Few people know something about the Selenga River, its location, flora and fauna. However, it is one of the largest water streams that feed Lake Baikal.
The Selenga River (photo can be seen in the article) flows through the lands of Siberia, in particular, in Buryatia, the main part of this beauty is in Mongolia. It is in this state that it originates. But in Russia, the stream flows into the cleanest lake Baikal. Thanks to this neighborhood, the river is populated by burbot. Its stormy waters appeal to this species of fish.
origin of name
According to scientists, the Selenga River has existed for more than 500 thousand years. There is no official information about where such a beautiful name came from. There are only assumptions about the possible origin of the hydronym. Among them there are two most plausible options:
- the formation of the name from the word of the Buryat people - "sel", which is translated into Russian as "lake";
- Tungus origin, in the translation of the word sele - iron.
Short description
The sources of the Selenga are located next to Ider (a watercourse flowing on the territory of Mongolia). The river is very long, its length is about 1024 km, while a smaller part (409 km) passes through the territory of the Russian Federation. It was formed due to the merger of two water streams - Ider and Dalger-Muren.
Of all the waters flowing into Lake Baikal, it is the Selenga River that is considered the most full-flowing. Scientists claim that it is largely responsible for the cleanliness of the reservoir. If we take into account the two bays Proval and Sor-Cherkalovo, which are located on the sides of the delta, the width of the river in some places can reach 60 kilometers.
The powerful seething stream of the Selenga right near Lake Baikal reduces its "pressure" and spreads over several channels, intermittents, and streams.
River features
The Selenga River is quite stormy, has a flat look, periodically narrows to 1-2 km. In these places it is divided into channels where islands form. The Selenga Delta is a body of water surrounded by reeds and water-loving plants. There are islands on the river that are periodically flooded.
Selenga has a rich fauna. Due to the diversity of flora, a large number of ducks, insects and amphibians are found here. Also, the waters of the river are characterized by an abundance of fish. Among them there are rare species - ide, burbot, common carp, Siberian roach, whitefish Baikal, taimen. Fishing is flourishing here, as the bait most often used crustaceans.
At the confluence of Lake Baikal, a sufficiently large river delta is formed. Selenga is the richest stream, which accounts for half of all the waters flowing into Lake Baikal. In the spring there is flood, in summer and autumn the river is replenished with rains. In winter, the Selenga, as a rule, becomes smaller.
The tributaries of the river are: Jida, Temnik, Orongoy, Orkhon, Chikoy, Itanza. The water stream is divided into branches, while forming a wetland, which is favorable for agriculture.
Industrial use
On the shore of Sor-Cherkalovo there are villages - Istomino, Istok; in the Gulf of Failure - Dulan, Oymur. In the river delta, there are only a few houses that belong to fishermen and hunters.
The Selenga River along the coastline is very populated. The local population is not engaged in agriculture, as there is a sharp lack of fertile land. Economic activity is developed only near the bays. The small population of the territory is also connected with the fact that after the earthquake that occurred in the 19th century, the steppe fell very much, became much lower than the level of Lake Baikal, and was flooded. Accordingly, it was impossible to live here.
On the beautiful shores are such cities as Sukhe-Bator (Mongolia), Ulan-Ude, the village of Kabansk (territory of Russia).
Interesting Facts
The Selenga River and its city, located in the delta, are included in the list of unique natural phenomena, and are included in the protected zone of Lake Baikal. This site is managed by UNESCO.
Until the end of the 20th century, there was navigation on the river, connecting Lake Baikal and the city of Sukhbaatar. In the 30s, they proposed building hydroelectric power plants, just below the city of Ulan-Ude. However, the construction did not take place, as it was decided that it was not practical. This conclusion was reached due to the lack of the required number of consumers living in this area. And since the station was supposed to be very large-scale, they decided to abandon this venture.
Earlier, shipbuilding was developed here. Built ships descended into Lake Baikal. If there was a need for repair work, they were also raised along the navigable ducts.