[7][6] The Lakes of the lower Turgay and Irgiz Nature Reserve is a protected area located in the southern sector of the basin.

Among the rivers flowing southwards, the main ones are the Turgay with its tributaries Irgiz and Ulkayak, including the Saryozen through the Tauysh channel, as well as the Uly-Zhylanshyk.

The lowest parts of the depression are occupied by numerous lakes, with mostly saline or bittern-salty waters, such as Kushmurun, Koybagar, Tyuntyugur, Aksuat, Teniz, Sarymoin, Sarykopa, Akkol, Barakkol and Shalkarteniz.

[9][10][11] Geologically the entire trough corresponds to the Turgai tectonic subsidence of ancient alluvial and lacustrine deposits.

The Turgay Plateau rises between the Urals and Mugodzhar Hills in the west and the Kazakh Steppe in the east.