KGZ 13 Key Biodiversity Area Karasuu

Square: 1000 hectares.
КВА category: B1



Species that initiated the designation of KBA [and other globally threatened species that are present in the KBA but have not been confirmed to meet the global KBA criteria]: Acantholimon linczevskianum. Allium dodecadontum. Allium formosum. Delphinium knorringianum, Festuca tzveleviana, Phlomoides kurpsaica, Scutellaria andrachnoides, Seseli galioides, Seseli korshinskyi, Silene fetissovii, Silene neoladyginae.
Protection areas: no
Settlements on the territory of the KBA: no
Adjacent to the territory KBA: Kok-Bel, Karakel




There are no asphalt roads on the way to Lake Kara-Suu. A 30-kilometer dirt road leads from the Bishkek-Osh highway to the lake. The nearest settlement, the city of power engineers Karakel, is 50 kilometers away.



General Description: The main watercourse of the area is the Karasuu River - a river in Kyrgyzstan that flows through the territory of the Toktogul district of the Jalal-Abad region. It is a left tributary of the Naryn River.
The length of the river is 85 km. The drainage basin area is 2800 km². The average long-term water flow is 41.2 m³/s. High water occurs in May, low water in January. The water in Kara-Suu is cool even in summer.




The source of the river is on the slopes of the northern spurs of the Fergana Range.
The river flows from the lake of the same name Karasuu, located deep in the Taktalyk ridge at 2022 meters above sea level.



Lake Karasuu appeared as a result of an earthquake. Despite the fact that the lake is translated from the Kyrgyz language as “black water,” it amazes with its sky-blue waters. The enchanting azure hue of the lake changes depending on the time of day, and you can look at it endlessly.
Lake Karasuu occupies about 16 km2, and the maximum depth reaches 90 meters. Dimensions of the lake: 6.5 km by 2 km.



Attractions: Not far from Lake Karasuu - at an altitude of 2303 meters above sea level - is Lake Kapka-Tash. Translated from Kyrgyz, the name of the lake means “stone gate”. The lake also appeared as a result of an earthquake.