East Ural Reserve — State (radiation) reserve. Located in the forest-steppe zone in the territory Kasli and Kunashak Chelyabinsk region, with an area of ??16,616 hectares.

East Ural Reserve was established in 1966, it was preceded by the formation of Kyshtym disaster in 1957 at the chemical plant «», Lighthouse led to radioactive contamination of the territory, which was formed as a result of the East-Ural radioactive trace.

At the moment the reserve is under the control of the corporation Rosatom, on the reserve regularly performed radiation and radio-ecological monitoring.

A preliminary list of the flora of the reserve includes 455 species of vascular plants. Fauna Reserve includes 47 species of mammals, 214 species of birds, 5 species of amphibians and reptiles 4 species.

On a protected area, despite the increased radiation background, rare species of birds: golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, saker falcon, peregrine falcon, osprey, black-headed gull and the Dalmatian pelican.

Background. «Kyshtym disaster» — it was the first Soviet man-made emergencies associated with radiation. The accident took place September 29, 1957 at the chemical plant «Lighthouse». Chemical plant located in the city then closed «Chelyabinsk-40». Then the city was renamed in Ozersk. Kyshtym accident was named because of the fact that the city Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-40) was kept in strict secrecy and could not be found on any map of the country until 1990. A Kishtim — It's the nearest town to it.

For a long time in the Soviet Union of the accident is not reported. The authorities carefully concealed information from the population and residents of the Ural region, which proved to be the strongest in the zone of radioactive contamination. However, the completely hide the accident in 1957 failed, and it has become impossible - because of the huge area of ??radiation contamination, as well as involvement in the post-emergency work of a large number of people who had left and then throughout the USSR.

The purpose of the Eastern Ural Reserve - to conduct comprehensive research on radioecology, as well as problem-solving recovery of flora and fauna within the territory of radioactive contamination.

In our time, has accumulated a lot of information on the processes that occur in living organisms under conditions of constant exposure. In the example, the date of the accident on the reserve has been replaced by more than 200 generations, voles, and scientists are constantly watching them.
Over the years, the radioactive background in the area VURS (East Ural radiation track) decreased significantly, but has not yet come to the normal range. In addition, the reserve also performs environmental functions - in its territory have been restored and preserved, it can be said, a reference Zauralskaya community forest. Besides poachers there is hardly stick!

Lake Chelyabinsk region can be divided into 3 groups as their distance from the epicenter of the accident -

1st group of lakes -
1. Kyzyltash
2. Berdenish
3. Uruskul
4. Herbal (both)
5. alabuga

Group 2 lakes -
1. Irtyash
2. Large and Small Kasli
3. Kisegach Big and Small
4. Large and Small Allakov
5. Kozhakul
6. Kuyash (not Ognёvo)
7. Powder
8. Igish Big and Small
9. Karas
10. Chebakul
11. Caldey
12. Shugunyak
13. Sagishty
14. Kirety
15. Sungul
16. Strong

Group 3 lakes -
1. Kuyash Big and Small (Ognёvo)
2. Shablish
3. Terenkul
4. Karagaykul
5. Urukul
6. Kainkul
7. Uelgi

This list does not mean that the radiation background in the area of ??these lakes is overvalued.