Getting There
The Toktogul reservoir is located very close to the Bishkek-Osh highway near the cities of Toktogul, Karakul, Torkent, etc. You can get there by Freeway via A363 and M41.
The reservoir is perfectly visible from the road and many exits lead to it, so it will be problematic to miss this place.
What to Expect
The Toktogul reservoir is the largest reservoir not only in Kyrgyzstan, but throughout Central Asia. Its area is 284 sq. km, and the average depth is about 215 m. The value of the Toktogul reservoir for the country’s hydropower industry is truly priceless: there are five powerful hydroelectric plants: Toktogul, Kurpsai, Tash-Komur, Shamaldysai and Uch-Kurgan.
The reservoir was built in 10 years, and now, looking at it, located among the mountains and hills, it is impossible to believe that this is a real man-made miracle. Rest on the banks of the Toktogul reservoir is very popular among residents and guests of the Jalal-Abad region.
In summer, the water here is warm and pleasant – a real blessing for those who like to swim. Fishermen will also find happiness here: trout, carp, pike perch, carp are found in the reservoir.
History
The reservoir is formed by the dam of the Toktogul hydroelectric power station on the Naryn River. On the northern coast is the city of Toktogul. The volume of the HPP bowl is 19.5 km³. As of July 22, 2010, the volume of water was 18 billion 207 million cubic meters. The cascade of Toktogul HPPs includes two stations – directly Toktogul with a capacity of 1200 MW and Kurpsai with a capacity of 800 MW. The water temperature varies from +5 °C in January to +30 °C in August.
Construction took more than ten years and was completed by the mid-1970s. Filling began in 1973.
Depending on the intensity of high-mountain snowmelt and the rate of water consumption from the reservoir by the hydraulic units of the Toktogul HPP, its level varies greatly. With a maximum water level in the reservoir of 19.5 billion cubic meters, the normal level is 17.3 billion cubic meters, the useful volume of water is 14 billion, and the “dead” (shutdown of the hydroelectric power station) is 5.5 billion cubic meters. For example, on March 30, 2021, the water level dropped to an “alarming” 8.742 billion cubic meters.
Facilities Available
There a re a few guest houses nearby.
