Wonders of Ukraine – Fantastic “Martian” Pink Lakes

Did you know that Ukraine, like Tanzania, Australia and Bolivia, can enchant with exotic lakes with pink water? Such an extraordinary natural phenomenon can be seen in different parts of our country. The pink color of the reservoirs is created by the unicellular algae Dunaliella saline, which under the action of the sun produce beta carotene (the same as in carrots). This is almost the only living organism that can survive in such a concentrated salt solution. And the hotter the summer, the richer the color they acquire.

During the heat, the water from the pink lakes evaporates and “sprinkles” its shore with white salt “powder.” Over time, salt crystals get lost and form “stones” of various shapes. Therefore, the snow-white, sparkling in the sun, crystal clear shore and unusual “Martian” pink water, will leave unforgettable impressions in your treasury of memories.

Lemurian Lake

Pink Lake in the Kherson region of Ukraine, is located near the villages of Grygorivka and Novovolodymyrivka, in the eastern part of Syvash Bay. Due to its healing properties, the Lake is called the Ukrainian Dead Sea. After all, you can just lie on the water here. This is not surprising. The salt content in its water is about 300 grams per liter – as much as in the Dead Sea.

An interesting fact: the Lake was formed at the place of the crash of a Soviet bomber on 26 August, 1969 on the shores of Syvash. Rescuers deepened the funnel to 18 meters while collecting the remains of the bomber, touching the aquifers. Later, the funnel was filled with water, which was much saltier than in Syvash.

Residents of the surrounding villages named Lake “Yama” and often went swimming in it to have fun. Over time, stories about the healing properties of the Lake’s salt water began to spread in Ukraine, and the green tourism industry began to develop around it.

Solonets’-Tuzly Lake

Solonets’-Tuzly is a mud and salt Lake (pond) that you will find near the Black Sea coast in a recreation area of the village of Rybakivka of the Mykolaiv Oblast. It is unusual. There is white salt in the water above, and pink is hidden under it.

The mud and salt of the lake have healing properties. The local brine is rich in minerals, salts of magnesium chloride and potassium, sodium iodide, magnesium bromide and acids.

The area of the water surface is constantly changing. Sometimes, it completely dries up. Together with the Tylihul and Berezan estuaries, the territory of Solonets’-Tuzly Lake is defined as important for the preservation of quantitative diversity and species richness of birds. So, here you can admire not only the pink water, but also the rich bird life.

Henyches’ke Lake

It is located on the Semenivsky Kut peninsula within the Arabat Spit (Kherson region).

The basin of the Lake occupies the former Bay of Syvash and lies below its level. The Lake is 4.5 km long and up to 2.9 km wide. Henyches’ke Lake is fed by the waters of Syvash, with which it is connected by a canal.

The Lake is the raw material base of the salt industry. By the way, in the middle of the 19th century, there was the only salt industry in Ukraine, where beta-carotene salt was extracted. And there are only four such mines in the world. Not less interesting is the fact that in ancient times, this was the place from where the famous Milky Way began, along which the Chumaks carried salt to Ukraine.

Lakes on the Kinburn Spit

Large pink lakes can also be seen on Kinburn Spit, near the village of Heroysky. These are active salt mines. Salt is extracted here in an open way, distilling salt water until it turns into pink brine. This is also one of the places where Chumaks used to extract salt.

By the way, Kinburn is a real paradise for ornithologists and bird lovers. During seasonal migrations, an incredible number of birds accumulate on the peninsula. They stop here to rest after a hard trip in the spring, and gather strength before flying across the sea in the autumn.

Zyablivske Lake

The Lake has an elongated shape and is extended from north to south. It is located in the north of the Arabat Spit and is separated from the Azov Sea by an isthmus.

The water level in the lake is 1-1.5 m below the level of Syvash Bay, with which it is connected by a canal to replenish water. Depth in spring is only 0.3-0.7 m, and in summer it is even less – 0.1-0.3 m.

The salinity of water in summer is 22-26%, and dissolved salts are dominated by table salt.

Kuyalnik Estuary

Kuyalnik Estuary on the south of Odesa is not a pink lake, but in the hot season, due to the high salt content, it becomes pink. The mouth of the Velykyi Kuyalnik River used to be located on the site of the Kuyalnik Estuary. Over time, it turned into a bay of the Black Sea, and then, due to the deposition of river and sea sand. a spillway formed there, and thus the bay turned into an estuary.

The water level in the estuary and its salinity change regularly. Long-term observations have shown that, in the period from 1878 to 1968, the salinity in the estuary ranged from 29 to 269%. In years with high salinity at the bottom of the estuary, salt precipitated. And in the dry years, when the river Velykyi Kuyalnik dried up, the area of the reservoir decreased almost twice.

Natalia Tolub