kazan, but not entirely known to nonresidents.

Blue Lake (12 km from Kazan along the M7 highway) is a real oasis of coolness and tranquility after the hustle and bustle.
When traveling to Kazan, plan your time to walk the forest paths and explore the lake. It is even possible to swim if you are not afraid of the water temperature around 6 ° C.
Don't expect supernatural beauties, but relax for a few hours and have a great time in a quiet place, for which your lungs and nerves will thank you.

The unique cascade of the Blue Lakes, as scientists and biologists call it, is called the Pearl of Tatarstan and is protected by the state.

The depth of the reservoir reaches 15 meters. This is the deepest lake in the karst lake system on the Kazanka River. The purest spring water flows from underground into the lake, which is the reason for the absolute transparency and constant rather low temperature throughout the year.
Thanks to the crystal clear water, you can see the bottom of the lake and its inhabitants, listed in the Red Book.

In case of depletion of natural groundwater reserves, these lakes will disappear by themselves.
But until this happens (and will not happen in the next decades either), you can safely come and admire the natural attraction of Kazan.

2.

3. Immediately after the bridge, along the road, after passing the village of Shcherbakovo, there is a small parking lot. But we saw several parked cars at the entrance to the lake, in front of the barrier, although the exit from the bridge is prohibited.

4. To the first lake you need to walk 500 meters along a forest path.

5. Do not be alarmed, there is no need to climb the hill, such paths remain on the sidelines.

6. Stop at the first lake. There is a swimming bridge.

7. The adjacent water area to the lakes, and the river itself requires, if not capital, then at least cosmetic repair... Remove all the garbage, clear the water from silt and mud, and a place that is not very attractive for tourists will sparkle with new colors.

8. Someone's caring hands made white swans out of old tires and launched them onto the "island".

10.

11. But our goal is not them. The main Blue Lake is still 500 meters away.

12.

13. And then a soft laugh is heard, a "splash": someone dived!

Despite the fact that the water in the lake is no more than 6-7 degrees, there are enough people who want to swim on a hot day. Children are especially noticed in this fun activity.
By the way, I didn't even want to wet my legs, but Petya was happy to plunge the victorious three times with an interval of 5 minutes for heating. And then I once again noticed that our winner and an athlete were growing. You look, at such a pace and we will start walrus)).

14. Cyclists and quite a lot of tourists come here at specially equipped "barbecue" places.

15. There are changing cabins and wooden gazebos... True, it was not possible to see what they are for and what they are equipped with.

Output: If you are in a car and have a couple of hours of free time - feel free to go to the lakes, you will hardly regret it. And for "walruses" in general, ideal conditions.

See you somewhere else!