About 40 minutes east of the city centre, the Ust-Kamenogorsk hydroelectric dam and its associated navigation lock sit on the Irtysh River in the village of Ablaketka. The dam was built in the Soviet era to supply power for the city's smelting and mining industries, and the reservoir behind it stretches upstream through birch forest and low hills.
The drive out is pleasant — the road follows the river, and the Altai foothills begin to appear to the south and east. The dam itself is an imposing piece of Soviet infrastructure. The area around the reservoir is a popular weekend destination for local families in summer, with picnic spots and walking routes along the water. There is a small beach on the reservoir's western shore that gets busy on warm days.