Mongolia

Khar-Us, black water, is a freshwater lake located in the south of Khovd city, 1157 metres (3795 feet) above the sea level. It extends on 72 km (45 miles) long and 37 (23 miles) kilometres wide. It’s very little deep : between 2 and 4 metres (6,5 – 13 feet) deep average. It has 3432 km3 of water. It’s the upper lake in a system of interconnected lakes, known as the Great Lakes Depression. The Khovd, the Buyant and the Tsenkher Rivers flow into Khar-Us, while the Chono Kharaikh River has its source in it.

Lake Khar-Us has geological specificities, its boggy banks are overhung with peaks covered with perpetual snow. In the middle of the Lake, we find Ak-Bashi Island, whose name means “white head” in Kazakh. This island separates the Lake in two parts, the Southern part and the Northern part. It’s located at 272 metres (892 feet) from the banks of the lake.