View source for Syvash

{{Short description|Bay of the Sea of Azov}}
{{For|the village|Syvash, Kherson Oblast}}
{{see also|Siwash (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox body of water
|name = Syvash
|image = Map of Sevash Crimea.svg
|caption = Map of Crimea, showing the Syvash in violet
|image_map =
| pushpin_map = Crimea#Ukraine Kherson Oblast#Ukraine
| pushpin_map_alt = Location of lagoons off the coast of Ukraine
|image_bathymetry =
|caption_bathymetry =
|location = [[Sea of Azov]]
|coords = {{coord|46|05|N|34|20|E|region:UA_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
|rivers = [[Salgir]]
|oceans =
|countries = {{UKR}}
|length = {{convert|200|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|width = {{convert|35|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|area = {{convert|2560|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|depth = {{convert|0.5|–|1|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|max-depth = {{convert|3|m|abbr=on}}
|volume =
|shore =
|salinity = 22-87‰
|frozen =
|islands =
|cities =
|reference =
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Central Syvash
| designation1_date = 11 October 1976
| designation1_number = 115<ref>{{Cite web|title=Central Syvash|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/115|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-date=6 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906015032/https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/115|url-status=live}}</ref>
| designation2 = Ramsar
| designation2_offname = Eastern Syvash
| designation2_date = 23 November 1995
| designation2_number = 769<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eastern Syvash|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/769|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-date=9 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209011053/https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/769|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
}}
The '''Syvash''' or '''Sivash'''<ref>{{cite EB9|wstitle= Sea of Azoff|volume= 3 |page= 169}}</ref> ([[Russian language|Russian]] and [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]: {{lang|ru|Сива́ш}}; {{Langx|crh|Sıvaş}}, [[Crimean Tatar alphabet#Cyrillic|Cyrillic]]: Сываш, "dirt"), also known as the {{nowrap|'''Putrid Sea'''}} or {{nowrap|'''Rotten Sea'''}} ({{Langx|ru|Гнило́е Мо́ре}}, ''Gniloye More''; {{Langx|uk|Гниле́ Мо́ре}}, ''Hnyle More''; {{Langx|crh|Çürük Deñiz}}), is a large area of shallow [[lagoon]]s on the western edge of the [[Sea of Azov]]. Separated from the sea by the narrow [[Arabat Spit]], the water of the Syvash covers an area of around {{cvt|2560|sqkm|sp=us}} and the entire area spreads over about {{cvt|10000|sqkm|sp=us}}. The [[Henichesk Strait]] is its eastern connection to the Sea of Azov. The Syvash borders the northeastern coast of the main [[Crimean Peninsula]]. The central and eastern Syvash were registered as wetlands of [[Ukraine]] under the [[Ramsar Convention]]. Since the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the entire Syvash has been occupied by [[Russia]].
==Overview==
The Syvash nearly cuts the Crimean Peninsula off from the mainland, serving as a natural border between the [[Kherson Oblast|Kherson region]] and the [[Autonomous Republic of Crimea]]. The long ({{cvt|110|km|sp=us}}) and narrow ({{cvt|0.27|-|8|km|sp=us|1}}) [[Arabat Spit]] runs to its east, separating it from the [[Sea of Azov]]. The two bodies are connected in the north at the [[Henichesk Strait]] beside the port of [[Henichesk]]. To its west, the [[Isthmus of Perekop]] separates it from the [[Black Sea]] and connects Crimea to the mainland.
[[File:Sivash, Ukraine.jpg|thumb|left|Natural-colour satellite image of the Syvash]]
The Syvash is extremely shallow. The deepest place is about {{convert|3|m|sp=us|0}}, with most areas between {{cvt|1/2|-|1|m}} deep. The bottom is covered with [[silt]] up to {{cvt|5|m|sp=us|0}} thick. Being very shallow, the waters in the Syvash heat up in the summer and produce a putrid smell. The wide area for evaporation also leaves the water extremely salty. The amount of various salts is estimated at 200 million [[metric ton]]s. Several industrial plants harvest the mineral resources of Syvash. The Syvash area is a [[wetland]] of [[List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance|international importance]]. The shores are low, slightly sloping, swampy and salty. In summer, the water level of Syvash decreases significantly, revealing barren [[solonets]] soils called "syvashes" by locals.
The Syvash is sometimes divided into the Western Syvash and Eastern Syvash. These are connected to each other by the [[Chongar Strait]].
==History==
During the [[Russian Civil War]], the Syvash became famous for a surprise crossing by the [[Red Army]] during the [[Perekop-Chongar Operation]] in November 1920.
== Flora ==
The Syvash may appear red in color due to the salt-tolerant micro-alga ''[[Dunaliella salina]]''.<ref name=Siwaschsee>{{cite book|url=http://www.sivash.de/de/siwaschsee|title=Siwaschsee|date=3 September 2020|access-date=10 May 2014|archive-date=25 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925040300/http://www.sivash.de/de/siwaschsee|url-status=live}}</ref> <!-- I couldn't find an English-language source unfortunately -->
The eastern parts of the Syvash contain less salt and are home to [[Reed (plant)|reeds]] and other wetland vegetation.<ref name=lagoon>{{cite book |url=http://www.wetlands.org/Portals/0/publications/Brochure/WI_Sivash_2000.pdf |title=Sivash: the lagoon between two seas |author1=V. Siokhin |author2=I. Chernichko |author3=V. Kostyushyn |author4=N. Krylov |author5=Yu. Andrushchenko |author6=T. Andrienko |author7=Ya. Didukh |author8=V. Kolomijchuk |author9=L. Parkhisenko |author10=R. Chernichko |author11=T. Kirikova |editor1=V. Siokhin |editor2=V. Kostyushyn |year=2000 |isbn=9058829960 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512231757/http://www.wetlands.org/Portals/0/publications/Brochure/WI_Sivash_2000.pdf |archive-date=2014-05-12 }}</ref>
The large islands in the Central Syvash are mainly covered with [[steppe]]s consisting of [[Stipa|feather grass]], [[tulip]]s, [[Artemisia (genus)|tauric wormwood (''Artemisia taurica'')]], [[Salvia|sage]],  [[Agropyron cristatum|crested wheat grass]], [[Festuca|fescue]].<ref name=lagoon/>
The shores of the Syvash contains a large number of [[Halophyte|salt-tolerant]] vegetation, including [[Salicornia|glasswort]], ''[[Tripolium]]'', [[Plantago|plantains]], [[Limonium|sea lavender (''Limonium caspium'')]], [[Atriplex|saltbush (''Atriplex aucheri'')]].<ref name=lagoon/>
== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center">
File:Karte der Krim.png|Crimea
File:CASTELNAU(1827) p3.162 VUE DES LACS SALES.jpg|The Salinas (c. 1820)
File:Sivash.jpg|Soviet soldiers crossing the Syvash in late 1943
File:Сиваш.jpg|Illustration of the shallowness of water in the Syvash
File:Rosa Sole des Siwaschsees im westlichen Teil.jpg|Syvash waters turned reddish by ''[[Dunaliella salina]]'' microalgae
File:Flying above the Pink planet.jpg|View of [[Lake Lemuria]], one of the bodies of water tinted by algae
</gallery>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Syvash}}
*[https://www.planet.com/gallery/krasne-lake-20161214/ CC4 satellite photo]
{{Crimea topics}}
{{Rivers of Ukraine}}
{{Wetlands of Ukraine}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Bodies of water of Crimea]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of the Sea of Azov]]
[[Category:Lagoons of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Ukraine]]
[[Category:Wetlands of Ukraine]]