On the territory of Kazakhstan, 7 major rivers carry their waters. The length of each of them exceeds 1 thousand kilometers. Also in the republic there are 13 reservoirs, their total volume is more than 85 km 3 .
On the river called Irtysh, the Shulba reservoir is located . The reservoir is formed by the hydroelectric power station of the same name. The building is located near the eastern border of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The nearest large settlement is the city of Semey (until 2007 it was called Semipalatinsk), located 70 kilometers upstream of the Irtysh.
The rumor about what broke through the Shulba reservoir covered villages and villages that were in the district. A few years ago, someone with bad intentions decided to make a joke of the inhabitants. Subsequently, a huge panic was raised, while the dam remained intact.
Recreation at the reservoir
Many come here to fish. In a pond you can catch zander, bream, roach and even pike! Just lovers come to relax on the beach. By the way, the shore near the reservoir is not sandy. This contributes to the fact that the beach is not so hot. In some places, a fairly strong set of depth, which is not suitable for everyone.
Kite
They come to the Shulba reservoir and kitesurfers. They note that there are fairly predictable winds. And their peak falls at about 17-18 hours. Other athletes say the wind is ragged and gusty. That is, it is better for novice kitesurfers to wait for a ride on the Shulba reservoir.
Wind near the water surface is weaker than a few meters higher - ideal for kite, but losing for windsurfing. But this does not mean that there is absolutely nothing for lovers of this sport to do here. There is a place, as they say, for everyone. On such a reservoir as the Shulba reservoir, high waves do not have time to rise, which allows you to ride on almost flat water.
Reservoir description
The reservoir has a large area, namely 255 km 2 . Controversial data are presented about its size. Some sources say the volume is over 50 km 3 . This figure cannot be believable. In this case, the depth of the reservoir should reach about 200 meters or more.
Construction
As already mentioned, the reservoir was formed by the Shulba hydroelectric station, the first part of which was commissioned in 1987. The construction of this station was delayed for a very long time. For several years, the formation of the gateway was transferred to a private company. She, in turn, did not fulfill the obligation to build. The project was transferred back to the state. Thus, the shipping lock was opened only in 2004.
In 2010, a lot of snow fell in the vicinity of a reservoir such as the Shulba reservoir. In the spring, he naturally began to melt. That is why the dam began to strengthen the dam.
During the fortification work in the city of Semey, someone spread a rumor about a crack in the dam. Subsequently, this legend grew very much, new facts and details appeared. In the end, it seriously scared the residents of the city. “Especially knowledgeable” people claimed that they saw a dam breaking and a many-meter wave that moves toward the city at a speed of about 40 kilometers per hour.
Residents of Semey called the Ministry of Emergencies. We figured out what to do in the event of a disaster, in which shelter to hide from so much water that it would bring in a wave from such an artificial reservoir as the Shulba reservoir. The breakthrough of the dam greatly amused the hydroelectric workers. They were very surprised by the news of some kind of malfunction on their own dam. The leaders hastened to assure the frightened people that there was no danger. And the only thing that threatens the city is the abundant melting of snow. Who actually launched these rumors has not yet received information.