Lake Tsimlyansk

Monday, April 15, 2013

Lake Tsimlyansk

Lake Tsimlyansk (Tsimlyansk Reservoir, Tsimlyanskoye Reservoir, Цимля́нское водохрани́лище) is an artificial lake on the Don River in the territories of Rostov and Volgograd Oblasts. The reservoir, together with the Volga-Don Canal and the lower course of the Don, provides an important waterway between the Volga River basin and the Sea of Azov. The Tsimlyansk Dam also provides flood control for the lower Don River basin.
Completed in 1952, the reservoir is one of the largest in Russia, providing power and irrigation to the Rostov and Volgograd regions. Crops grown around the lake include wheat, rice, cotton, maize, alfalfa, fruit, grapes, and vegetables. Under the waters lies the ancient Khazar fortress town of Sarkel.