Ashchysu (Ayr)

The Ashchysu (Ащысу; Ащысу) is a river in the Bukhar-Zhyrau District, Karaganda Region, and May District, Pavlodar Region, Kazakhstan. It is 348 km long and has a catchment area of 7420 km2.

The area of the basin is a seasonal grazing ground for local cattle and the Ashchysu is used for watering livestock. The river is frozen between November and April.

Course
The Ashchysu has its sources in the northwest-facing slopes of the Ayr Mountains of the Kazakh Uplands. It heads first northwards, then it bends when it reaches the highland plain and flows roughly northeastwards at the feet of the range along its northern slopes. Further downstream it describes a wide bend west of the Zheltau and heads roughly northwestwards, leaving salt lake Tuzkol to the east near Zhanatilek. When it reaches Musa Shormanov village (former Tendik), the river bends and heads northeastwards within a 7.5 km wide valley. Further downstream it bends and flows eastwards north of the Bayanaul Range, past a number of salt lakes, including Zharkol at 51.11222°N, 75.85806°W and Sulysor further east. Finally it reaches lake Alkamergen (Алқамерген), entering it from the western shore.

The Ashchysu is fed mainly by snow, as well as underground water. Its main tributary is the Zhylandybulak. During the spring floods the water of the river is fresh, but in the summer the flow is interrupted and the river breaks up into pools of bitter/salty water.