The water regime of Kulundinskoye Lake in the Altai Territory over the past 20 years: hydrological, hydrochemical and environmental aspects

The paper presents the results of an analysis of satellite images obtained by the Landsat-7, Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2B satellites on the water surface area of Kulundinskoe Lake in the Altai Territory in 2005-2024. The lake area varied within 15% (609-720 km2). The fluctuation of the water surface area depends on the degree of moisture in the previous 2-4 years and causes interannual changes in water salinity (r xy = –0,645). The salinity of Kulundinskoe Lake has intra- and interannual fluctuations in the range of 35% and 55%, respectively. The lake area and water salinity have a close to linear relationship (y=–0,7082x+747,61). The data set allowed us to identify high-water years with low salinity (2005-2008, 2010-2011, 2018-2021, 2024) and a dry period with high salinity (2009, 2012-2017, 2022-2023). The hydrochemical regime determines the state of the biota of Kulundinskoe Lake, which belongs to commercial reservoirs for commercial fishing of artemia (at the stage of cysts).