Uvs Lake is a highly saline lake in an endorheic basin – Uvs Nuur Basin in Mongolia with a small part in Russia. It is the largest lake in Mongolia by surface area, covering 3,350 km2 at 759 m above sea level. The northeastern tip of the lake is situated in the Tuva Republic of the Russian Federation. The largest settlement near the lake is Ulaangom, regional capital of Uvs province. This shallow and very saline body of water is a remainder of a huge saline sea which covered a much larger area several thousand years ago.
Uvs Lake has a length of 84 km and a width of 79 km, with an average depth of 6 m. Its basin is separated from the rest of the Great Lakes Depression by the Khan Khokhii ridge. However, it is not a rift lake some mistakenly think. The water is saline primarily due to sulfide and sodium ions.
The lake freezes over from October to May. In summer, it exhibits a temperature gradient from 29C at the surface to 19C at the bottom. 29 different species of fish have been counted in Uvs Lake, one of them (Potaninialtaiosman Oreoleuciscspotanini) suitable for human consumption.
Uvs Lake
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