Kichi-Kemin River
| Kichi-Kemin River (Кичи-Кемин дарыясы) | |
| Countries | Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan |
|---|---|
| Source | |
| - elevation | 3,495 m (11,467 ft) |
| - coordinates | 42°51′53″N 76°18′25″E / 42.86472°N 76.30694°E |
| Mouth | Chu River |
| - elevation | 1,001 m (3,284 ft) |
| - coordinates | 42°49′52″N 75°33′25″E / 42.83111°N 75.55694°ECoordinates: 42°49′52″N 75°33′25″E / 42.83111°N 75.55694°E |
| Length | 81 km (50 mi) |
| Basin | 614 km2 (237 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| - average | 2.10 m3/s (74 cu ft/s) |
| - max | 8.63 m3/s (305 cu ft/s) |
| - min | 0.46 m3/s (16 cu ft/s) |
The Kichi-Kemin River (Kyrgyz: Кичи-Кемин) is a river in Kemin District of Chuy Province of Kyrgyzstan and Korday District of Kazakhstan. It is a right tributary of the Chu River in Chuy Valley. It is 81 kilometres (50 mi) long with a basin area of 614 square kilometres (237 sq mi). The flow of the Kichi-Kemin River considerably varies; the minimum flow is 0.46 cubic metres per second (16 cu ft/s) in February, and the maximum is 8.63 cubic metres per second (305 cu ft/s) in July.
The source of Kichi-Kemin River is high in the shoots of Trans-Ili Alatau in Kyrgyzstan. For about 10 kilometres (6 mi) the river flows to the north and than to the west along the Kyrgyzstan–Kazakhstan border from an elevation of about 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). The river passes through urban-type settlement Ak-Tuz and flows to the southwest in a narrow gorge. Further, it passes through village Imeni Il'icha and enters Kichi-Kemin Valley. The Kichi-Kemin River turns west and passes near villages Kichi-Kemin, Boroldoy, and Beysheke. It flows parallel to the Chu River at a distance of 3 to 4 kilometres (1.9 to 2.5 mi) and crosses the Kyrgyzstan–Kazakhstan border. In Kazakhstan, in passes near villages Karasay batyr and Enbek gradually approaching the Chu River, and flowing into it near Chim-Kurgan.
In 1964, mudflows damaged tailings pond No.2 in the vicinity of the Kichi-Kemin River, and 1.5 million cubic metres (53,000,000 cu ft) of radioactive tailings contaminated the river and lower part of Kichi-Kemin Valley with thorium, lead, copper, zinc, beryllium and other heavy metals.
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