The Bagyrlai (; ) is a river in Akzhaik District, West Kazakhstan Region, and Inder District, Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan. It is a right distributary of the Ural river, with a length of and a drainage basin of . The river was originally a branch of an ancient delta of the Ural.
Its water is fresh, but mostly turbid. It is used for agricultural purposes and the riverbanks are a grazing ground for local cattle.
Course The Bagyrlai begins branching off the right side of the Ural river northwest of the village of Atameken (until 1994 Antonovo), close to Bazartobe. It heads southwards parallel to the Ural, forming meanders. Its mouth is to the north of lake Terenkyzyl, where it disperses in the sand about WSW of Orlik, a town on the banks of the Ural river.Google EarthKazakhstan National encyclopedia, volume VIII / Chief editor A. Nysanbayev - Almaty "Kazakh encyclopedia" General editor, 1998 ISBN 9965-9746-4-0
The Bagyrlai valley and channel are wide. The right bank is generally steep. The river freezes yearly between December and April. The Bagyrlai Dam, having a surface of , was built on the middle course of the river in 1962, at the time of the Kazakh SSR.West Kazakhstan Region Encyclopedia — Almaty: Arys Publishing House, 2002 ISBN 9965-607-02-8 There are other small earthen dams along its course.
See also List of rivers of Kazakhstan
References
External links
Водные ресурсы - GOV.KZ The current state of cross-border rivers of Kazakhstan and problems of their joint using