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Syvash
Map of Crimea, showing the Syvash in violet
SyvashShow map of CrimeaSyvashShow map of Kherson OblastSyvashShow map of Ukraine
Location	Sea of Azov
Coordinates	46°05′N 34°20′E / 46.083°N 34.333°E / 46.083; 34.333
River sources	Salgir
Basin countries	Ukraine
Max. length	200 km (120 mi)
Max. width	35 km (22 mi)
Surface area	2,560 km (990 sq mi)
Average depth	0.5–1 m (1.6–3.3 ft)
Max. depth	3 m (9.8 ft)
Salinity	22-87‰
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Central Syvash
Designated	11 October 1976
Reference no.	115
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Eastern Syvash
Designated	23 November 1995
Reference no.	769

The Syvash or Sivash (Russian and Ukrainian: Сива́ш; Crimean Tatar: Sıvaş, Cyrillic: Сываш, "dirt"), also known as the Putrid Sea or Rotten Sea (Russian: Гнило́е Мо́ре, Gniloye More; Ukrainian: Гниле́ Мо́ре, Hnyle More; Crimean Tatar: Çürük Deñiz), is a large area of shallow lagoons on the western edge of the Sea of Azov. Separated from the sea by the narrow Arabat Spit, the water of the Syvash covers an area of around 2,560 km (990 sq mi) and the entire area spreads over about 10,000 km (3,900 sq mi). The Henichesk Strait is its eastern connection to the Sea of Azov. The Syvash borders the northeastern coast of the main Crimean Peninsula. The central and eastern Syvash were registered as wetlands of Ukraine under the Ramsar Convention. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the entire Syvash has been occupied by Russia.

Overview

The Syvash nearly cuts the Crimean Peninsula off from the mainland, serving as a natural border between the Kherson region and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The long (110 km (68 mi)) and narrow (0.27–8 km (0.2–5.0 mi)) Arabat Spit runs to its east, separating it from the Sea of Azov. The two bodies are connected in the north at the Henichesk Strait beside the port of Henichesk. To its west, the Isthmus of Perekop separates it from the Black Sea and connects Crimea to the mainland.

The Syvash is extremely shallow. The deepest place is about 3 meters (10 ft), with most areas between 1⁄2–1 m (1 ft 8 in – 3 ft 3 in) deep. The bottom is covered with silt up to 5 m (16 ft) thick. Being very shallow, the waters in the Syvash heat up in the summer and produce a putrid smell. The wide area for evaporation also leaves the water extremely salty. The amount of various salts is estimated at 200 million metric tons. Several industrial plants harvest the mineral resources of Syvash. The Syvash area is a wetland of international importance. The shores are low, slightly sloping, swampy and salty. In summer, the water level of Syvash decreases significantly, revealing barren solonets soils called "syvashes" by locals.

The Syvash is sometimes divided into the Western Syvash and Eastern Syvash. These are connected to each other by the Chongar Strait.

History

During the Russian Civil War, the Syvash became famous for a surprise crossing by the Red Army during the Perekop-Chongar Operation in November 1920.

Flora

The Syvash may appear red in color due to the salt-tolerant micro-alga Dunaliella salina.

The eastern parts of the Syvash contain less salt and are home to reeds and other wetland vegetation.

The large islands in the Central Syvash are mainly covered with steppes consisting of feather grass, tulips, tauric wormwood (Artemisia taurica), sage, crested wheat grass, fescue.

The shores of the Syvash contains a large number of salt-tolerant vegetation, including glasswort, Tripolium, plantains, sea lavender (Limonium caspium), saltbush (Atriplex aucheri).

Gallery

• Crimea
• The Salinas (c. 1820)
• Soviet soldiers crossing the Syvash in late 1943
• Illustration of the shallowness of water in the Syvash
• Syvash waters turned reddish by Dunaliella salina microalgae
• View of Lake Lemuria, one of the bodies of water tinted by algae

References

1. "Central Syvash". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
2. "Eastern Syvash". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 9 December 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
3. Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878). "Sea of Azoff" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (9th ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 169.
4. Siwaschsee. 3 September 2020. Archived from the original on 25 September 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
5. ^ V. Siokhin; I. Chernichko; V. Kostyushyn; N. Krylov; Yu. Andrushchenko; T. Andrienko; Ya. Didukh; V. Kolomijchuk; L. Parkhisenko; R. Chernichko; T. Kirikova (2000). V. Siokhin; V. Kostyushyn (eds.). Sivash: the lagoon between two seas (PDF). ISBN 9058829960. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-12.

External links

Media related to Syvash at Wikimedia Commons

• CC4 satellite photo

v t e Crimea articles
Political status Sevastopol Republic of Crimea (Russia) Autonomous Republic of Crimea
History	Greek Crimea Crimea in the Roman era Cherson (theme) Bosporan Kingdom) Akatziri Khazars Crimean Goths Kipchaks Empire of Trebizond Genoese Crimea Genoese–Mongol Wars Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 Crimean Khanate 1783 annexation by Russia Crimean War Soviet period Crimea in World War II 1944 Crimean Tatar deportation Renaming of Crimean toponyms 1954 transfer to Ukraine Crimean Tatar repatriation Autonomous Republic of Crimea President of Crimea (historical) 2003 Tuzla Island conflict 2014 status referendum 2014 annexation by Russia Supreme Council of Crimea (until 2014) (Chairman) Prime Minister of Crimea (until 2014) Council of Ministers (until 2014) Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People
Geography	Arabat Spit Arabat Bay Azov Sea Black Sea Caves Marble Vyalova Crimean Mountains Kerch Strait Perekop Isthmus Pontic–Caspian steppe Southern Coast Syvash Subdivisions Cities Raions Urban-type settlements
Politics	Republic of Crimea/Autonomous Republic of Crimea Constitution Head State Council 2014 parliamentary election Sevastopol Legislative Assembly Governor 2017 election Black Sea Fleet Crimean Federal District
Economy	Tourism Crimean Bridge Crimean Trolleybus
Society	Sports Crimean Premier League Demographics Peoples Russians Ukrainians Crimean Tatars Armenians Karaites Pontic Greeks Krymchaks Crimea Germans Languages Crimean Tatar Krymchak Russian Ukrainian Religion Christianity Roman Catholicism Ukrainian Catholicism Judaism Islam
Category

v t e Rivers of Ukraine by tributary or drainage basin
Black Sea	Alma Chorna Danube Dnieper Tylihul Uchan-su Velykyi Kuialnyk
Bug	Poltva Solokiia
Danube	Prut Tisza
Dnieper (Rapids)	Bazavluk Desna Oster Seym Snov Sudost Inhulets Vysun Irpin Khorol Oril Pripyat Psel Ros Samara Vovcha Sula Udai Umanka Teteriv Tiasmyn Vorskla
Dniester	Barysh Bystrytsia Tysmenytska Seret Tysmenytsia Dzhuryn Hnyla Lypa Hnizna Hnizdechna Koropets Murafa Nichlava Nichlavka Samets Stavky Seret Bila Smotrych Strwiąż Stryi Opir Zbruch Zolota Lypa Zubra
Don	Derkul Polnaya Komyshna Siverskyi Donets Aidar Kharkiv Kazennyi Torets Krasna Kundryuchya Lopan Luhan Udy Vovcha Oskil
Pripyat	Horyn Sluch Stokhid Stsviha Styr Ikva Turiia Ubort Uzh
San	Lubaczówka Wiar
Sea of Azov	Kalmius Mius Krynka Molochna
Southern Bug	Chychyklia Inhul Syniukha Hnylyi Tikych Velyka Vys
Syvash	Salhyr (Zuya)

• Bodies of water of Crimea
• Bodies of water of the Sea of Azov
• Lagoons of Ukraine
• Ramsar sites in Ukraine
• Wetlands of Ukraine