Qanlıgöl

Qanlıgöl is a lake located in the Yasamal district of the city of Baku.

Toponym

Due to unfortunate events that occurred in the area of the lake in the past, the local population began to know this place by the name “Qanlıgöl”.

Geography

Qanlıgöl is a stagnant, saline lake. Until 1976, the lake was used as a receiving reservoir for the accumulation of produced water from oil fields. As a result of long‑term effects, the lake’s geological structure, soil strata, bottom relief and other characteristics have undergone degradation, and a large amount of oil products has accumulated in the bottom sediments. Observations have shown that the amount of oil products in the lake is 4–10 times higher than normative levels.

Both pollution by oil products and the inflow of wastewater from surrounding areas have caused the water pollution level to be far above the norm. Nevertheless, although harmful to health, the lake is still used for fishing purposes. Fifty families live around the lake.