Zyuratkul, Mountain lake and national park in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia
Lake Zyuratkul is a mountain reservoir in the Southern Urals at an elevation of about 724 meters in Chelyabinsk Oblast. The water body stretches roughly 10 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide, surrounded by forested highlands.
A dam was built after World War II that greatly enlarged the water surface. This expansion transformed the original smaller body of water surrounded by marshland into the lake seen today.
The name Zyuratkul comes from Bashkir language roots meaning heart lake, a poetic reference to the local geography. Local people use this symbolic name to describe their connection to the water and surrounding mountains.
The lake freezes annually from October through May, restricting certain activities. Visitors should plan their trips with this seasonal pattern in mind to understand what will be possible during their visit.
The Bolshoy Kyl river feeds into this water body and exits as the Bolshaya Satka river. This water connection links the lake to the broader river system of the region.
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