The Kushum or Koshim (; ) is a river in the West Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. It is long. The Kushum is a distributary of the Ural river. It flows across the Bayterek, Akzhaik and Zhanakala districts. Its water is used for agricultural irrigation and the riverbanks as grazing ground for local cattle. The last stretch of the river, including the lakes adjoining it, is a Important Bird Area. Course The Kushum begins branching off the right side of the Ural river northeast of the village of Krugloozyornoye. It heads roughly southwards forming meanders and oxbow lakes. Its mouth is in lake Birkazan, near Zhanakala village, over west of the Ural river channel. The right bank of the Kushum is bound by steep cliffs, while the left bank is mostly flat. The river is fed by snow, rain and groundwater. The Dongulyuk, Kirov, Pyatimar and Bitik reservoirs, as well as a number of irrigation canals are located along the Kushum river. Fauna The main fish species in the Kushum include zander, common bream, white-eye bream, chub, perch, silver bream, ruffe, common rudd, blue bream and sabrefish. See also List of rivers of Kazakhstan References External links The current state of cross-border rivers of Kazakhstan and problems of their joint using https://egov.kz/cms/en/articles/forestry/vodoemi_rk Restrictions and prohibitions to use wildlife objects and fishery resources at water reservoirs of the Republic of Kazakhstan] Rivers of Kazakhstan West Kazakhstan Region Distributaries Ural basin Caspian Depression Important Bird Areas of Kazakhstan