Pustynskie Lakes is a group of karst lakes in the north of the Arzamas District of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, situated near the historic village of Staraya Pustyn on the right bank of the Serezha River.
Nature and location
The lakes lie surrounded by forest in the floodplain landscape of the Serezha River — a The Tyosha River, which belongs to the Oka basin. The karst origin of the water bodies has shaped the distinctive relief of the surrounding area: karst fissures and caves are known in the vicinity. Pustynskie Lakes are among the natural sites that draw the attention of both tourists and researchers.
Infrastructure on the shores
Several institutions are situated on the shores of Pustynskie Lakes. The Biological Station of UNN (UNN) uses the lakes as a base for field research. A children's ecological camp called "Dzhungli" ("Jungle") also operates here, along with a cardiology sanatorium: "Dzhungli" children's ecological camp.
Connection with Staraya Pustyn
The village of Staraya Pustyn adjoins the lakes directly and is administratively subordinate to the Chernukhinsky Selsoviet of Arzamas District. Historically this area is linked to Erzya settlement: the basin of the Serezha River, on whose banks the lakes lie, falls within the historical settlement area of the Erzya people.