Meshkeysor

Meshkeysor (Мешкейсор; Мешкейсор) is a salt lake in Ulytau District, Ulytau Region, Kazakhstan.

Abilzhappas (Әбілжаппас), a wintering settlement (Kystau) of Kazakh herders, is located 10 km to the northeast of the northern lakeshore.

Geography
Meshkeysor is an endorheic lake in the Sarysu basin. The lake has a sinuous shape stretching roughly from east to west, surrounded by salt pans. The lake lies in the middle of the Meshkeysor region, a vast 8100 sqkm area characterized by flat valleys and "melkosopochnik" low hills. The altitude of this region lies between 400 m and 500 m. It is limited by rivers Sary-Kengyr and Sarysu.

Lake Meshkeysor is located at the center in a trough of saline young soils and salt marshes. Karasor, a smaller lake, lies 16 km to the SSE, and a very large reddish sor 15 km to the northeast. Lake Kabyrshakty lies 66 km to the southeast.

Meshkeysor freezes in November and stays under ice until April. It fills during the spring thaw with a river flowing from the north and another flowing from the southwest. The lake usually dries completely during summer droughts.

Flora and fauna
The steppe vegetation of the area is characterized by wormwood and fescue, with junegrass and feathergrass in the banks and higher grounds. In drainless troughs with saline soil there is only wormwood and saltwort. The lake basin is a seasonal grazing ground for local cattle.