Sasyk Lagoon

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Sasyk Lagoon

| image = Sasyk Lagoon coast.jpg

| caption = The coast of Sasyk Lagoon (near Hlyboka)

| image_map =

| caption_map =

| pushpin_map =

| image_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| location = Black Sea

| coords =

| rivers = Cogâlnic River, Sarata River

| oceans =

| countries = Ukraine

| length =

| width =

| area = {{convert|241.88|km2|abbr=on}}{{cite web |title=Sasyk lake (2059) |url=https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/2059 |publisher=Key Biodiversity Areas |access-date=5 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505132642/https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/site/factsheet/2059 |archive-date=5 May 2024}}

| depth = {{convert|1.05|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| max-depth = {{convert|3.3|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| volume =

| shore =

| salinity =

| frozen =

| islands =

| cities = Tatarbunary

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| embedded =

{{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_offname = Sasyk Lake

| designation1_date = 23 November 1995

| designation1_number = 762{{cite web |title=Sasyk Lake |url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/762 |website=Ramsar Convention Sites Information Service |publisher=Ramsar |access-date=25 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202074848/https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/762 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |date=2022}}}}{{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=6 |marker = marker-stroked |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}

}}

__NOTOC__

Sasyk, or Kunduk ({{langx|uk|Сасик, Кундук}}, {{langx|ro|Limanul Sasic, Conduc}}, {{langx|tr|Sasık Gölü, Kunduk Gölü}}), is a lagoon or liman in southern Ukraine, near the Danube Delta. It is a Ramsar listed wetland site important for migrating, breeding and moulting birds.{{cn|date=May 2024}} About 25,000 pairs of wetland birds make their nests there (an increase of 15,000 since 2000) and seasonal conglomerations of birds are up to 100,000 individuals.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

The area of the lagoon is {{convert|241.88|km2}}, and has a depth up to {{convert|3.3|m}}. Until 1978 the lagoon was separated into two parts: northern brackishwater area, including the rivers Cogâlnic and Sarata, and a southern marine area. The lagoon was separated from the sea by a {{convert|0.5|km}} wide sandbar.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

Dam and reduced salinity

In 1978, a concrete dam was built on the sandbar and the lagoon was connected to the Danube River by a canal, through which fresh flood waters come. This has adversely changed the salinity in the lake, and this plus disturbances from recreation and commercial fishing activities have influenced the habitat for wildfowl.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

The aim of this Soviet dam project was to convert the lagoon to a fresh water lake to use for irrigation. However, this failed and the use of water from Sasyk resulted in the salinization of about {{convert|30000|ha|km2|abbr=out}} of land, with associated detrimental impact on crops, and mineralization of ground water and wells.{{cite web |last1= |title=Women Transform the Mainstream |url=http://wedo.org/wp-content/uploads/1998/01/Women-Transform-the-Mainstream_1998-1.pdf |publisher=Women's Environment and Development Organization |access-date=24 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809101106/https://wedo.org/wp-content/uploads/1998/01/Women-Transform-the-Mainstream_1998-1.pdf |archive-date=9 August 2022 |page=38 |date=21 January 2016}} The project ended in ecological, social and economic disaster.{{cite web |last1=van den Bossche |first1=Chantal |title=Give Sasyk back to the sea! |url=http://www.wecf.eu/english/articles/2008/08/sasyk-dam.php |publisher=Women in Europe for a Common Future |access-date=5 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018180655/http://www.wecf.eu/english/articles/2008/08/sasyk-dam.php |archive-date=18 October 2008 |date=14 August 2008 |url-status=dead}}

A 2007 report stated that the lagoon had become too dangerous for swimming because of pollution, including pesticides and heavy metals. The water is described as greenish with an unpleasant smell. Many now favour breaking the dam and reconnecting the lagoon with the sea.{{cite web |last1=Samwel |first1=Anna |title=Tatarbunary, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine – Partner visit to Mama-86 and Vozrozhdeniye in the frame of the Empowerment & Local Action/MFS Program |url=http://www.wecf.eu/download/2008/08-07-22TatarbunaryWECFweb_report.pdf |publisher=WECF |access-date=24 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910204542/http://www.wecf.eu/download/2008/08-07-22TatarbunaryWECFweb_report.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2009 |date=22 August 2007 |url-status=dead}}

In 2022, Ukrainian-American filmmaker Andrea Odezynska's documentary film Return Sasyk To The Sea was released, detailing the history of the region and efforts to restore the damaged wetlands.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

Biodiversity

{{Asof|2000}}, the total number of breeding waterbirds in the lagoon is 10,000 pairs, and an estimated 100,000 individuals visit the lagoon each year on migration.

Sasyk Lagoon

Dam and reduced salinity

Biodiversity

References

Further reading