The Irtysh–Karaganda Canal (, Ertıs-Qarağandy kanaly; ) is an irrigation canal in Kazakhstan. It connects the Irtysh River with Karaganda (Qaraghandy), a major industrial center in north-central Kazakhstan. After Kazakhstan's independence, the canal was officially renamed as the Kanysh Satpayev Canal () after the Kazakh geologist Kanysh Satpayev.
Description The canal starts at , just south of the city of Aksu (formerly Yermak), where it takes water from one of the branches of the Irtysh River. It runs for 451 kmIrtysh-Karaganda Canal in The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 1979 in the general western, south-western, and southern direction. It reaches an industrial area on the north-eastern outskirts of Karaganda at (Kokpekti District), at which point its water apparently goes into an underground pipeline.Satellite view on Google Maps
On its route, the canal passes through numerous reservoirs (the Ekibastuz Reservoir (, about 10 km north of Ekibastuz), as well as other reservoirs at , , etc.).
The canal crosses the Nura River at , in what appears to be a tunnel. Some of the canal's water is directed into the Nura (a chute below the dam at ), replenishing this river.
As Karaganda is located at a higher elevation than the Irtysh, the canal is furnished with 22 pumping stations, raising the water by 475 m in total.
History The construction of the canal started in 1962. It was put to use by 1968 and fully completed by 1974.
In the early 21st century, a pipeline was built from the canal to the Ishim River, to supply Kazakhstan's capital, Astana with water.
As of 2013, proposals are floated in Kazakhstan about either extending the Irtysh–Karaganda Canal all the way to the Ishim River upstream of Astana or building a new canal between the Irtysh and Astana.Kazakhstan considering a water canal to link the Irtysh River to the Ishim River across Astana, 2013-10-07
According to a report published in 2013, the canal presently operates at only about one-half of its full capacity.
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