Blindly increase the water consumption of cultivated land, blindly build reservoirs to intercept water, blindly dig dikes to divert water, and blindly build pumping stations to pump water. "Four Blindnesses", like a huge water-absorbing ghost, finally drained the Tarim River. Lop Nur without water became a dead lake, a dry lake. After Lop Nur dried up, the surrounding ecological environment deteriorated immediately, all the vegetation and plants died, the sand barrier Populus euphratica forest died in pieces, the desert quickly advanced into the lake, and Lop Nur quickly merged with the vast Taklimakan desert. Lop Nur disappeared.
Lop Nur area is named after Lop Nur, a depression located in the east of Bayinguoleng Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is connected with the western end of Hexi Corridor in the east, the lower reaches of Tarim River in the west, Altun Mountain in the south and Kuruktag Mountain in the north.
Lop Nur has an unusually dry climate and complex terrain, with endless Gobi desert, undulating sand dunes and dense Isaiah skirts. In the north, west and east of Lop Nur, the geographical "Ya Dan landform"-wind erosion landform hills is widely distributed. It is windy for five months every year. Accompanied by strong winds, the whole Lop Nur area was dark, with sand flying and stones flying, and the sun and the moon were dull.
Lop Nur Mongols call it Lop Nur, which translates into a watery lake. For thousands of years, Lop Nur has been described in detail in ancient books in China, such as Pu Changhai in Hanshu, Yan Ze in Historical Records and Loulan Lake in Water Mirror Notes. Lop Nur area is a "land of geomantic omen" in the eyes of geographers and archaeologists, although its natural conditions are harsh. There is salt here, and wild animals and plants such as wild camels, goose throat antelope, big-headed sheep and apocynum venetum are growing. There are many ancient cities and sites; There are a lot of cultural relics on the ground and underground. Lop Nur is famous at home and abroad, mainly because of the crazy exploration history of Central Asia at the end of 19. In 1900, among these foreign explorers, a Swede named Sven Hedin and his Robo guide "Aldek" stumbled upon the ancient city of Loulan, which was called Pompeii in China. This discovery immediately caused a sensation in the world, and the barren Lop Nur became the world again.
Historically, Lop Nur was once the terminal lake of Peacock River, Tarim River and Qierqin River, which was described by the ancients as "300 Li". According to relevant data, Lop Nur was gourd-shaped in 1930s, covering an area of about 2,400 square kilometers. In the early 1940s, Lop Nur was irregularly circular with an area of 3,200 square kilometers. After the early 1950s, the lake contracted and extended in the north-south direction, forming an oval shape. At the end of 1950s, a huge lake was formed in its east. Great changes have taken place in lakes over the years, so it's no wonder that academic circles are arguing endlessly.
Since 1962, the surface of Lop Nur Lake has been surveyed by aerial survey for 660 square kilometers, showing a spindle shape. 1972 American satellite map shows that Lop Nur is dry and has become a death zone for all things. The dry up of Lop Nur is not only caused by regional drought, but also by man-made restrictions. Since 1958, more than a dozen dams have been built in the middle and upper reaches of the Peacock River, and the Peacock River was cut off in Aksu Township on 1962. Due to the diversion of the river, the source of the Cherqin River dried up and infiltrated into the desert of Ruoqiang Luobu Village, forming a cut-off. After the liberation of Tarim River, several reservoirs were built, and a large number of water sources were blocked, which led to the narrowing and desertification of the lower reaches, and Hu Yangmu died. Lop Nur lost the title of the main water source and the second largest saltwater lake in China.
Lop Nur is divided into broad sense and narrow sense. In a narrow sense, it refers to a lake basin. Lop Nur in a broad sense should refer to the whole desert area of Lop Nur. It is generally believed that this area is named after Lop Nur. "It is located in the east of the largest Tarim Basin in China, bordering the western end of Hexi Corridor in the east, the lower reaches of Tarim River in the west, Altun Mountain in the south and Kuruk Mountain in the north." Lop Nur covers an area of100000 square kilometers, covering the area of three Taiwan Province provinces, most of which are Gobi desert, salt crust and lake basin in Ya Dan.
The typical desert ecological environment in Lop Nur leads to the scarcity of animal and plant species, and it is gradually decreasing. When you enter Lop Nur, you can occasionally see Populus euphratica, but there are more dead Populus euphratica than alive. The most common red willow and camel thorn. Animals include wild camels, antelopes, wolves and rabbits, among which wild camels are very precious and have been listed as endangered animals. The largest wild camel nature reserve in China is located in the southeast of Lop Nur. In the Kumutage Desert and Lop Nur Basin, there is no vegetation and no trace of animals, which is extremely barren.
Lop Nur is one of the driest areas in the world. The annual rainfall is about 60mm, and the annual evaporation is 2000mm. Extremely dry, coupled with the windy period of up to five months every year, is daunting. Because the sandstorm in Rob Desert is a kind of high temperature storm and sandstorm. With the strong wind, the sky was dark and there was no light in the sun and moon. Shaving for a few days can make people die of thirst, and falling down is easy to be blown into mummies. Two grave robbers entered Loulan, lost their way, and died after being deprived of water and food. It was discovered three months later and turned into Mu Naiyin.
Lop Nur, which is full of danger, is also a treasure land, with precious metal deposits such as gold and silver, and is also the location of a huge potash mine. According to figures released by Ruoqiang government, the potassium salt reserves in Lop Nur reached 460 million tons, with a potential value of over 400 billion yuan. In addition, Lop Nur's unique Gobi desert landscape makes it extremely valuable for tourism exploration. For example, Longcheng, Bailongdui and Sanlong Shayadan are famous Ya Dan landscapes, covering an area of more than 3,000 square kilometers. The landforms of the three major Ya Dan have their own characteristics. Lop Nur basin is vast and powerful. Kumutage Desert is the second largest desert in China, with unique feathered dunes and beautiful scenery. In the desert of Lop Nur, the most magical thing is the tenacious Populus euphratica. Only by entering the "domain of death" can people understand the meaning of "immortal Millennium, immortal Millennium, immortal Millennium".
The mystery of Lop Nur inspires the brave. It is not only a paradise for explorers and archaeologists, but also a place that tourists yearn for. However, the sinister environment of Lop Nur also discouraged many people. Without guides, transportation and adequate supplies, venturing into Lop Nur is only a dead end, and it is also a very dangerous thing to enter Lop Nur in severe winter or hot summer. Only those who are brave and respect nature can appreciate the unique scenery of Lop Nur.