Kolyma Reservoir, reservoir in Russia
Kolyma Reservoir is a large artificial lake in Magadan Oblast, built in the highlands of the upper Kolyma area by constructing a dam for a hydroelectric station. It stretches nearly 150 kilometers long, covers about 441 square kilometers, and reaches depths of up to 120 meters in some places.
The reservoir was created during the Soviet era as part of an ambitious program to generate power in this remote region. When the dam was filled, several settlements including Sibik-Tyllah and Vetreny were submerged, while the broader area had long served as a place of exile marked by harsh conditions for those sent there.
The name reflects the Kolyma River, which feeds the reservoir and remains central to local geography and history. The landscape here is defined by the quiet water surface that mirrors the sky in brief summers and freezes solid in winter, shaping how people in nearby communities interact with this place.
The area is remote and marked by long, cold winters and brief summers, making access best during warmer months. The surroundings are wild and sparsely populated, so visitors should prepare with proper gear and realistic expectations for this harsh northern landscape.
Before the area was flooded, a Paleolithic site near the mouth of the Kongo River held stone tools, knife blades, and projectile points left by ancient hunters thousands of years ago. These traces reveal that people inhabited and traveled through this harsh landscape long before modern structures were built here.
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