Images
April 25, 2025 - Lake Balkhash
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On April 18, 2025, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the milky-blue waters of Lake Balkhash.
The unique, crescent-shaped lake sits in southeastern Kazakhstan, tucked inside Balqash-Alaköl basin and surrounded by a starkly arid landscape. It is the fifteenth largest lake on Earth, measured by surface area, which covers about 6,600 square miles (17,000 square kilometers).
Lake Balkhash receives water from seven rivers, with the largest—the Ili River—delivering copious fresh water from the snow-capped Tian Shan to the lake’s southwestern end. The large Ili River Delta can be seen as a dark area interspersed with blue channels in the left side of the image.
Due to the influx of water from the Ili River, the western section of Lake Balkhash is almost fresh, making it suitable for drinking and industrial uses. In contrast, the eastern side remains brackish to salty. The eastern side is also usually clearer in color, as it receives less sediment from rivers, and is deeper so sediment is less easily stirred up from the bottom. The western side is shallow and laden with sediment. Sediment gives the lake its famous milky blue color.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/18/2025
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m (542.8 KB), 250m (1.4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On April 18, 2025, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the milky-blue waters of Lake Balkhash.
The unique, crescent-shaped lake sits in southeastern Kazakhstan, tucked inside Balqash-Alaköl basin and surrounded by a starkly arid landscape. It is the fifteenth largest lake on Earth, measured by surface area, which covers about 6,600 square miles (17,000 square kilometers).
Lake Balkhash receives water from seven rivers, with the largest—the Ili River—delivering copious fresh water from the snow-capped Tian Shan to the lake’s southwestern end. The large Ili River Delta can be seen as a dark area interspersed with blue channels in the left side of the image.
Due to the influx of water from the Ili River, the western section of Lake Balkhash is almost fresh, making it suitable for drinking and industrial uses. In contrast, the eastern side remains brackish to salty. The eastern side is also usually clearer in color, as it receives less sediment from rivers, and is deeper so sediment is less easily stirred up from the bottom. The western side is shallow and laden with sediment. Sediment gives the lake its famous milky blue color.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/18/2025
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m (542.8 KB), 250m (1.4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
