What is the danger for tourism in Alakol?

Experts have named an unexpected obstacle to the development of tourism in Alakol: they say that the Eastern shore of the lake should be strengthened. According to them, every year two to 10 meters of land goes into the water. Flooding is already threatening some buildings that are literally hanging over the cliffs.

What is happening now on Alakol - in the material Tengrinews.kz.

Kabanbay village of Urjar district of East Kazakhstan region is the closest to Alakol. During the tourist season, its residents go to the embankment and sell fish, baked goods, and boiled corn to vacationers.Photo © Tengrinews.kz Saken Ismailov is one of them. ASP, which he offered to sunbathers on the beach, according to him, he catches and smokes. He says that his whole life was spent near the famous Motley lake.

"Maybe it's not very noticeable, but the shore is washing away. I remember well that when I was little, the lake was further away than it is now, from the place where the Arbat is now built," says Saken Ismailov.

According to the man, the lake is slowly but surely coming. There is no threat to the village, he is sure, because it is located a few kilometers from the water. But in danger are buildings standing on a steep Bank.

It is easy to make sure that he is right: on the shore, you can see active cafes and hotels standing at the very edge of the cliff. The Foundation of some outbuildings and even eerily hung over the water.

The need to strengthen the Bank of Alakol was also confirmed by experts. According to them, if this problem is not solved in the near future, then it is simply pointless to continue landscaping here.Experts say that without strengthening the coast, attempts to develop tourism in the region are also devalued. It should be noted that over the past three years, about seven billion tenge has been invested in the improvement of the coast of Motley lake.

According to the head of the Department of tourism and external relations of East Kazakhstan region Marat Kabakov, there is no sense to compare the current coast of Alakol with what it was, for example, a couple of years ago."We must admit that the coastal protection on Alakol remains a problem. Every year, in some places on the coast, up to 10 meters of water washes away. Now a project for strengthening is being developed, the initial cost of which was 17.5 billion tenge. A lot of money. The problem is that local Executive bodies do not have the right to Finance coastal protection measures. Funds for these purposes are allocated from the national budget, " explained Marat Kabakov.

According to him, the project is already ready. Now we are studying the experience of the Aktau seaport, perhaps this will make it a little cheaper to work and break them into parts. It is quite possible that the implementation will begin next year.

By the way, such work has not yet been carried out in the region.

According to asset Suleimenov, head of the Department of construction, architecture and urban development of the East Kazakhstan region, it is important to take into account the adaptation of the project to local conditions.

"During the development of design and estimate documentation, it was necessary to take into account the wind rose on the lake. The direction of the wind greatly affects the waves, which wash away the coast. Depending on this, the shape of the breakwaters also changes," asset Suleimenov said.

According to him, it is planned to divide the project into two parts, the first will affect the existing coast. It is on it that the Arbat and operating bases and recreation centers are located. The second part of the project will be implemented on the territory designated for the future investment zone for the construction of new hotels.

In General, it is planned to strengthen at least seven kilometers of the coast.

It is planned that the project will be completed in the fall, and at the beginning of next year will already begin its implementation. It is expected that its cost will not exceed 4.5 billion tenge.