Lakes of Armenian Highland

Armenian highland is rich in lakes of various origins. In the past, the lakes of Armenian highland were called “seas”. Structural basins of the three large lakes of the Highland (Sevan, Van, Urmia) have tectonic origin, there are lava dammed lakes. Sevan and Van are lava dammed lakes as well. There are also glacial lakes situated in former glacial cirques or moraines. Also, dammed lakes were formed from landslides and collapses. There are also residual lakes, separated from the rivers on the plains.

One of the features of Armenian highland is lakes formed in volcanic craters. In Middle East such lakes can only be found in Armenian highland. Crater or volcanic lakes are those lakes that were formed as a result of filling the crater and caldera with water. Since crater usually has round shape and high walls, very few rivers flow into crater lake, and there is almost no stream. Usually crater fills with rainwater and reaches equilibrium thanks to leakage of water and evaporation.

In this article you will find only the lakes of Armenian highland that are located outside of Armenia. We have a separate article about Lakes of Armenia.

We will begin the description of the lakes of Armenian highland with the highest lake, and in the end we will talk about the largest crater lake of Armenian highland.

Sabalan

Volcano Sabalan is the second highest peak of Armenian Highland. And the lake formed in the crater of the mountain is the highest lake of the Highland. It is located at an altitude of 4784 m above sea level.

Urmia (Kaputan)

Urmia is an endorheic lake. During the year there are big fluctuations of water level. And since the lake is very small, the coastline moves back and forth, constantly changing the parameters of the lake. The basin of the lake has tectonic origin. There is an assumption that the lake was open before and flowed into the Caspian Sea, through the Amardos River. Connection was broken by the eruption of Sokhund volcano. It is believed that Kaputan was also connected to the Araks River.

Urmia feeds on sediments directly on surface of the lake, on rivers and partially underground waters. The water in the lake is very salty. Because of this, the fauna in the lake is almost absent, there is only some seaweed.

Of the three largest lakes of Armenian highland, Urmia was the largest until the end of 20^th century. Due to the merciless use of water, flowing into the lake, the area of Urmia decreased significantly, the salinity of water increased. That’s how Lake Van became the largest lake of Armenian highland.

In the photo you can see the difference between the surfaces of Van and Urmia.

Many lakes of Armenian highland are lava dammed lakes. In the recent past there were more of them. In Ararat valley, Shirak, Upper Akhuryan, Sisian and other basins in the past there were lakes. Dammed lakes are Tsovak Hyusiso, Arpi, Madatapa, Khozapin, Saghamo, Parvana, Tabatsghur, etc.

Tsovak Hyusiso

Tsovak Hyusiso is the largest and deepest lava dammed lake of Armenian highland. It is located in the north of the Highland. Area is 84 km². The lake is located at an altitude of 1959 m above sea level. Maximum depth is 42 meters.

Lakes of Armenian Highland – Tsovak HyusisoThe lake is located inside the tectonic basin. In the past it used to be a deep valley, closed by a lava dam. The water is fresh. In winter Tsovak Hyusiso freezes.

In winter horseback tours are held on a frozen Tsovak Hyusiso lake, and everyone can participate in this interesting tour.

Parvana

The Javakhk plateau is rich in large and small lakes. All of them are scattered throughout the territory and generally don’t have a catchment basin. The largest one is Lake Parvana – area is 37.5 km², maximum height – 3.3 m. The lake is situated at an altitude of 2079 m above sea level.

The ballad “Parvana” by Hovhannes Tumanyan is dedicated to Parvana Lake.

Tabatsghur

Endorheic lake Tabatsghur is located in the north of Javakhk plateau, at the southwestern foot of the Trialeti ridge, at an altitude of 1991 m. It has a volcanic origin. Length is 6.5 km, maximum width – 4 km. The area is 14.2 km², depth – up to 40 m. The lake is mainly fed by underwater, surface fluctuations are up to 1.1 m. The lake has large recreational resources.

Madatapa

Lake Madatapa is located in the southeastern part of Javakhk plateau, at an altitude of 2112 m above sea level. The area is 8.78 km²; the volume of water is 9.66 million cubic meters, average depth – 1.5 m, maximum depth – 1.7 m. The territory is covered with alpine and subalpine vegetation. Coastline is low and is covered with aquatic vegetation. The lake is fed by groundwater, rainwater and meltwater, and the rivers formed from them originate from Javakhk Mountains. In spring, water level rises and in winter, it drops. Because of rivers and groundwater which originate from the lake and flow outward, water level in the lake changes very quickly.

Khozapin (Kartsakhi)

Lake Khozapin is also called Kartsakhi. It is located south-east of Kartsakhi village. The length is about 11 km, width – up to 5 km, height – 1801 m. The lake is fed by precipitation and surface water. In the south there are low-lying, flat, rocky islands. There are no fishes. One of the birds nesting around the lake is Armenian gull.

Khanchali

Lake Khanchali is located in the north of the Javakhk plateau. The length is 7.5 km; width is about 3 km, height – 1931 m, depth – 0.8 m. The lake is fed by meltwater. Surroundings of the lake are swampy; the water is muddy, with a slight greenish tint, not suitable for drinking. On the coastline of Lake Khanchali is the city of Ninotsminda, villages Big Khanchali and Small Khanchali.

Daran

Lake Daran is located on the western slope of Mount Samsar, 7.3 km from the peak. The height above sea level is 2082 m.

Saghamo

Lake Saghamo is located in the basin of Parvana River, south of the Parvana pond, at an altitude of 1996 m above sea level. The area is 4.8 km², average depth – 1.6 m, maximum depth – 2.3 m. The lake has tectonic origin. It is fed by groundwater, rainwater and meltwater. The lake has a shape of table. Water is fresh, rich in fish. The lake is named after the Saghamo village, which is located on its northeastern shore. In winter, the lake freezes.

Gaylatu

Lake Gaylatu is located in inter-mountain concavity of Haykakan Par mountain range, at an altitude of 2247 m above sea level. Water is fresh; the lake is rich in fish, especially trout.

Gaylatu is the highest of the large lakes of Armenian highland. Gaylatu (Gaylato tsovik, Lake Gaylatva, Dzknaber tsovak) is now called Balyk gyol (Turkish – Fish Lake).

Nazik

Nazik is a closed lake. It is located in the basin of Lake Van. The height is 1815 m above sea level. The lake arose as a result of lava loading of Sipan and Nemrut mountains. It is located on a high tectonic basin, surrounded by volcanic massifs. Length is about 11 km, width – 6.5 km, area – 40 km², catchment area – 800 km². The lake is fed by rainwater and meltwater. Water is fresh, clear, and suitable for drinking.

Khachi Lake or Khachlva Sea

Khachi Lake is also located in the basin of Lake Van, 10 km north of Lake Nazik. It is situated at an altitude of 1580 m above sea level. Maximum depth is 7 m. Water level almost doesn’t fluctuate throughout the year. In winter, the lake freezes.

Arin

Lake Arin is located on a slope of Mount Sipan, 1 km from the coastline of Van Lake. The height is 1654 m above sea level. The lake is closed. There is no fauna in the lake.

Archak

Archak is a small salty lake. It is located in the basin of Lake Van, north-east of the city of Van. The lake is located on a structural erosion plateau.

Maximum depth of the lake is 30 m, height – 1803 m above sea level. The area is 100 km². It is a closed lake, which opens up to the east in the form of a horseshoe. Due to the salinity of the water, the lake doesn’t have any flora or fauna.

Lake Archak has a tectonic origin, was formed in the Neogene period. The lake is surrounded by spurs of Mount Kotur.

The eastern and northeastern shores of the lake are flat, and the western shore is hilly. The rivers Archishak, Kharakonis and Khnoi flow into the lake. In winter, the lake freezes.

There are many myths about Lake Archak. Locals believed that a fiery man, a fiery woman and a fiery horse lived in the lake. Near the Archak village there was a water source. It is said that once a year a fiery woman was bathing in these sources. Sometimes a fiery horse would come out of the lake and trample all snake nests. People believed that if it were not for a fiery horse, the whole world would be full of snakes. A fiery man would leave the lake once in a thousand years, to leave a fiery progeny to the world together with a fiery woman.

Tsovk (Kharberd Sea)

Lake Tsovk is located in the western part of the Armenian Taurus mountain range. It is situated between two high mountain ranges, extending in parallel from north and south. The lake was formed as a result of a collapse. It is located at an altitude of 1240 m above sea level. The area is 78 km². The Tigris River originates from here. Mountain slopes surrounding the lake are covered with dense forests. The area has pristine beauty and a healthy climate.

Alkharak

Lake Alkharak is located on the slope of the mountain of the same name. It was formed as a result of a strong earthquake that occurred in 1139. The earthquake destroyed Mount Alkharak and covered a river gorge. Alkharak and its surroundings are a recreation area. It’s believed that local air heals airways and nervous system.

Lake and Mount Alharak

Terter

This lake is located 7 km east of mountain peak Varag. The lake is also called Keshish, Varag, Turna.

Tsovalich

In the East Pontic Mountains there are many big and small lakes, one of which is Tsovalich.

Tsovalich is located on the southern slope of Mount Qajkar, at an altitude of 3380 m above sea level.

Tortum

The Tortum River is a left tributary of the Olti River. It originates from the eastern slopes of the Kopa mountain range. The length of the river is about 112 km. It flows from south-west to north-east, receives many tributaries, crosses a deep gorge and then Lake Tortum. As a result of collapse in the Tortum Valley, the river was blocked, and Lake Tortum was formed. The length of the lake is 8 km, width – 1 km, depth – 100 m.

Lake Sev

Lake Sev is located in the forested slopes of the Arsian Range, 12 km north-east of Shavshat. The height is 1632 m above sea level.

Dzknalich

Dzknalich is located in Ardznik, not far from the historical city of Ardzn. This small lake was consecrated many centuries ago, and to this day, locals do not even fish here. In this lake live big fish, which are considered holy.

The foundations of brick walls built by the Armenians have survived to this day.

Ayghr of Kars

Lake Ayghr is located 20 km north-west of Kars. The height is 2130 m above sea level. There are many wild birds in the vicinity of the lake.

Van

Lake Van is the largest lake of the Armenian highland. In ancient times it was called Tosp, Rshtunyats sea, Aghi sea, Vaspurakani sea, Tarekhi Lake, Bznunyats sea, Akhtamar, the sea of Nairi land. Lake Van is located on a volcanic plateau of Armenian highland, at an altitude of 1716 m above sea level. The surface of the lake covers an area of 3760 m. Depth of the lake is 451 m.

Lake Van has a sloping coastline; the length is 125 km, width – 51 km. The mountains of the Armenian Taurus, Shatakh and Rshtunyats stretch along the southern bank of the lake. There are 4 islands in the lake – Arter, Akhtamar, Ktuts and Lim.

Lake Van was dammed with lava flows. As a result of the eruption of Nemrut volcano, the riverbeds were blocked and a lake formed in the tectonic graben valley. According to H. Lynch, the dam is 80 m above the lake.

Many researchers of the lake found the elevations of the lake in different places, at different heights, up to 45 m above the lake. This means, that after the formation of the hills, the terrain gradually raised. The water level often fluctuated. The lake is mainly fed by rain and snow, and in north and west it is also fed by groundwater.

Lake Van is closed; its water flow mainly comes from evaporation. There are no favorable conditions for the organic world, therefore only tarekh lives here (Van herring), but only at the mouths of rivers. Locals smoke this fish and use it also in the winter. In the basin of Lake Van there are many remains of ancient cathedrals, bridges, vishaps and other historical monuments, as well as cuneiforms of the Urartian period.

Since ancient times there has been navigation on Lake Van. The main ports are Van, Datvan, Khlat and Archesh.

According to one of the legends, in giant dragons lived in Lake Van – vishaps, with which angels constantly fought. When vishaps turned 1000 years old, angels pulled them out of water, brought them closer to the sun and burned them. Ashes of vishaps fell and the lake was covered with fog.

Nemruta Tsovak

Active volcano Nemrut (Sarakn) is located on the western shore of Lake Van. Circumference is about 50 km. The peak of the volcano is a large caldera, where the lakes of Nemrut formed. The smallest of the lake has a higher temperature. The crater of Nemrut is the largest in Armenian highland. Also it is one of the largest craters in the world. There are many reserves of cold and mineral water on the mountain. The biggest lake of the crater is Nemruta Tsovak.

In this article only lakes of Armenian highland were presented. See also the lakes of Armenia.

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Armenian Highland