Diving at Lake Merzbacher
Geographical Reference: In the eastern part of Kyrgyzstan, where the northern and southern arcs of the Tien Shan converge, lies the realm of alpine glaciation. Here, among the highest peaks reaching heights of 6000 meters, lies a mysterious glacial lake that has gained wide fame due to its unique property. Every year it completely drains and seemingly disappears forever, only to be refilled by the meltwaters of the surrounding glaciers.
The lake was discovered in 1902 by the German geographer and mountaineer Gottfried Merzbacher. His expedition to the Central Tien Shan aimed to reach the foot of the Khan Tengri peaks (6995 m). During this dangerous and difficult passage, an extraordinary discovery was made: a lake trapped in a snow trap was found between the South and North Inylchek glaciers. Icebergs floated in its clear waters, and smooth cliffs dropped steeply on its sides. The lake could only be approached after a challenging twelve-kilometer trek across one of the largest glaciers on the planet - the South Inylchek.
The body of water is not large. Its length reaches four kilometers, width - one kilometer, and maximum depth - 60–70 meters. Due to the inaccessibility and sparse population of the area, few knew of the lake's existence. Its mysterious ability to completely disappear and reappear has created many legends, often contradictory to one another. However, they all fundamentally attempt to explain the mechanism of the breakthroughs. The first observation of this phenomenon was made in 1932 by members of a research group. Here’s how they described the event: “The end of the Inylchek glacier seemed extraordinary. In various places, water streams erupted from it with a terrible roar. Some flowed down the inclined surface of the glacier, while others burst forth in fountains from crevices emerging from the depths of the glacier. The unexpected breakthrough seemed to signal the final demise of the lake, which was left with a bare bottom cluttered with ice floes…”
Water Temperature: According to direct measurements, the surface water temperature of Lake Merzbacher ranged from 1.4–2.3°C. During the breakthrough, due to some mixing, the water temperature dropped to 0.5–0.9°C.
Diving at Lake Merzbacher is possible but greatly hindered by its inaccessibility and the abundance of floating ice chunks on the lake's surface. The lake can be reached by helicopter or on horseback. Visibility in the lake varies depending on rainfall and water inflow, ranging from 2 to 6 meters. Flora and fauna in the lake are absent.
