Shukyrtuz


Shukyrtuz is a salt lake in Klyuchevsky District, Altai Krai, Russian Federation.
The lake is located at the western edge of the Krai. The Russia-Kazakhstan border lies to the southwest. The nearest inhabited places are Novopoltava and Istimis. Klyuchi, the district capital, lies to the southwest.
In 1998 the lake was declared a natural monument of regional significance. In some parts of the lake there is viscous black mud with a hydrogen sulphide smell which is deemed to have medicinal properties.

Geography

Located in the Kulunda Plain, Shukyrtuz has a drop shape. It stretches for approximately with the point in the north. The northern shore rises up to in height and is cut in places by gullies, while the southern shore is flat and gently sloping. The lake is shallow, with a maximum depth in the central area not exceeding. The bottom is sandy and silty. The water is saline, with a high mineralization reaching.
Lake Petukhovo lies to the south, Krivaya Puchina to the NNW, and larger lake Kuchuk to the northeast.

Flora and fauna

The lake is surrounded by flat steppe landscape. The vegetation includes fescue, wormwood, milkvetch, feather grass, Limonium and saltwort. The lake provides a habitat for Artemia salina crustaceans. There is no fish fauna.