Lepsy River

The Lepsy River (Kazakh: Лепсі, Lespi; Russian: Лепсы) also known as the Lepsa River or the Lepsi River, is a river in south-eastern Kazakhstan. It originates in the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains north of the border with China and flows into Lake Balkhash.[1] The Lepsy is the easternmost of the two small rivers that flow into the eastern Balkhash on the south bank, the other being the Aksu River.[2] The Lepsy is one of the main rivers of the historic region of Zhetysu.

Lepsy River
A dam on the upper Lepsy
Location
CountryKazakhstan
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationDzungarian Alatau Mountains
Mouth 
 • location
Lake Balkhash
Lake Balkhash with the Lepsy River

Course

The river flows north from the border with China before turning north-westward north of Sarkand and then west before turning north northward when it reaches the Saryesik-Atyrau Desert, a large sand desert south of Lake Balkhash. The river empties into Lake Balkhash just east of the Aksu River on its southern side. Lepsy freezes up in December and stays icebound until March. Because of the amount of water taken for irrigation, the river's flow into Lake Balkash is limited.

Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin

References
  1. GSE: Лепсы%20(река%20в%20Казахской%20ССР)
  2. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Balkash" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 262.

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