Tabatskuri Lake
{{Short description|Lake in Georgia}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Tabatskuri Lake
| image = Tabatskuri Aug 2012 31.jpg
| caption =
| pushpin_map = Samtskhe-Javakheti#Georgia
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| coords = {{coord|41|38|45|N|43|37|33|E|}}
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| catchment = {{convert|83.1|km²|abbr=on}}
| basin_countries = Georgia
| length = {{convert|6|km|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|4.5|km|abbr=on}}
| area = {{convert|14.2|km2|abbr=on}}
| depth = {{convert|15.5|m|abbr=on}}
| max-depth = {{convert|40.2|m|abbr=on}}
| volume = {{convert|221|e6m3|abbr=out}}
| residence_time =
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| elevation = {{convert|1991|m|abbr=on}}
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Tabatskuri Lake ({{lang-ka|ტაბაწყური}}) is a lake in the Borjomi Municipality and Akhalkalaki Municipality, Samtskhe–Javakheti region of Georgia.Orthographic dictionary of geographic names of Georgian, Tbilisi, 2009, p. 161
Detail
Tabatskuri Lake is in the northern part of the Samsari Range, at 1991 m above sea level. Its surface area is 14.2 km2, while the catchment area is 83.1 km2. Its average depth is 15.5 m, maximal depth is 40.2 m. It gets its feed from snow, rainfall and underground waters.Ilia Apkhazava, Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia Vol. 9, 1985, pp. 634
It has a roughly rectangular shape, measuring 6 km long and 4.5 km wide. The annual range of fluctuation of the water level is as much as 1.1 m.[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diego-Rodriguez-31/publication/316701978_Coenagrion_lunulatum_Charpentier_1840_Sympetrum_flaveolum_L_1758_in_Lake_Tabatskuri_Georgia_Caucasus/links/590e117baca2722d185ebd0e/Coenagrion-lunulatum-Charpentier-1840-Sympetrum-flaveolum-L-1758-in-Lake-Tabatskuri-Georgia-Caucasus.pdf Coenagrion lunulatum & Sympetrum flaveolum in Lake Tabatskuri, Georgia] Hydrographic network of the basin is poor.
The lake has a volcanic-tectonic origin.Levan Maruashvili. Physical Geography of Georgia (in georgian), Tbilisi, 1964, pp. 321–322 The lake is surrounded by the volcanic mountains. From December until March lake is frozen over. Coastline is partially indented.Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSR. Tbilisi, XLVI, № 3, June 1967, pp. 653–658 There are many bays and several islands.Ilia Apkhazava. Lakes of Georgia (in russian), Tbilisi, Metsniereba, 1975, pp. 146–150
The villages of Tabatskuri and Moliti lie around the lake. Tabatskuri is rich in fish, including trout, Common barbel, and Eurasian carp. Tabatskuri part of Ktsia-Tabatskuri Managed Reserve.[https://www.gov.ge/files/439_55805_561991_227.pdf Ordinance No 227 of the Government of Georgia 20 May 2016 Tbilisi]
In 1745 the lake was described by Vakhushti Bagrationi in his work Description of the Kingdom of Georgia.Description of the Kingdom of Georgia (Geography of Georgia), Tbilisi, 1941
Lake Tabatskuri was the subject of a documentary film, [https://decouvrirlavie.com/mr-velvet-scoter/ "Mr. Velvet Scoter"], released in May 2023.{{Cite web |last=Today |first=Georgia |date=2023-06-08 |title=Mr. Velvet Scoter (მისტერ გარიელი) – The Story of a Long Lost Caucasian Treasure |url=https://georgiatoday.ge/mr-velvet-scoter-%e1%83%9b%e1%83%98%e1%83%a1%e1%83%a2%e1%83%94%e1%83%a0-%e1%83%92%e1%83%90%e1%83%a0%e1%83%98%e1%83%94%e1%83%9a%e1%83%98-the-story-of-a-long-lost-caucasian-treasure/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Georgia Today |language=en-US}} The film documented the story of the velvet scoter ducks nesting on the lake's island. This small, isolated population has been assessed as the last breeding population of velvet scoter in the Caucasus.{{Cite web |title=Research and conservation of the velvet scoter in Georgia |url=https://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/project/velvet-scoter-duck-georgia/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Conservation Leadership Programme |language=en-GB}}