Ebi Lake (Mongolian: Ev nuur, Middle Mongolian: Ebi; Chinese: ; pinyin: Àibǐ Hú) is a rift lake in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwestern China, near the border of Kazakhstan. Lying at the southeast end of the Dzungarian Gate, Ebi Lake is the center of the catchment of the southwestern part of the Dzungarian Basin. The lake previously covered 1200 km2 (400 miles2), which is now down to under 1000 km2 with an average depth of less than 2 meters (6.5 feet). In August 2007, the Chinese government designated the adjoining Aibi Lake wetland as a National Nature Reserve.

Ebi Lake
Satellite image of Aibi Lake
Ebi Lake is located in Dzungaria
Ebi Lake
Ebi Lake
LocationBörtala, Xinjiang, China
Coordinates44°53′N 83°00′E / 44.883°N 83.000°E / 44.883; 83.000
TypeRift lake
Primary inflowsKuitun River, Bortala River, Jinghe River (intermittent)
Primary outflowsNone
Basin countriesChina
Surface area805 km2 (311 sq mi) (2018)
Average depth1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)
Max. depth2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Water volume760 million cubic metres (620,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation189 m (620 ft)

The high salt concentration (87 g/L) of its water prevents plants and fish from living in the actual lake, though many kinds of fish do live in the mouths of its source rivers.

In 2007, the lake had a surface area of only 500 km2.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ Ming'ai, Zhang (November 30, 2007). "Lake shrinks, desert expands". China.org.cn.

External links edit