Sweet (lake, Chelyabinsk region)

The bed of the lake, of suffosive origin, is located in the place of a thick layer of continental sedimentary rocks that formed in the Middle Oligocene and Neogene . Presumably, the reservoir is a preserved part of an ancient, larger water formation. The alkalinity inherent in the salt composition of Sweet Water and the presence of mineral mud in it indicate that there was an isolated evaporation basin in place of the lake, which could not be part of the ancient sea. Such an origin is characteristic, for example, for the lakes of the Kulundinskaya plain and Altai ^[1] .

The mineral composition of the lake waters is dominated by sodium , chlorine , hydrogen carbonates , boron ions , other salts , salicylic acid compounds. Water in Sweet is very soft , alkaline, characterized by increased mineralization. At the first taste sensation, such water seems a little sweet, but a stable taste is brackish-alkaline ^{[2] [3]} .

Fish and other animal organisms are not found in the lake. In addition, there is no algae in Sweet. The coastal reeds are devoid of bird nests. The shores of the lake are white due to the substances contained in the water. There are groundwater outlets along the shores. Birch trees grow from the north and east, in some places pines stand. From rare plants in the vicinity grows drooping onion ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} .

By the decision of the Chelyabinsk Oblast Executive Committee No. 361 of October 6, 1987, Sweet was given the status of a hydrological natural monument ^[3] . The lake is located in the zone of the Kocherdyk reserve , which in 2009 was changed status - from species to complex (landscape) - precisely because of the presence of a status lake on its territory ^{[8] [9]} . In the decree of the Government of the Chelyabinsk region dated February 21, 2008 “On the approval of the Scheme for the development and deployment of specially protected natural areas of the Chelyabinsk region for the period until 2020”, the category of natural monument was recommended to be removed from Lake Sladkoye - located on the territory of the Kocherdyk State Nature Reserve ^[10] . By the decision of the Legislative Assembly of the Chelyabinsk Region of May 27, 2010, the status of a natural monument in relation to Lake Sladkoy was abolished ^[11] .

In the Oktyabrsky district, there are similar lakes in water composition. Not far from Sweet there are lakes Kukuy and Dushnoe, but they are difficult to access due to the surrounding reservoirs of mud and reed beds . More accessible are the Crocodile and Sosnovenkoe lakes ^[2] . It is worth noting that on the territory of the Kocherdyk rural settlement alone, in addition to Sladkoye, there are lakes with the names Solyonoye, Gorky, Dushnoye, Presnoye, Bolshoy and Maloye Kisloye ^[4] .

There are several legends about the origin of the name of the lake. One of them says that a detachment of Pugachevites went to the lake, fleeing after the defeat at the Troitskaya fortress . When they got to the water, they eagerly began to drink cool and tasty water. And the day after swimming in the lake, all the wounds on the bodies allegedly healed. Surprised by this, the Pugachevs gave the name to Lake Sweet, which subsequently took root ^[4] .

According to another legend, Emelyan Pugachev himself visited the lake when his horse was seriously injured. Ataman, saying goodbye, led the horse to the lake to water. The horse drank water for a long time, and then lay on the shore with a wound in the mud. Pugachev decided that the horse was dying, and was about to shoot him to stop the suffering of the animal. When the horse suddenly got to his feet and shook himself off, having got sweet water on his master, the ataman exclaimed: “So you are sweet, Bulanushka!”. Since then, the lake has gained the fame of healing, and it became known as Sweet ^[4] .

It should be noted that Pugachev’s stay on the lake is doubtful. After the defeat near Troitsk, which is 133 kilometers from Sladkoy, the Pugachevites were forced to retreat to the west - the opposite side of the lake ^[1] .

In lake water, clothes and linen are relatively easily washed even without soap, which has long been used by local residents. High alkalinity of water allows to remove, for example, oil stains and fuel oil ^{[1] [14] [5]} .

The healing properties of water and mud attract tourists to the Sweet Lake. The treatment of skin diseases is most shown, so in the summer on the lake you can constantly see a lot of people smeared with mud. In addition, it treats diseases of the stomach and intestines , periodontal disease , allergies , diseases of the musculoskeletal system , strengthens the immune system , and improves hair health. On one shore there is a tourist forest complex. The complex consists of one-story buildings and wooden houses and is designed to organize an economical vacation. On the other side in the summer season there is actually a stationary campground, which is the object of unorganized tourism ^{[1] [15] [4] [2] [7]} .

At least two expeditions of scientists to Lake Sladkoe are known ^[16] . During the Soviet Union, specialists from the Sverdlovsk Research Institute of Balneology and Physiotherapy highly appreciated local mud, but their number was considered insufficient for the construction of a specialized sanatorium in this place ^[1] .

The influx of vacationers leads to inappropriate use of the natural resources of Lake Sweet and the surrounding area. In particular, unauthorized felling of trees is underway, uncleaned garbage is left. There are no places for organized garbage dumps and toilets, as a result of which in the spring accumulated dirt gets into the lake, carried by melt water. According to the head of the administration of the village of Kocherdyk, attempts to organize a minimum of amenities for people ended in nothing. Illegal extraction of medicinal mud from the lake was noted, including by excavators , after which valuable resources are exported by whole machines and tons are sold in Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg . ^{[1] [7] [2]}

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• Andreeva M.A. Ozery of the Middle and Southern Urals. - Chelyabinsk: South Ural Book Publishing House, 1973. - 270 p.
• Andreeva M.A. Ozyora Zauralye. Guidelines for the maps “Lakes of the Trans-Urals” and “Southern Trans-Urals” (toplist “Chelyabinsk”) and characteristics of the lakes of the Chelyabinsk region. - Chelyabinsk, 1993 .-- 14 p.
• Ryazanova L.V., Kozlova A. Ya., Volkova Z.A., Shumakova E.V. Issues of biology and protection of rare species of local flora: a Training manual. - Chelyabinsk: ChSPU, 1998 .-- 164 p.
• Pyatkov V.V. Lakes of the Southern Urals. - Chelyabinsk: Okolitsa, 2008 .-- 260 p.