// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Ala-Archa river say? I'm archaic.
| Ala-Archa Alarcha | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Native name | Ала-Арча (Kyrgyz) |
| Location | |
| Country | Kyrgyzstan |
| Region | Chüy Region |
| District | Alamüdün District |
| City | Bishkek |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Northern slope of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too |
| Mouth | Chu |
• coordinates | 43°03′44″N 74°38′18″E / 43.0623°N 74.6382°E |
| Length | 78 km (48 mi) |
Basin size | 270 km2 (100 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 4.17 m3/s (147 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 0.81 m3/s (29 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 50 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Chu→ Betpak-Dala desert |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | Kashka-Suu |
The Ala-Archa (Kyrgyz: Ала-Арча; also Alarcha, Аларча) is a river in Alamüdün District, Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan, flowing through Bishkek. It belongs to the Chu river system and is traditionally regarded as a left tributary of the Chu. The river is 78 km (48 mi) long and has a drainage basin of 270 km2 (100 sq mi).[1]
Course
[edit]The Ala-Archa rises from glaciers on the northern slope of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too. Its upper course flows through a narrow mountain gorge. After the confluence with the Kashka-Suu river, the river emerges into the Baytik Depression.[1]
Below Chon-Aryk, the river flows north through Bishkek. Settlements along its course include Kashka-Suu, Tash-Döbö, Ortolysh, Chon-Aryk, Orto-Say and Mayevka.[1]
Its main tributaries include the Ak-Sai, Teke-Tör, Top-Karagai, Tuyuk-Suu, Jindi-Suu, Adygene and Kashka-Suu.[1]
Hydrology
[edit]The Ala-Archa is fed mainly by glaciers and snow.[2] Its high-water period begins in May and continues until late September. The mean annual discharge is 4.17 m3/s (147 cu ft/s), with a recorded maximum of 50 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s) and a minimum of 0.81 m3/s (29 cu ft/s).[1]
The drainage basin contains five lakes and 33 glaciers with a combined area of 53.6 km2 (20.7 sq mi).[1]
Environment
[edit]The upper basin of the Ala-Archa lies within Ala Archa National Park, which was established in 1976 to protect the mountain landscapes and ecosystems of the upper Ala-Archa valley.[3]
The protected area includes juniper woodlands, patches of spruce forest, subalpine and alpine meadows, and riparian vegetation. More than 600 species of higher plants have been recorded within the park.[4]
The Ala-Archa is the principal river of the park, with tributaries including the Ak-Sai and Adygene.[3]
Water use
[edit]The waters of the Ala-Archa are extensively used for irrigation. Two reservoirs have been constructed on the Ala-Archa. The Upper Ala-Archa Reservoir is situated near Kashka-Suu, while the Lower Ala-Archa Reservoir lies on the lower course of the river north of Bishkek. Because of water abstraction for irrigation, the Ala-Archa normally does not reach the Chu River.[1]
Gallery
[edit]
Ala-Archa in the upper mountain valley
Confluence of the Ak-Sai and Ala-Archa
Ala-Archa in Bishkek after spring rains
Ala-Archa Reservoir
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References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Аларча" [Alarcha] (PDF). Кыргызстандын Географиясы [Geography of Kyrgyzstan] (in Kyrgyz). Bishkek. 2004. p. 181.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ↑ Чүй облусу: Энциклопедия [Encyclopedia of Chüy Oblast] (in Kyrgyz and Russian). Bishkek: Chief Editorial Board of Kyrgyz Encyclopedia. 1994. p. 718. ISBN 5-89750-083-5.
- 1 2 "About". Ala-Archa National Park. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ Barvinok, Yuri F.; Lazkov, Georgy A.; Malosieva, Galina V.; Andreichenko, Leonid M. (2023). "Видовой состав можжевельников в государственном природном парке «Ала-Арча»" [Species composition of junipers in the State Natural Park "Ala-Archa"]. Известия Национальной академии наук Кыргызской Республики (in Russian) (6): 20–25.
