One of the largest tributaries of the Don is the Khoper River, which extends for 1000 km through the Penza, Saratov, Voronezh and Volgograd regions. The source is located in the area of the village of Kuchki, Penza region, where 12 pure springs are combined into one stream.
Legend has it that in those places there lived an old man named Khoper, who discovered 12 springs and connected them with a shovel, then built a mill and ground it into flour for residents of neighboring villages. The river was called Khoprom, and the old Khopr was erected a monument at the source.
The Khoper River is winding and unstable; the map shows that the stream repeatedly changes its speed and direction. Narrow areas with strong rapid currents are replaced by calm, quiet backwaters that may end in a whirlpool. Initially, the Khoper River flows in a southeast direction, then turns southeast and makes a turn again at the very confluence with the Don. In the Khopra basin there are many lakes and old ladies, islets, the left bank is gentle, and the right one is quite steep and ravine, overgrown with bushes and forests.
Hoper is a river whose photo will not leave anyone indifferent. The floodplain valley is unusually picturesque, especially during the spring flood.
The Khoper River has many tributaries, the largest of which are the Arkadachka, Karay, Vorona, Tamala, Serdoba, Savala, Karachan, and Olshanka rivers. The flora and fauna of the river valley is represented in the Arkadak, Almazovsky and Khopersky reserves.
Khopersky Reserve occupies a significant area in the middle reaches of the river - about 50 km. The fauna is represented by river beavers, squirrels, bison, bats of rare species, wild ducks, foxes, martens, deer and other animals. There are a lot of fish in Khopr - pike, bream, perch, roach, crucian carp, carp, catfish, pike perch, ide. There is a desman, an animal listed in the Red Book as a relict species.
The plant world is represented by shrubs, woody and grassy species. The floodplain forests of Khopra include oaks, maples, poplars, lindens, ash, elms, aspen. The undergrowth is formed from hazel, buckthorn, bird cherry, wild rose, viburnum, blackthorn and wild apple trees. Among grassy ones, common chickpea, a medunica, goose onion, sedge, and blackberry are found. On the right bank, near the confluence of Crows and Khopra, the oldest and vast Tellerman forest is spread.
Some time ago, the Khoper River was considered one of the most beautiful and cleanest rivers in Europe; now the environmental situation has deteriorated significantly due to the destructive activity of the population. The main reasons are the dumping of industrial waste into the river, soil erosion, deforestation of floodplain forests, siltation of springs, leading to the gradual swamping of Khopra.
To stop the negative processes of river pollution, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive cleaning of the riverbed, stop the destruction of trees, protect the banks with a sanitary zone - in a word, restore the natural balance of nature. An important measure will be to work with the population to clarify the need to protect the unique nature of Khopra.