The length of the Volga River is more than three and a half thousand kilometers, there are as many as four millionaire cities on it, several hydroelectric power stations, and it’s impossible to count how many paintings with the Volga have been created or poems written about it. However, this mighty river originates in a far less epic way - in a small but clean swamp, far from the village, where no one has lived for a long time.
In ancient times, the Volga was known as Ra (“generous”) and Itil (“great river”), and received its modern name from the Proto-Slavic word meaning “moisture.” The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea, but its source is different time was in different places. There is even an opinion that the Volga used to begin in the mountains as a stormy mountain river, but today its source is considered to be a completely calm swamp near the village of Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky district, Tver region.
Now there are no permanent residents in this village, only a few buildings built as summer cottages. But this place is well equipped, so tourists come here regularly. In addition to the famous swamp itself, there are also other important attractions - the Olginsky Convent (mostly visitors are attracted to it main temple- Spaso-Preobrazhensky) and the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, made entirely of wood.
Also attracting the attention of tourists is the Chapel of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is located just above the source of the Volga. Inside this chapel there is a hole in the floor, so those who wish can draw water from the source of the Volga.
Since the source of the river is located in close proximity to the village (250 meters), the bridge across the river in the village is not just a bridge, but “the first bridge across the Volga.” This is an ordinary wooden bridge, only about two meters long. The current bridge with handrails is certainly modern, but it was in this same place that there were bridges here before, in particular one of them can be seen in the photographs of S. M. Prokudin-Gorsky and M. P. Dmitriev (c. 1910) .
The first dam on the Volga is also located here. Like the local bridge, “first” here denotes not age, but location from the source. The dam was built at the beginning of the 20th century by the Olginsky convent. It is a fairly simple wooden structure with a bridge over the dam itself.
The source of the Volga is amazing a nice place, untouched by modern civilization. Here time seemed to stand still, afraid to disturb and destroy the eternal atmosphere of grace reigning around. The Volga originates near the village of Volgoverkhovye on the Valdai Hills in the Tver region.
Where is the source of the Volga
You can get to the Volgoverkhovye from the town of Ostashkov, first along a rather rough road to the village of Svapusche (about 50 km), and from there along a dirt road, the condition of which is much better than that of the asphalt road. From Svapusche to the destination 19 km. There are no buses in Volgoverkhovye, so you can only get there by personal car (geographic coordinates: 57°15`07`` N 32°28`24`` E).
The source of the Volga on the map:
The Volga River flows from afar for a long time...
The village of Volgoverkhovye is located on a low hill, and under the hill, from a small swamp, the great Russian river, the Volga, originates.
There are several springs in this swamp. One of them, the deepest, has a current that immediately appears, and was identified as the source of the Volga in the middle of the 18th century. A chapel is now built above this spring, to which wooden walkways lead. In the chapel itself there is a font where you can plunge directly into the source. The depth here is shallow: shoulder-deep for an adult.
A memorial stone was installed in front of the walkway in 1989, which reads: “Traveler! Turn your gaze to the source of the Volga! The purity and greatness of the Russian land is born here. Here are the origins of the people's soul. Keep them. Look back as you leave." This place is located at an altitude of 228 meters above sea level.
The Volga flows out of the swamp as a small stream, only about 50 cm wide and 25-30 cm deep. The water in the newly “born” river is brown in color due to the peat it contains, but it is clean and transparent. There is a bucket on the walkway, so if you wish, you can wash yourself with Volga water or put it in bottles and take it with you.
300 meters from the source there is a small bridge across the stream and there is a convenient descent to the stream, so you can wet your feet in the Volga water. However, the water here is cold even in the hottest weather, no higher than 15°.
Holguin Monastery
Near the bridge you can see the remains of a stone dam built by the Olga convent at the beginning of the last century. The dam has now been destroyed, but the monastery itself still exists in the Volgoverkhovye region. IN Soviet time it was closed but revived again in 1999.
All that has survived from the monastery to this day is the Transfiguration Cathedral and the wooden Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Services are held here regularly. We got right to religious holiday- St. Olga's day. At this time, a religious procession was taking place around the monastery, at which there were quite a lot of people for such a wilderness: about 150 people.
Since the residential buildings of the monastery have not survived, the nuns live in the village, their houses are easily recognizable by the turrets on the roofs.
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
For a small fee, you can climb the bell tower of the Transfiguration Cathedral and look from above at the source of the Volga (we didn’t get there, because the entrance was temporarily closed due to the holiday).
You can take a walk in the forest growing near the source of the Volga. Paths leading to different sides, there is a great variety here. You can hear polyphonic birdsong all around, butterflies and dragonflies fly.
In the Volgoverkhovye region, as in any tourist place, there is a small market where they sell ordinary souvenirs, pies and honey. cellular in these places it is absent, it appears only when entering the highway in Svapuscha. Here, despite the fact that the source of the Volga is visited by quite a lot of tourists, peace and quiet reigns.
3 km from its source, the Volga crosses the dirt road along which we drove here. This is no longer a trickle, but a small river with picturesque banks overgrown with forest.
Despite the fact that there are many different beautiful rivers in Russia, nevertheless, the Volga is the most valuable for it, the population of the country calls it majestic, based on the fact that the Volga is like the queen of all Russian rivers. Scientists geologists determine from sediments in the earth's crust that over the immeasurably long history of the Earth, significant areas of the present Volga region have more than once turned into the seabed. One of the seas slowly retreated to the south about twenty million years ago, and then the Volga River flowed in its wake. The Volga began not in Valdai, but near the Ural Mountains. It seemed to cut a corner, taking the direction towards Zhiguli from there, and then carried the waters much further to the east than now. Movements of the earth's crust, the formation of new hills and depressions, sharp fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea and other reasons forced the Volga River to change direction.
Origin of the river's name
From the facts of ancient history it is known that the then famous Greek scientist named Ptolemy in his “Geography” called the Volga River by the name “Ra”. Despite the fact that he lived far from the Volga, on the coast of Africa, in the city of Alexandria, rumors about this great river reached there too. This was in the 2nd century AD. Later, in the Middle Ages, the Volga was known as Itil.
According to one version, the Volga acquired its modern name from the ancient Mari name of the river Volgydo, or which translated meant “bright”. According to another version, the name of the Volga comes from the Finno-Ugric word Volkea, meaning “light” or “white”. There is also a version that the name Volga comes from the name Bulga, associated with the Volga Bulgarians who lived on its banks. But the Bulgarians themselves (the ancestors of modern Tatars) called the reuk “Itil”, a word that means “river” (there is, however, another version that the meanings of the hydronyms Volga and Itil then did not coincide with modern ones), it is believed that the most likely origin of the ethnonym “Volga” "from the Proto-Slavic word meaning volgly - vologa - moisture, thus the possible meaning of the name Volga is like “water” or “moisture”, if I may say so, then “ big water", thanks to the enormous size of the river. The Slavic version of the origin of the name is evidenced by the presence of the Vlga rivers in the Czech Republic and Vilga in Poland.
Source of the Volga
The source of the Volga is a spring near the village of Volgoverkhovye in the Tver region. In the upper reaches, within the Valdai Upland, the Volga passes through small lakes - Maloe and Bolshoye Verkhity, then through a system of large lakes known as the Upper Volga lakes: Sterzh, Vselug, Peno and Volgo, united into the Upper Volga Reservoir.
Geographical location rivers
The Volga originates on the Valdai Hills (at an altitude of 229 m) and flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the Volga is 3530 kilometers. The mouth lies 28 m below sea level. The total fall is 256 m. The Volga is the world's largest river of internal flow, that is, not flowing into the world ocean. The source of the Volga is a spring near the village of Volgoverkhovye in the Tver region. In the upper reaches, within the Valdai Upland, the Volga passes through small lakes - Maloe and Bolshoye Verkhity, then through a system of large lakes known as the Upper Volga lakes: Sterzh, Vselug, Peno and Volgo, united into the so-called Upper Volga reservoir.
The river can be divided into three main parts:
Upper Volga, the largest tributaries of the Upper Volga are Selizharovka, Tma, Tvertsa, Mologa, Sheksna and Unzha. After the Volga passed through the system of Verkhnevolzhsky lakes in 1843, a dam (Verkhnevolzhsky Beishlot) was built to regulate water flow and maintain navigable depths during low water periods. Between the cities of Tver and Rybinsk on the Volga, the Ivankovo Reservoir (the so-called Moscow Sea) with a dam and a hydroelectric power station near the city of Dubna, the Uglich Reservoir (HPP near Uglich), and the Rybinsk Reservoir (HPP near Rybinsk) were created. In the Rybinsk-Yaroslavl region and below Kostroma, the river flows in a narrow valley among high banks, crossing the Uglich-Danilovskaya and Galich-Chukhloma uplands. Further, the Volga flows along the Unzhenskaya and Balakhninskaya lowlands. Near Gorodets (above Nizhny Novgorod), the Volga, blocked by the dam of the Gorky hydroelectric station, forms the Gorky reservoir.
The middle Volga, in the middle reaches, below the confluence of the Oka, the Volga becomes even more full-flowing. It flows along the northern edge of the Volga Upland. The right bank of the river is high, the left is low. The Cheboksary Hydroelectric Power Station was built near Cheboksary, above the dam of which the Cheboksary Reservoir is located. The largest tributaries of the Volga in its middle reaches are the Oka, Sura, Vetluga and Sviyaga.
Lower Volga, where in the lower reaches, after the confluence of the Kama, the Volga becomes mighty river. It flows here along the Volga Upland. Near Togliatti, above the Samara Luka, which is formed by the Volga, skirting the Zhigulevsky Mountains, the Zhigulevskaya Hydroelectric Power Station dam was built; Above the dam lies the Kuibyshev Reservoir. On the Volga near the city of Balakovo, the Saratov hydroelectric power station dam was erected. The Lower Volga receives relatively small tributaries - Sok, Samara, Bolshoi Irgiz, Eruslan. 21 km above Volgograd, the left branch, Akhtuba (length 537 km), separates from the Volga, which flows parallel to the main channel. The vast space between the Volga and Akhtuba, crossed by numerous channels and old rivers, is called the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain; The width of the floods within this floodplain previously reached 20-30 km. The Volzhskaya Hydroelectric Power Station was built on the Volga between the beginning of Akhtuba and Volgograd; Above the dam lies the Volgograd Reservoir.
The Volga Delta begins at the point where Akhtuba separates from its channel (in the Volgograd area) and is one of the largest in Russia. There are up to 500 branches, channels and small rivers in the delta. The main branches are Bakhtemir, Kamyzyak, Old Volga, Bolda, Buzan, Akhtuba (of which Bakhtemir is maintained in navigable condition, forming the Volga-Caspian Canal).
Territorial division of the river
Geographically, the Volga basin includes Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Kostroma, Moscow, Smolensk, Tver, Vladimir, Kaluga, Oryol, Ryazan, Vologda, Kirov, Penza, Tambov regions, Perm region, Udmurtia, Mari El, Mordovia, Chuvashia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Kalmykia, Komi, Moscow, and some others.
The Volga is connected to the Baltic Sea by the Volga-Baltic waterway, the Vyshnevolotsk and Tikhvin systems; with the White Sea - through the Severodvinsk system and through the White Sea-Baltic Canal; with the Azov and Black Seas - through the Volga-Don Canal.
The Volga River is mainly fed by external meltwater. Rains, which fall mainly in summer, and groundwater, from which the river lives in winter, play a lesser role in its nutrition. In accordance with this, the annual level of the river is distinguished by: high and prolonged spring floods, fairly stable summer low water and low winter low water. The duration of the flood is on average 72 days. The maximum water rise usually occurs in the first half of May, half a month after the spring ice drift. From the beginning of June to October - November, summer low water sets in. Thus, most of the navigation period when the Volga River is ice-free (on average 200 days) coincides with a period of low low water levels (2 - 3 m).
History of the Volga River
It is believed that the first mention of the Volga is found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC). In the story about the campaign of the Persian king Darius against the Scythians, Herodotus reports that Darius, pursuing the Scythians across the Tanais (Don) River, stopped at the Oar River. They are trying to identify the Oar River with the Volga, although Herodotus also reported that the Oar flows into Maeotis (the Sea of Azov). Sometimes they also see the Volga in another river, which was mentioned in the 1st century. BC e. reported Diodorus Siculus.
At first the Scythians lived in very small numbers near the Araks River and were despised for their ignominy. But even in ancient times, under the control of one warlike king distinguished by his strategic abilities, they acquired a country in the mountains up to the Caucasus, and in the lowlands of the coast of the Ocean and Lake Meotia - and other areas up to the Tanais River.
In written ancient Roman sources of the 2nd-4th centuries, the Volga is geographically identified as the river Ra - generous, in Arabic sources of the 9th century it is called Atel - the river of rivers, the great river. In the earliest ancient Russian chronicle, “The Tale of Bygone Years”, it is said: “From that Volokovsky forest the Volga will flow to the east and flow... into the Khvalisskoye Sea.” Volokovsky forest - old name Valdai Upland. Khvalissky was the name given to the Caspian Sea.
Geographical position of the Volga and its major tributaries already by the 8th century determined its importance as a trade route between East and West. It was along the Volga route that the flow of Arab silver poured into the Scandinavian countries. From Arab Caliphate Fabrics, metals, and slaves, furs, wax, and honey were exported from the Slavic lands. In the 9th-10th centuries, a significant role in trade was played by such centers as the Khazar Itil at the mouth, the Bulgar Bulgar in the Middle Volga, the Russian Rostov, Suzdal, Murom in the Upper Volga region. Since the 11th century, trade has weakened, and in the 13th century, the Mongol-Tatar invasion disrupted economic ties, except for the upper Volga basin, where Novgorod, Tver and the cities of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus' played an active role. Since the 15th century, the importance of the trade route has been restored, and the role of such centers as Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Astrakhan has grown. The conquest of the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates by Ivan the Terrible in the mid-16th century led to the unification of the entire Volga river system in Russian hands, which contributed to the flourishing of Volga trade in the 17th century. New large cities are emerging - Samara, Saratov, Tsaritsyn; Yaroslavl, Kostroma, and Nizhny Novgorod play a major role. Large caravans of ships (up to 500) sail along the Volga. In the 18th century, the main trade routes moved to the West, and economic development the lower Volga is constrained by weak population and raids by nomads. The Volga basin in the 17th-18th centuries was the main area of action for the rebel peasants and Cossacks during the peasant wars under the leadership of S.T. Razin and E.I. Pugacheva.
In the 19th century, there was a significant development of the Volga trade route after the Mariinsky river system connected the Volga and Neva basins (1808); A large river fleet appeared (in 1820 - the first steamship), a huge army of barge haulers (up to 300 thousand people) worked on the Volga. Large shipments of bread, salt, fish, and later oil and cotton are carried out.
The development of the Civil War of 1917-22 in Russia is largely connected with the establishment in 1918 of the power of the Committee of the Constituent Assembly in a number of cities of the Volga region. The restoration of Bolshevik control over the Volga is considered an important turning point in the Civil War, as control over the Volga provided access to grain resources and Baku oil. An important role in the Civil War was played by the defense of Tsaritsyn, in which J.V. Stalin played an active role, which was the reason for renaming Tsaritsyn to Stalingrad.
During the years of socialist construction, in connection with the industrialization of the entire country, the importance of the Volga Route increased. Since the late 30s of the 20th century, the Volga has also begun to be used as a source of hydropower. During the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 the largest Battle of Stalingrad, which preserved the name of the Volga in the history of the liberated region. In the post-war period, the economic role of the Volga increased significantly, especially after the creation of a number of large reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations.
Natural world of the Volga
In the Upper Volga basin there are large forested areas, in the Middle and partly in the Lower Volga region, large areas are occupied by grain and industrial crops. Melon growing and gardening are developed. The Volga-Ural region has rich oil and gas deposits. Near Solikamsk there are large deposits of potassium salts. In the Lower Volga region (Lake Baskunchak, Elton) - table salt.
In terms of fish diversity, the Volga is one of the richest rivers. The Volga River basin is home to 76 different species of fish and 47 subspecies of fish. The following fish enter the Volga from the Caspian Sea: lamprey, beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, thorn, white fish, anadromous Volga herring or common herring; semi-anadromous: carp, bream, pike perch, roach, etc. The following fish constantly live in the Volga: sterlet, carp, bream, pike perch, ide, pike, burbot, catfish, perch, ruff, asp. Beluga is the most legendary fish of the Caspian basin. Its age reaches 100 years, and its weight is 1.5 tons. At the beginning of the century, belugas weighing over a ton lived in the Volga, the weight of caviar in females was up to 15% total weight bodies. Red fish is the glory of the Astrakhan region. Five species live here sturgeon fish- Russian sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga, thorn and sterlet. The first four species are anadromous, and the sterlet is freshwater fish. Farms also breed a hybrid of beluga and sterlet - bester. Herring-like fish are represented by Caspian shad, common sprat and blackback and Volga herring.
Among the salmon-like fish, the whitefish is found, the only representative of the pike-like fish is the pike. The carp fish of the lower reaches of the Volga include bream, carp, roach, rudd, gold and silver crucian carp, asp, silver bream, gudgeon, grass carp, white and bighead carp.
Perch fish in the Volga are represented by river perch, ruffe, as well as pike perch and bersh. In the stagnant shallow freshwater reservoirs of the lower Volga, the only representative of the stickleback order, the southern stickleback, is found everywhere.
The influence of the Volga in creativity
In the figurative perception of the essence of the Russian people, the Volga plays an exceptional and central role; it is the root and core of the entire Russian people, a figurative ideal. It is always animated, human qualities are attributed to it, and the ideal Russian person must correspond to the image of this river. The Volga is not found very often in literature and art, but truly cult works are associated with its image. In the culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the most “folk” representatives of culture are associated with the Volga: N.A. Nekrasov, Maxim Gorky, F.I. Chaliapin. Soviet art made full use of the image of the Volga created by the democratic art of pre-revolutionary Russia. The Volga is identified with the Motherland; it is a symbol of freedom, space, breadth and greatness of the spirit of Soviet man. The central role in the construction of this image was played by the film “Volga-Volga” and the song “The Volga Flows” performed by Lyudmila Zykina.
Volga Delta
The Volga Delta is the place where the first in Russia was created in 1919 biosphere reserve. Five years ago, another federal state nature reserve appeared in the Astrakhan region - Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky. We understand that nature reserves constantly face many problems, the solution of which cannot be postponed, therefore the financing of their activities is largely the responsibility of the regional budget. Astrakhan residents are proud that last year Maly Zhemchuzhny Island received the status of a federal natural monument. This is one of the most valuable natural reserves of the Northern Caspian Sea. In addition, 800 thousand hectares of the delta have the status of a wetland of international importance. In our region there are four state natural reserves of regional significance.
The Volga Delta is recognized as the most environmentally friendly delta in Europe. Our task, despite the fact that the territory for economic use is highly valued here, is to expand the boundaries of natural reserves. Now, for example, the idea of creating so-called biosphere testing grounds in the region is being explored. We are one of the first to do this in Russia. 300 thousand hectares of the Northern Caspian Sea and the Volga delta are to be reserved for them. In these spaces, mainly water, will be tested modern methods economic activities that will not harm the unique environment. We are for openness environmental information and we always promptly respond to any signals about emergencies and problems.
The largest river valley Europe, the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and the Volga River delta, as well as the surrounding desert, have always attracted the attention of botanists. The first studies mainly concerned species composition flora. At different times, the region was visited by: P. S. Pallas, K. K. Klaus, E. A. Eversmann, I. K. Pachosky, A. Ya Gordyagin and many other outstanding travelers and botanists. At the end of the 20s of this century, more attention began to be paid to floodplain habitats. To one of the first researchers of the vegetation cover of the Lower Volga valley - S. I. Korzhinsky (in 1888) - the floristic composition of its meadows and swamps initially seemed rather monotonous, but later these ideas began to change.A. G. Ramensky (in 1931) noted a change in the composition of herbaceous communities of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain and delta as they moved downstream of the river.
Story
Until the 30s. In the twentieth century, the Volga was practically used only as a transport route and a fishing basin. The main organic disadvantages of the Volga trade route for many centuries were the lack of water connections with the World Ocean and the stepwise nature of the depths. They once tried to overcome the first disadvantage by organizing portages. But only very small vessels could be transported across watersheds. Peter I organized work to connect the Volga with the Don and the Baltic Sea. However, due to the lack of equipment corresponding to the scale of the work, the efforts expended to connect the Volga with the Don were not crowned with success. The fate of the work on the Upper Volga was different. In 1703 they began and in 1709 completed the construction of the Vyshnevolotsk system. Through the rivers Tvertsa, Tsna, Meta, Volkhov, Lake Ladoga and Niva, cargo transported along the Volga gained access to the Baltic Sea. The limited capacity of this water system forced us to look for other ways to develop water connections between the Volga basin and the Baltic.
In 1810, the Mariinsk water system came into operation, connecting the Volga with the Baltic through the rivers Sheksna, Vyterga, Lake Onega, and the river. Svir, Lake Ladoga and Neva, and in 1811 - the Tikhvin water system, which did the same through the rivers Mologa, Chagodoma, Syas and the Ladoga Canal.
In 1828, the construction of the Württemberg (North Dvina) system was completed, connecting the Volga basin through the Shekenu River, the Toporninsky Canal, lakes Siverskoye and Kubenskoye with the river. Sukhona, Northern Dvina and White Sea. In the first half of the 19th century. Work began to actively develop to overcome another major drawback of the Volga transport route - the stepped depths.
Along with shipping great importance Since ancient times, there has been fishing in the Volga basin. The Volga has always been abundant in aquatic, semi-anadromous and migratory fish. Sharp fluctuations in catches in the Volga basin were also noted in those times when the influence of human economic activity was practically insignificant. Mills were built on small tributaries of the Volga even in pre-Petrine times. During the time of Peter I, water energy began to be used for metallurgical plants created in the Urals.
At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. It became clear that the exceptionally favorable position of the Volga in the very center of the European part of Russia, the richest land, water and mineral resources, the enormous fish wealth of the Volga basin, the presence of qualified workers in industrial areas - Moscow, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Ural - cannot be used in completely without developing an adequate energy base.
Significance of the Volga River
Nowadays, the river plays a significant role in the Russian economy, since a large number of hydroelectric power stations are located on it, and the river itself is necessary for various maritime cargo transportation, which is now successfully carried out.
In addition, the Volga is the main artery of the country, supplying it with water resources; it is also worth adding that many reservoirs have been created on the Volga. And for local residents of the village located near the Volga River, it gives them the opportunity to feel like tourists, swimming along the river, and just admire the beautiful landscape, taking one more look at it.
There is no such density of tourist facilities as in the Bakhchisarai region anywhere in the world! Mountains and sea, rare landscapes and cave cities, lakes and waterfalls, secrets of nature and mysteries of history. Discovery and the spirit of adventure... Mountain tourism here is not at all difficult, but any trail delights with clean springs and lakes.
Adygea, Crimea. Mountains, waterfalls, herbs of alpine meadows, healing mountain air, absolute silence, snowfields in the middle of summer, the murmuring of mountain streams and rivers, stunning landscapes, songs around the fires, the spirit of romance and adventure, the wind of freedom await you! And at the end of the route are the gentle waves of the Black Sea.
Oceans, lakes and rivers
The Volga River is a mighty water stream that carries its waters across the European territory of Russia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The total length from source to mouth is 3692 km. It is customary not to take into account individual sections of reservoirs. So it's official The length of the Volga is 3530 km. It is considered the longest in Europe. And the area of the water basin is 1 million 380 thousand square meters. km. This is a third of the European part of Russia.
Source of the Volga
The river begins its path on the Valdai Hills. This is the Ostashkovsky district of the Tver region. On the outskirts of the village of Volgoverkhovye, several springs gush out of the ground. One of them is considered the source of the great river. The spring is enclosed by a chapel, which can be approached via a bridge. All springs flow into a small reservoir. A stream flows out of it, reaching a width of no more than 1 meter and a depth of 25-30 cm. The height above sea level in this place is 228 meters.
The length of the stream is 3.2 km. It flows into Lake Malye Verkhity. It flows out of it and flows into the next lake, Bolshie Verkhity. Here the stream widens and turns into a small river that flows into Lake Sterzh. It is 12 km long and 1.5 km wide. The average depth is 5 meters, and the maximum reaches 8 meters. The total area of the lake is 18 square meters. km. The lake is part of the Upper Volga Reservoir, which stretches for 85 km. After the reservoir, the Upper Volga begins.
Great Russian river Volga
Waterway of the great Russian river
The river is conventionally divided into three large sections. These are the Upper, Middle and Lower Volga. The first large city on the path of the water flow is Rzhev. From the source it is 200 km. The next major settlement is the ancient Russian city of Tver with a population of more than 400 thousand people. Here is the Ivankovskoye Reservoir, whose length is 120 km. Next is the Uglich reservoir with a length of 146 km. North of the city of Rybinsk is the Rybinsk Reservoir. This is the northernmost point of the great river. Then it no longer flows to the northeast, but turns to the southeast.
A water stream once carried its waters here along a narrow valley. It crossed a series of hills and lowlands. Now these places have turned into the Gorky Reservoir. On its banks are the cities of Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, and Kineshma. Above Nizhny Novgorod is the regional administrative center of Gorodets. The Nizhny Novgorod hydroelectric power station was built here, forming the Gorky Reservoir, stretching for 427 km.
The Middle Volga begins after reunification with the Oka. This is the largest right tributary. Its length is 1499 km. It flows into the great Russian river in Nizhny Novgorod. This is one of the largest cities in Russia.
Volga on the map
Having absorbed the waters of the Oka, the Volga River becomes wider and rushes to the east. It flows along the northern part of the Volga Upland. Near Cheboksary, her path is blocked by the Cheboksary Hydroelectric Power Station and forms the Cheboksary Reservoir. Its length is 341 km, width is 16 km. After this, the flow of the river shifts to the southeast, and near the city of Kazan it turns to the south.
The Volga becomes a truly powerful river after the Kama flows into it. This is the largest left tributary. Its length is 1805 km. The Kama is superior to the Volga in all respects. But for some reason it doesn’t flow into the Caspian Sea. This is due to historical names and traditions.
After reunification with the Kama, the lower reaches of the great Russian river begin. It is steadily moving south towards the Caspian Sea. On its banks there are cities such as Ulyanovsk, Togliatti, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd. Near Togliatti and Samara, the river forms a bend (Samara Luka), directed to the east. At this point the water flow goes around the Togliatti Mountains. Upstream is the largest reservoir on the river Kuibyshevskoye. In terms of area, it is considered the 3rd largest in the world. Its length reaches 500 km and its width is 40 km.
River pier in Saratov
Downstream beyond Samara is the Saratov Reservoir, reaching a length of 341 km. It is formed by a dam built near the city of Balakovo.
From Samara to Volgograd the river flows to the southwest. Above Volgograd, the left branch is separated from the main water flow. It's called Akhtuba. The length of the arm is 537 km. The Volzhskaya Hydroelectric Power Station was built between Volgograd and the beginning of Akhtuba. It forms the Volgograd Reservoir. Its length is 540 km, and its width reaches 17 km.
Volga Delta
The delta of the great Russian river begins in the Volgograd region. Its length is about 160 km, width reaches 40 km. The delta includes almost 500 canals and small rivers. This is the largest estuary in Europe. The Bakhtemir branch forms the navigable Volga-Caspian Canal. The Kigach River, which is one of the branches, flows through the territory of Kazakhstan. These places contain unique flora and fauna. Here you can find pelicans, flamingos, as well as plants such as lotus.
Such ships sail along the Volga
Shipping
The Volga River underwent significant transformations during Soviet times. Many dams were built on it taking into account navigation. Therefore, ships easily travel from the Caspian Sea to the northern regions of the country.
Communication with the Black Sea and the Don is carried out through the Volga-Don Canal. Communication with the northern lakes (Ladoga, Onega), St. Petersburg and the Baltic Sea is carried out through the Volga-Baltic waterway. The great river is connected to Moscow by the Moscow Canal.
The river is considered navigable from the city of Rzhev to the delta. A wide variety of industrial goods are transported along it. These are oil, coal, timber, food. During the 3 winter months, the water stream freezes along most of its path.
The Volga has a very rich history. Many important things are inextricably linked with it. political events. The economic importance of water flow is also disproportionate. It is the most important artery that unites many regions into a single whole. The largest industrial and administrative centers are located on its banks. There are as many as 4 millionaire cities alone. These are Kazan, Volgograd, Samara and Nizhny Novgorod. Therefore, the mighty waters are rightly called the great Russian river.
Igor Tomshin
Mouth of the Volga River
Volga is one of the most big rivers: Europe. Among the rivers of Russia, it ranks sixth, inferior in terms of drainage area only to the Siberian giant rivers - the Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Amur and Irtysh. It originates on the Valdai Hills, where the source is taken to be a key secured by a wooden frame near the village of Volgine. The source point is 225 m above sea level. The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea. The length of the river is 3690 km, the basin area is 1,380,000 km2.
The mouth lies 28 m below sea level. The total fall is 256 m.
The Volga flows through the territory of the following subjects Russian Federation(from source to mouth): Tver region, Moscow region, Yaroslavl region, Kostroma region, Ivanovo region, Nizhny Novgorod region, Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, Ulyanovsk region, Samara region, Saratov region, Volgograd region, Astrakhan region, Kalmykia.
There are four millionaire cities on the Volga (from source to mouth): Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Volgograd.
The Volga is divided into three parts (elements): the upper Volga - starts from the very source to the mouth of the Oka River, the middle Volga - from the confluence of the Oka up to the mouth of the Kama River and the lower - from the confluence of the Kama to the very mouth.
At its sources, in the upper reaches, on the Valdai Upland, the river passes through small lakes - Bolshoye and Maloye Verkhita and further, through large lakes– Sterzh, Peno, Vselug and Voglo (Upper Volga Reservoir).
The bed of the Volga is winding, but the general direction of the flow is east. Near Kazan, approaching almost the very foothills of the Urals, the river turns sharply to the south. The Volga becomes a truly mighty river only after the Kama flows into it. Near Samara, the Volga makes its way through a whole chain of hills and forms the so-called Samara Luka. Not far from Volgograd, the Volga approaches another mighty river - the Don. Here the river turns again and flows in a south-easterly direction until it flows into the Caspian Sea. At the mouth, the Volga breaks into hundreds of branches, which fan out before flowing into the Caspian Sea and form a vast delta with an area of 19 thousand square meters.
sq.km. The Caspian Sea is an inland body of water, or a giant lake. The mirror of its waters is located 28 m below the level of the World Ocean.
Delta is the shape of a river mouth with channels into which the main channel is divided.
The Volga Delta is the largest river delta in Europe. It begins at the point where the Buzan branch separates from the Volga bed (46 km north of Astrakhan) and has up to 500 branches, channels and small rivers. The main branches are Bakhtemir, Kamyzyak, Staraya Volga, Bolda, Buzan, Akhtuba, Kigach (of which Akhtuba is navigable). They form systems of smaller watercourses (up to 30-40 m wide and water flow less than 50 cubic m/s), which form the basis of the channel network.
Due to the lowering of the Caspian Sea level, the delta area has increased ninefold over the past 130 years.
At the mouth of the Volga stands the city of Astrakhan. Astrakhan is the southernmost of the Volga cities. In the past, it was the capital of the Astrakhan Tatar Khanate. In 1717, Peter I made Astrakhan the capital of the Astrakhan province. Its landmark is the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in the times of Peter the Great with a white Kremlin built from the stone of Sarai - the capital city of the Golden Horde, which stood on Akhtuba.
A modern city is a city of sailors, shipbuilders, and fishermen. The city is located on 11 islands in the upper part of the Volga delta.
The Volga is in dire need of protection. Therefore, a nature reserve was created at the place where the Volga flows into the sea. The unique flora and fauna of the delta (sturgeon, lotus, flamingos, Siberian cranes, pelicans) have been under state protection since 1919 as the Astrakhan Nature Reserve (nominated by Russia for inclusion in the World Heritage List).
Mouth of the Volga near Astrakhan (Caspian Sea)
Education
The Volga is the source. Volga - source and mouth. Volga River Basin
The Volga is one of the important rivers of the world. It carries its waters through the European part of Russia and flows into the Caspian Sea. The industrial importance of the river is great, 8 hydroelectric power stations were built on it, shipping and fishing are well developed. In the 1980s, a bridge was built across the Volga, which is considered the longest in Russia. Its total length from source to mouth is about 3,600 km. But due to the fact that it is not customary to take into account those places that belong to reservoirs, the official length of the Volga River is 3530 km. Among all the water streams in Europe, it is the longest. It contains such large cities as Volgograd, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan. That part of Russia that is adjacent to the central artery of the country is called the Volga region. The river basin covers a little more than 1 million km2. Volga occupies a third of the European part of the Russian Federation.
Briefly about the river
The Volga is fed by snow, groundwater and rainwater. It is characterized by spring floods and autumn floods, as well as low water content in summer and winter.
The Volga River freezes, the source and mouth of which are covered with ice almost simultaneously, in October-November, and in March-April it begins to thaw.
Previously, back in ancient centuries, it was called Ra. Already in the Middle Ages, mentions of the Volga appeared under the name Itil. The current name of the water stream comes from a word in the Proto-Slavic language, which is translated into Russian as “moisture”. There are also other versions of the origin of the name Volga, but it is not yet possible to confirm or refute them. 
Source of the Volga
The Volga, whose source originates in the Tver region, begins at an altitude of 230 m. In the village of Volgoverkhovye there are several springs that were combined into a reservoir. One of them is the beginning of the river. In its upper course it flows through small lakes, and after a few meters it passes through the Upper Volga lakes (Peno, Vselug, Volgo and Sterzh), currently combined into a reservoir.
A tiny swamp, which appearance It hardly attracts tourists - this is the source of the Volga. A map, even the most accurate one, will not have specific data about the beginning of the water flow. 
Video on the topic
Mouth of the Volga
The mouth of the Volga is the Caspian Sea. It is divided into hundreds of branches, resulting in the formation of a wide delta, the area of which is about 19,000 km2.
Because of large quantity In terms of water resources, this area is the richest in plants and animals. The fact that the mouth of the river ranks first in the world in the number of sturgeons already speaks volumes. This river has quite an influence on climatic conditions, which have a beneficial effect on the plant and animal world, as well as on humans. The nature of this area is fascinating and helps to have a pleasant time. The best time to fish here is from April to November. The weather and the number of fish species will never allow you to return empty-handed. 
Vegetable world
The following types of plants grow in the waters of the Volga:
- amphibians (susak, reed, cattail, lotus);
- aquatic submerged (naiad, hornwort, elodea, buttercup);
- aquatic with floating leaves (water lily, duckweed, pondweed, nut);
- algae (hari, cladophora, hara).
The largest number of plants is represented at the mouth of the Volga. The most common species are sedge, wormwood, pondweed, spurge, saltwort, and astragalus. Wormwood, sorrel, reed grass and bedstraw grow in large quantities in the meadows.
The delta of the river called the Volga, the source of which is also not particularly rich in plants, has 500 different species. Sedge, spurge, marshmallow, wormwood and mint are not uncommon here. You can find thickets of blackberries and reeds. Meadows grow on the banks of the water stream. The forest is located in stripes. The most common trees are willow, ash and poplar.
Animal world
The Volga is rich in fish. It is home to many aquatic animals that differ from each other in their mode of existence. In total there are about 70 species, of which 40 are commercial. One of the smallest fish The basin is a small button, the length of which does not exceed 3 cm. It can even be confused with a tadpole. But the largest one is the beluga. Its dimensions can reach 4 m. It is a legendary fish: it can live up to 100 years and weigh more than 1 ton. The most important are roach, catfish, pike, sterlet, carp, pike perch, sturgeon, and bream. Such wealth not only provides products to nearby areas, but is also successfully exported to other countries.
Sterlet, pike, bream, carp, catfish, ruffe, perch, burbot, asp - all these fish representatives live in the inlet stream, and the Volga River is rightfully considered their permanent place of residence. The source, unfortunately, cannot boast of such rich diversity. In places where the water flow is calm and shallow, the southern stickleback lives - the only representative of sticklebacks. And in those areas where the Volga has the most vegetation, you can find carp, which prefers quiet waters. Sevruga, herring, sturgeon, lamprey, and beluga enter the river from the Caspian Sea. Since ancient times, the river has been considered the best for fishing.
You can also find frogs, birds, insects and snakes. Dalmatian pelicans, pheasants, egrets, swans and white-tailed eagles are very common on the banks. All these representatives are quite rare and are listed in the Red Book. There are many protected areas on the banks of the Volga, which help protect rare animal species from extinction. Geese, ducks, teals and mallards nest here. They live in the Volga delta wild boars, and in the nearby steppes - saigas. Very often on the seashore you can find Caspian seals, which are located quite freely near the water. 
The importance of the Volga for Russia
The Volga, whose source is in a village in the Tver region, flows throughout Russia. Through its waterway, the river connects with the Baltic, Azov, Black and White seas, as well as the Tikhvin and Vyshnevolotsk systems. In the Volga basin you can find large forests, as well as rich adjacent fields sown with various industrial and grain crops. The lands in these areas are fertile, which contributed to the development of gardening and melon growing. It should be clarified that in the Volga-Ural zone there are gas and oil deposits, and near Solikamsk and the Volga region there are salt deposits. 
One cannot argue with the fact that the Volga has a large and rich history. She is a participant in many important political events. It also plays a huge economic role, being the main water artery of Russia, thereby uniting several regions into one. It is home to administrative and industrial centers and several millionaire cities. That is why this water stream is called the great Russian river.
The largest of all European rivers, the Volga, in Russia ranks only fifth in size, ahead of the rivers of Siberia and the huge Amur.
In total, the Volga covers a distance of 3,500 kilometers.
Almost along its entire length it is navigable, and about 3,000 kilometers is a tourist route along the river.
During its history, it changed its name twice. Initially, in ancient times, its name was Ra, then, already in the Middle Ages, the river was called Itil.
The Volga begins on the Valdai Hills, from a tiny stream. It’s hard to even believe that after 3.5 thousand kilometers this thin trickle will turn into a powerful water flow, replenishing the volume of the Caspian Sea by 8000 cubic meters every second.
Its waters cover an area equal in size to two Frances or five United Kingdoms. And there is no need to even talk about the importance of the river in the life, economy and culture of Russia. It is simply impossible to imagine the history of the peoples inhabiting the shores without it.
Basically, the Volga is distinguished by its calm disposition, quiet and measured flow. The majestic movement of its waters is, in some places, difficult to even notice. Previously, when there were no dams and reservoirs, the character of the river was steeper. There were also rifts and pitfalls. But the memory of them now remains only in legends and the names of coastal villages and cities.
However, in areas of reservoirs and in the lower reaches of the Volga it can be dangerous. A sad example and lesson of how one should not neglect the power of poetry is the tragedy of the motor ship Bulgaria...
More than two and a half hundred of its tributaries are large in themselves deep rivers. One of them, the largest, Kama, is even larger than itself both in length and in depth.
More or less large rivers, the length of which exceeds 10 kilometers, in the Volga basin there are more than 150 thousand. Guidebooks convince you that you can get to almost anywhere in the world by water from here.
But it’s realistic to take a cruise from Moscow to St. Petersburg, or in the other direction - Nizhny Novgorod and Astrakhan.
The Moscow Canal leads to the capital. The Volga-Baltic Waterway connects it with the Baltic Sea.
To Black and Sea of Azov You can get there by passing through the Volga-Don Canal, and to Beloye - through the White Sea-Baltic and North Dvina water systems.
The Volga also boasts huge fish resources. About 70 species of fish live here, more than half of which are commercial.
Here you can catch sterlet, stellate sturgeon and sturgeon, bream, herring and roach. The coastal areas are no less attractive. The shores are a wonderful place for a relaxing holiday.
In summer, the water warms up to +25 degrees, and where the water thickness is not very large, the temperature reaches +30.