Sasyk Lagoon

Sasyk Lagoon
File:Sasyk Lagoon coast.jpg The coast of Sasyk Lagoon near Hlyboka village
File:Conduc Sagani Alibei.jpg 19th-century map of the lagoons of Sasyk, Shahany, Alibey, and Burnas
Location	Black Sea
Coordinates
River sources	Cogalnic River, Sarata River
Ocean/sea sources	Atlantic Ocean
Basin countries	Ukraine
Surface area	215 km2 (83 sq mi)
Average depth	1.05 m (3.4 ft)
Max. depth	3.3 m (11 ft)
Settlements	Tatarbunary

Sasyk, or Kunduk (Romanian: Limanul Sasic, Conduc, Turkish: Sasık Gölü, Kunduk Gölü), is a lagoon or liman in southern Ukraine, near the Danube delta. It is a Ramsar listed wetland site important for migrating, breeding and moulting birds. About 25,000 pairs of wetland birds make their nests there and seasonal conglomerations of birds are up to 100,000 individuals.

The area of the lagoon is 215 km², and the depth up to 3.3 m. Until 1978 the lagoon was separated into two parts: northern brackishwater area, including the rivers Cogalnic and Sarata, and a southern marine area. The lagoon was separated from the sea by a 0.5 km wide sandbar.

In 1978 a concrete dam was built on the sandbar and the lagoon was connected to the Danube River by a canal, through which fresh flood waters come. This has adversely changed the salinity in the lake, and this plus disturbance from recreation and commercial fishing activities has influenced the habitat for wildfowl.