Tsimlyansk Reservoir

Tsimlyansk Reservoir or Tsimlyanskoye Reservoir (Цимля́нское водохрани́лище) is an artificial lake on the Don River in the territories of Rostov and Volgograd Oblasts at 47°50′N 42°50′E. Completed in 1952, the reservoir is one of the largest in Russia, providing power (Tsimlyansk Hydroelectric Station) and irrigation to the Rostov and Volgograd regions. Crops grown around the lake include wheat, rice, cotton, maize, alfalfa, fruit, grapes, and vegetables. The reservoir, together with the Volga–Don Canal and the lower course of the Don, provides an important waterway between the Volga River / Caspian Sea basin and the Sea of Azov. The Tsimlyansk Dam also provides flood control for the lower Don River basin. Completion of the lake resulted in strong local industrial growth. In particular, the city of Volgodonsk owes its existence to the Tsimlyansk Dam project. Under the waters lies the ancient Khazar fortress town of Sarkel.