Blue lake in Sergievsky district. Map of the Samara region

The beautiful and unusual Blue Lake, located not far from the village of Staroye Yakushkino in the Samara region, has a surprisingly correct round shape, which is explained by its formation in a karstic funnel. Bitter from the bottom of the lake, hydrogen sulphide sources make the water fantastically blue, and the total absence of life is crystal clear.

Description of the pond

The map of the Samara region is colored with different colors. This area is not deprived of rivers and reservoirs. One of the most amazing reservoirs is the Blue Lake in Sergievsky district. The area of its water surface is almost 300 square meters. Meters, and diameter - only 16, but in occasion of depth there are never-ending disputes. In the mid-nineteenth century, a local specialist PS Losevsky made a detailed description of this unusual pond and marked the depth of 40 meters. A powerful source at the bottom of the lake, according to the scientist, creates a stream of water that "could make three mill stations work." A century later, scientist A. D. Belkin established the presence of a dip of more than 800 meters deep at the bottom of the lake, from which a huge source of water, exceeding the daily water flow of 6220 cubic meters, beats. Meters. Modern studies show the depth of the reservoir is not more than 18 meters. In 2013 Samara diver installed a new dip of the bottom, deepened the lake for another 6 meters. The water temperature in the lake is constant at any time of the year and corresponds to 7.3 ° С.

Flora

Unfreezing in winter and cold in summer, this amazing lake is attractive and unusual. Framing the slopes of the karst funnel along the bottom of the reservoir of charcoal algae are very interesting ancient plants that unite the signs of algae and higher representatives of the vegetable kingdom and are similar in appearance to horsetail or hornwort. Another representative of the underwater flora of the lake is a perennial water-carrier from the family Podorozhnikovye. The absence of other vegetation on the bottom of the reservoir created excellent conditions for the appearance of the original underwater meadows of the Kharovye family, whose name derives from the ancient Greek word "hara", which in translation means "joy, beauty". Bottoms and the slopes of the lake, fragments of the vegetable carpet add to the reservoir of mystery and beauty. The crystal transparency of the water makes it possible to see in detail its splendor. The mineralization of underwater plants with compounds contained in water gives them a marble-solemn appearance. And diving trips give such a lot of impressions and bright memories! Only to plunge into the blue transparent cold is not for everyone, although divers from the "Sea Cat" club do this with an enviable regularity. They say that it gives a special pleasure to see the sky, clouds, sun and all friends on the shore from the bottom of the lake. Is there still such an opportunity in any part of the world?

Mysteries of an amazing pond

The blue lake in Sergievsky district is a fairly young reservoir by historical standards. He is not more than 250 years old. Samara divers have established that the lake bottom is continuously changing. In 2013, they opened a gallery with crystal clear water, which goes far into the depths. The fact is that this most unusual blue lake in Russia is a source lake, in fact, a kind of griffin of an underground river flowing to the surface and replenishing the river Shungut. And its location in the active karst area explains the constant changes taking place in the lake. The reasons for these geological processes are now being clarified by hydrogeological specialists.

Legends and beliefs

The blue lake in Sergievsky district is a regional nature monument. And like any attraction, besides such an extraordinary, fanned by legends and stories. The indigenous people supported an interesting belief based on the presence of the Blue, containing, in their opinion, dead water, a second pond that is filled with living water. It is believed that getting rid of all diseases will bring a bath first in the dead water, and then into the living. I must say that there are not many people wishing to plunge into the Blue Lake - after all, the water is very cold.

Local residents are confident both in the extraordinary healing properties of sulfurous water, and in the absence of a bottom in this lake. The map of the Samara region, on which more than one dozen reservoirs is marked, confirms the saturation of the edge with water resources, but the qualities of the lake formed in the karst funnel are so amazing that legends were composed and will still arise at all times. Old-timers say that a horse, harnessed in a cart, fell into the water and drowned, which they could not find. There are rumors of sometimes appearing on the surface tarred boards with a mysterious image of old letters, and of many attempts in the old days to measure the depth of the reservoir.

The road to the Blue Lake

The city of Samara will be the starting point. The blue lake is 115 kilometers away. Begin the traffic on the M-5 highway in the direction of Ufa. The reference point is Sergievsk. From it on the right side you need to find a turn to the village of Old Yakushkino and go straight to the bridge over the river Shungut. Then turn left and go along the river bed. Another landmark is an abandoned farm. It is important to remember that the road is unpaved, and to plan a trip better in dry weather, especially if the car is not a powerful off-roader. From the last turn at the bridge to the lake no more than 2.5 km. The last guideline on the way to the pond can serve as a yellow building trailer, located on a hill in front of the lake.

Pearl of Sergievsky district

From a bird's-eye view, the Blue Lake in Sergievsky district is a bright, transparent, cornflower-blue, sharply outlined circle, with sloping banks descending to the water mirror and framed by the poorly developed vegetation of the Samara semi-steppes. Surprisingly, the fact that a small isthmus from the reservoir is another lake with the usual parameters and freshwater inhabitants. And if fishing on the Blue Lake is impossible in principle, then the neighboring reservoir can provide such an opportunity.

One of the most amazing natural monuments is rightfully to be proud of Samara. Blue Lake - a crystal miracle, requiring careful treatment of yourself.