Lake Issyk-Kul is a closed lake located in the Tien Shan mountain belt of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. It is the worlds 5th deepest (668m) lake and the 2nd largest high altitude lake in the world (1607m above sea level). The lake is currently at risk from a decline in water level resulting in progressively increasing salinity, incomplete vertical water exchange, and contamination by past and present industrial activity. For the first time the main physical, chemical, biological and geological characteristics of the lake are presented.
Preface. Address by the President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrghyz Republic; Dr. Janybeck Jeyenbaev. Statement of the Workshop. 1: Physical and chemical characteristics. Climate and physical properties of water in Lake Issyk-Kul; G.D. Shabunin, A.G. Shabunin. Water chemistry and ecology of Lake Issyk-Kul; A.S. Karmanchuk. Hydrobiology of Lake Issyk-Kul; V.V. Romanovsky. Water level variations and water balance of Lake Issyk-Kul; V.V. Romanovsky. Hydromineral resources of the Issyk-Kul region; V.E. Matychenkov. Groundwater in the Issyk-Kul basin; A.N. Mandychev. Currents and vertical water exchange in Lake Issyk-Kul; V.V. Romanovsky, G.D. Shabunin. Using transient conservative and environmental tracers to study water exchange in Lake Issyk-Kul; R. Kipfer, F. Peeters. Bathymetry and sedimentary environments of Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyz Republic (Central Asia): a large, high-altitude, tectonic lake; M. De Batist, et al. Recent paleoenvironmental evolution of Lake Issyk-Kul; S. Giralt, et al. Active tectonics and seismic hazard of the Issyk-Kul basin in the Kyrgyz; K.E. Abdrachmatov, et al. The environmental risk resulting from gold mining; B. Imanackunov. II: Case studies in other regions. Hydrochemistry of lakes in Tajikistan; D.N. Pachajanov, et al. Zoobenthos and zooplankton of the northern Aral Sea and possible ways of the sea ecosystem rehabilitation; N.V. Aladin, et al. Evaluation of the damage to environmental state of the north-western Black Sea shelf ecosystems; V.N. Egorov, et al. Does biomanipulation work for warm-temperate lakes? First case study in an eutrophic Turkish lake; M. Beklioglu. Computed mean monthly water balance of a large lake: the case of Lake Tanganyika; L. Bergonzini. Radon studies for investigation of nuclear waste deposits and natural emissions; S.E. Beaubien, et al. III: Social and ethical aspects. Philosophy of ecological ethics education, considering the Issyk-Kul Kale remediation mechanisms; U. Asanova. Ecosystem management, environmental values and Lake Issyk-Kul; G. Cooper.