The incredibly picturesque Volga Upland stretches from Volgograd to Nizhny Novgorod for more than 800 kilometers. In the east, its slopes abruptly break off towards the Volga, making the banks of the river steep and inaccessible. The article will discuss the features of the relief, geology and tectonic structure of the Volga Upland. We will also talk about the most beautiful natural attractions of this region.
Geographical position of the Volga Upland
The relief of the European part of Russia is incredibly diverse. The Volga Upland stretched along the right bank of the famous Volga River. Its total length is 810 kilometers, while its width varies widely - from 60 to 500 km. In the west, this orographic structure smoothly passes into the Oka-Don plain, but in the east, it ends with steep ledges to the Volga. In the south, a certain extension of it is the Ergeni massif.
The Volga Upland covers the territories of five regions of Russia at once. These are Tatarstan, Chuvashia, Mordovia, Nizhny Novgorod and Penza regions. In the south, its borders pass near Volgograd, and in the north - near the city of Cheboksary. The largest settlements within the hill: Penza, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Syzran, Saransk and Kamyshin. Map of the area with a conditional elevation:
So, we found out where the Volga Upland is located. Now let's find out more about the tectonic and geological structure of this territory.
Volga Upland: tectonic structure and geology
The base of the hill is an asymmetric elevated plateau, the base of which is formed by deposits of the Upper Paleozoic. The ancient crystalline foundation is here at a decent depth (more than 800 meters).
In general, the Volga Upland is located immediately on several tectonic structures. So, its northern part corresponds to the elevated Volga-Ural arch, and the southern part is on the gentle slope of the Voronezh anteclise. The mentioned tectonic structures are separated from each other by a narrow Saratov-Ryazan syneclise, stretching from Saratov to Ryazan.
The hill is composed of easily destroyed rocks of the Paleogene and Cretaceous periods - chalk, clays, marls and sands. In some places, older deposits come to the surface, in particular limestones, sandstones and dolomites. The subsoil of this region is rich in minerals: oil, gas, phosphorites, as well as various building materials.
Geomorphology and hydrology of the territory (briefly)
The average altitude within the Volga Upland is 150-200 meters. In the south, they increase to 250-300 meters above sea level. The maximum elevation point is Mount Observer (381 m).
The main massif of the hill is a plateau dissected by numerous river valleys, ravines and gullies. Moreover, the closer to the Volga, the stronger the territory is divided by a ravine-beam network. The most expressive in the landscape plan sections of the river slope are called mountains (for example, Klimovsk or Zhigulevsk mountains).
In the southern part of the hill, soil erosion is most pronounced. To the south of the Syzranka River, on the slopes of beams and valleys, landslides can also be observed. In some places, karst relief forms have spread.
On the territory of the Volga Upland passes the Volga-Don Dividing Line. Here, a huge number of rivers and streams arise. The largest of them are Sura, Moksha, Ilovlya, Khoper, Ursa Major and others.
Zhiguli mountains
Talking about the Volga Upland, one cannot but mention the Zhiguli Mountains. This is an incredibly beautiful massif located in the bend of the Volga (the so-called Samara Luka). It is here that the Observer is located - the highest point in the middle band of the European part of the country. Other famous peaks of the massif are Molodetsky Kurgan, Popova Gora, Mogutova Gora.
Lada - a unique place. Indeed, in fact, they are the only tectonic mountains on the entire Russian plain. And by geological standards, they are quite young - they are only 7 million years old. At the same time, the Zhiguli mountains continue to grow (by 1 millimeter per year).
Due to its picturesque landscapes, Zhiguli are very popular among tourists. Perhaps the most visited place here is the Kamenny Chalice tract with its sources.
Shcherbakovskaya beam
Within the Shcherbakovsky Natural Park there is another valuable natural monument - a beam with the same name. Its total area is about 140 hectares. For the beauty and uniqueness of the landscape, this place is also often called the Volga Switzerland. But the locals called the Shcherbakovskaya beam open-air pharmacy, because there are a huge number of different medicinal plants growing here.
The uniqueness of the Shcherbakovskaya beam is in the stunning variety of landscapes and natural complexes. Here, in a small area, birch groves are adjacent to almost mountain waterfalls and rocky cliffs. The flora of the beam has at least 300 species, of which fifty are rare or endangered.