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ON THE PROBLEM OF THE WATER-SALT BALANCE OF LAKE KUCHUKSKOYE​

A. O. Spirin 1, A. E. Boguslavsky 1,2, O. V. Klimov 2, N. V. Glushkova 1

1 Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia; 2 Siberian Regional Research Hydrometeorological Institute, Novosibirsk, Russia​

Results of the studies of the water-salt balance of the drainless hypersaline Lake Kuchukskoye located in the Kulunda plain are presented. Based on the 2000–2025 meteorological and hydrological observations, the quantitative estimate of water and salt supply was refined. The major input to the lake’s water masses comes from precipitation accounting for almost 50%, other sources of recharge are surface runoff and groundwater flow which contribute approximately 25% each. The volume change of the lake is determined by the relationship between the incoming and outgoing flow with 1–2 year delay. During the described period, the water-salt balance of the lake is maintained with no significant deviations. The lake regime is mainly influenced by natural controls, while the impact of geotechnical drilling of the salt deposit ranks a local-level one. A strong, inverse relationship has been revealed between the lake level and solar activity.

Keywords: water-salt balance, Lake Kuchukskoye, hypersaline lakes, extraction of salts.

DOI 10.20403/2078-0575-2025-4a-78-85

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