Kapchagay Reservoir,

    Kapchagay Reservoir, also spelled Qapshaghay Bogeni Reservoir and sometimes referred to as Lake Kapchagay, is a major reservoir in Almaty Province in southeastern Kazakhstan, approximately 60 kilometres north of Almaty. The 140 kilometre long lake is formed by a dam on the Ili River which flows from the mountains in the east towards Lake Balkhash to the northwest. It is named after the town of Kapchagay, which is located on its western bank. During the summer months the lake attracts a number of tourists from Almaty, who frequent its beachy shores on the weekends.

   Kapchagai city is in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. It is located right coast of the Kapchagai reservoir on the Ili River, 76 kilometers from the city of Almaty.

                

     The city was established here in connection with the construction of Kapchagai hydropower stations in 19 70-1980s. At that time, large-scale construction projects gathered thousands of young people - engineers, builders - from all over the Soviet Union. As a result, not only highways, hydroelectric and thermal power plants, factories were built but also they established cities, built roads, developed infrastructure. Thus, the Soviet workers who once came to build Kapchagai hydroelectric station, settled in a new place to live and remained in Kapchagai with their families.





Today, Kapchagai population is little more than 50,000 people. It is inhabited by many ethnic groups: Kazakh, Russian, Ukrainians, Tatars, Koreans, Uighurs, Germans. In 2010 Kapchagai celebrated 40 year anniversary of its establishment.