The great river, carrying its waters from the Valdai Upland to the Caspian Sea, one of the largest shipping arteries of our country is the Volga. Her geographical position provided her with a significant role in the development of trade and the formation of large cities of Slavic tribes. Volga is the largest river in Europe. Today, it remains an important source of fresh water and electricity, a transportation route, and also attracts a large number of tourists and tourists to its shores. Where is the Volga River and what are its features? This will be discussed below.
Volga: geographical location
The river adorns the European part of our country. A small branch of the main channel flows through the territory of Kazakhstan. The source of the Volga is located on the Valdai Upland (229 meters above sea level). As is commonly believed, a mighty river begins near the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region. The Volga basin occupies about a third of the European territory of Russia. It extends from the Valdai and Central Russian uplands to the Urals.
The Volga is considered the largest river in the world that does not flow into the ocean. It carries its waters to the Caspian Sea, to the basin of which it belongs. The length of the river is 3530 km, the total drop is 256 m. The Volga basin covers an area of over a million square kilometers.
It is customary to divide the Great River into three parts: the upper (from the source to the mouth of the Oka), the middle (from the mouth of the Oka to the confluence of the Kama), the lower (from the mouth of the Kama to the Caspian Sea).
Source
The river originates from a key flowing out of a swamp near the village of Volgoverkhovye. A temple was built nearby. The source of the Volga itself is located under the floor of a small wooden chapel on stilts. It is equipped with a special window through which it is allowed to scoop up and drink water.
After about three kilometers from the source, the Volga flows alternately into two lakes: first to Malye Verkhity, and then to Big Verkhity. Further, its path runs through the Verkhnevolzhskoe reservoir. The first large lake related to it is Sterzh. The Volga with great force invades its waters, rapidly, without mixing, overcomes them. They say that in sunny weather you can see how the river flows through the lake.
Upper Volga
Before the creation of reservoirs, the length of the river was longer and amounted to 3690 km. The first dam along the river is located after the Upper Volga Lakes (Sterzh, Vselug, Peno, Volgo). It was built in 1843. Today, several reservoirs are located on the Upper Volga: Ivankovskoe (also called the Moscow Sea, it includes a hydroelectric power station in the vicinity of the city of Dubna), Uglichskoe, Rybinskoe, Gorkovskoe (located near Gorodets, above Nizhny Novgorod).
The first large settlement from the source of the river is Rzhev. On the Upper Volga there are such ancient cities as Kostroma, Tver, Uglich and Yaroslavl. It flows through a picturesque area, now spreading widely, then tapering between steep banks.
The main tributaries of the river in this section: Selizharovka, Darkness, Kotorosl, Tvertsa, Mologa, Sheksna, Unzha.
Middle Volga
After the confluence of the Oka River, the river flows at the right edge of the Volga Upland. Here she becomes noticeably more full-flowing. The right bank of the Volga is high, while the left is low.
Near the city of Cheboksary there is a hydroelectric power station with a dam, above which there is a reservoir.
The main tributaries of the river in this section: Oka, Sura, Vetluga, Sviyaga.
Lower Volga
The river gains its full power and strength after the confluence of the Kama. On this stretch, it flows along the Volga Upland. Going around the Zhiguli mountains, the Volga forms the Samara bow. Kuybyshevskoye reservoir is located slightly above it (the Zhigulevskaya hydroelectric station adjoins it ). Near the Balakovo River on the river stands the Saratov hydroelectric station. In the Volgograd region, the river is approaching the Don. Just above the city, the left sleeve, Akhtuba, is separated from it. Its length is 537 km. Between the river and its sleeve is the so-called Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, consisting of a large number of channels.
Not far from Volgograd, on the stretch of the river between the city and the beginning of Akhtuba, the Volzhskaya Hydroelectric Power Station and the Volgograd Reservoir are located.
The tributaries to this river sections are rather small. This is Sok, Samara, Big Irgiz, Yruslan.
The mouth of the Volga
In the area of rapprochement with the Don, the river turns and further flows southeast until it flows into the Caspian Sea. In the place where Akhtuba is separated from the main channel, the Volga delta begins. It covers an area of approximately 19 thousand square kilometers. The delta consists of 500 sleeves. The largest of them are Akhtuba, Bakhtemir, Kamyzyak, Old Volga, Bolda, Buzan. The second sleeve of these is constantly maintained suitable for shipping and forms the Volga-Caspian Canal. Kigach, which is also one of the branches of the great river, crosses the territory of Kazakhstan.
The Volga Delta is considered the largest in Europe. Throughout history, she changed her position and occupied area. The delta of the modern type formed around the 3rd century AD, when the old channel could not cope with the increased volume of water. Over the past 130 years, the level of the Caspian Sea has been falling. As a result, during this period, the delta area increased by about 9 times.
At the mouth of the Volga is the last city on this river - Astrakhan. It is located on eleven islands in the upper part of the delta.
Power and Mode
The Volga River, the geographical location of which was considered above, before the construction of the reservoirs was characterized by significant level fluctuations (below the mouth of the Kama River, they reached 17 m). Today, such serious drops and spills are not observed.
Most of the river’s nutrition is accounted for by snow water (up to 60%). A significant role in this process is also played by rain (10%) and ground (30%) “receipts”. Throughout the year, the Volga undergoes several successive transformations. In the spring (from April to June) it is flood. In summer and winter, the level in the river decreases markedly. In the fall (usually in October), rain floods occur.
In the hottest months, the water temperature in the river reaches 25º. Volga freezes in the upper and middle section, as a rule, in November, in the lower - not earlier than December. The river is freed from ice first of all at Astrakhan (in March). The Upper Volga, as well as the area below Kamyshin, opens in the first half of April. The rest of the river goes out of its winter stupor in the middle of this month.
Natural resources
Volga on the map covers a vast territory. It flows through the forest, forest-steppe zone and steppe. Since ancient times, the river is famous for its fish wealth. Here live bream, roach, sterlet, common carp, catfish, pike. Unfortunately, the construction of reservoirs and water pollution does not contribute to the preservation of all this diversity. A reserve has been created in the Volga delta. Since 1919, unique plants and animals have been protected by the state on its territory. Among them are lotus, sturgeon, pelicans, flamingos.
The Volga (geographical location, feeding habits, unique flora and fauna) is well studied today. Along with understanding the changes occurring with the river throughout the entire time of its existence, comes awareness of the problems associated with them. Today, the great Russian river is in dire need of the protection of its wealth. Fortunately, an increasing number of people are becoming aware of the dangers of environmental problems. It can therefore be hoped that the unique nature and beauty of the Volga shores will continue for many centuries.