Geology, geography and global energy

Scientific and Technical Journal

Monitoring of natural caves in the area of Lake Baskunchak

2022. №2, pp. 67-73

Golovachev Ilya V. - РЎandidate of Sciences (Geographical), Associate Professor, Astrakhan State University, Astrakhan, Russia

The paper presents some results of the monitoring of natural caves located in the Sharbulak karst tract on the territory of the Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky State Nature Reserve. The monitoring was carried out during the research expedition "Baskunchak-2022, autumn", organized by members of the speleology and karst section of the Astrakhan branch of the Russian Geographical Society. All the caves found in this area are laid in the Lower Permian gypsum rocks of the caprock of the salt-dome massif brought to the day surface as a result of salt tectogenesis. On the southern karst field in the Sharbulak tract, during the expeditionary work, the state of 12 karst caves was examined. All caves are in a satisfactory condition, which was facilitated by their location in a protected area. The Baskunchak karst region is promising for further karstological and speleological research.

Key words: gypsum caprocks, salt domes, sulfate karst, cave monitoring, karst caves, cave lakes, Lisiy grotto, Sharbulak tract, Baskunchak lake environs

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