Lena River basin is located in the vast territory of the North-Eastern Siberia (Yakutia and the Irkutsk Region).Some of its tributaries are located in Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk, Trans-Baikal region and Buryatia.Among all the rivers of the world's longest Lena ranks 10th and 8th to overflowing.This body of water is considered the longest river in Russia, which flows under the same name.
General
Source Lena River near Lake Baikal, 145 km from the village Kachug in the Irkutsk region (area of Baikal ridge).Then it flows through Zhigalovsk, Kachugsk, Ust-Kut and Kirensky area which is in the same region.
Yakutia Lena flows into the Lena, Khangalassky, Olekminsky, Namsky, in the urban district of Yakutsk, Zhigansky, Kobyayskiy and Bulunsky areas.It flows into the Laptev Sea, 160 km from the town Chekurovka (Bulunsky district).The direction of the Lena River - from the south to the northeast, and then from Yakutsk to the north.
History of discovery
first information about the huge East River appeared in the early XVII century.Several detachments of Cossacks were sent to explore this unexplored region.In 1628 an expedition went Basil Hillock and his party.They went up the Angara, then took to the Ilim there crossed the watershed and river Kut came to Lena.After a couple of years in the region of North-Eastern Siberia went centurion Petr Beketov.His troops in the Kuta area of the river were built the first houses, so began to establish a new city - Ust-Kut.
In 1733-1743 years the Lena River basin began to study the members of a scientific expedition of Kamchatka.In the 19th century, the region continued to explore Chekanovsky, Anjou, Toll and other scientists.In the years 1910-1915 on the Lena were cartographic work.In 1919-1920, according to the results of the expedition and Evgenova Mathisen was drawn up an inventory of water from its mouth to the city of Yakutsk.The name "Lena", oddly enough, it is not connected with Russian female name, and comes from the Yakut "Yeh-lii-Ene", which translates as "big river."
tributary of the River Lena
main tributaries:
- Young, Kuta Viluy (the largest tributaries of the left).
- Tea, Aldan, Vitim, Feeling, Kirenga, Olekma (the biggest right tributaries).
The biggest of them is the Aldan River basin with an area of 729,000 sq. M.
Smaller tributaries:
- right: Suhusha, Orlinga, Beach, Zharkov, Chichapta, Iga, Dyanshka, Tayura, Dzhardzhan, Kovtorov, Botovka, Anga, Tutura, Big River, distilling, Shapkin Buotmama, Berezovka, Small Balakhnev, Yukte, Larch, Chechuy, Upper Sarafaniha, Tuolba, marshy ground, Kovtorov, Kuzmin, Elovetsky, Sobolokh-Mayan, Parshinka, Zakobeninskaya river and others;
- left: the Indus, Yamny, Ilga, Lower, Atalanga, Markha, moons, Zaharovka, Dry, Upper Bochakta, Shulaga, Turuk, Skate, Nama, Semiga, Bobrovka, Kazimirka, Bots, Fedorivka, Ilikta, Talabak, Kuchta,Fedorivka half, Potapovka, Kokarev, to be slain, Peleduy, Horuonka, Eekit, Tympylykan, Bear, Pilyuda, Rassokha, Yamny, Upper Katyma, Moksheniha, Meneevsky, Lower Katyma, Olenek, Chembalovka, Bear, Nemtanka, Ichera, Zaharovka, Stepaniha,Kulenga other.
hydrological regime
length of the Lena River is 4,400 km.Maximum depth - 21 km.Maximum width of the armhole - 30 km.Basin area of 2 490 000 km ².Power Lena and its tributaries almost all carried out by melted snow and rainwater.Because of the permafrost little pond fed by groundwater, however, with the exception of geothermal sources.In the spring of the river there is a flood, flooding happens more in the summer and autumn and winter are characterized by low-low-water periods.
Relief and soil
Upper pond and a large part of its right tributaries are located in mountainous areas of the Baikal region, the Aldan Plateau and the Trans-Baikal.Part of the pool is located on the left bank of the Central Siberian Plateau.The lowest section of the river is in the middle and lower it during the (Central Yakut lowland).After Pokrovsk city, which is located in Yakutia, for the Lena River slows to a crawl.
River can be divided into three main areas: from the source, which is located 12 km from the lake at an altitude of 1470 meters, to the confluence of the Vitim River (upper portion) of the latter to the confluence of Aldan (middle), and from this pointto the mouth (bottom).
on the upper part of the river accounts for almost a third of its length.The width of the valley ranges from 1.3 km to 10 km, in some places the channel narrows to 200 meters.The slopes are steep and rocky pond.The height of the Lena River in the area is 300 meters.
In the middle reaches it becomes more affluent.Its size is particularly increased after the confluence with the river Olekma.Here, the width of the channel up to 2 km.Below the mouth of the Lena Olekma valley becomes narrower with limestone strongly dissected slopes, which are isolated rocks.
Below the mouth of the Aldan River basin Lena borders beyond the Central Yakut plain.In this region, its valley widens to 20-25 km, and the width of the armhole - 7-15 km.The bed of water bodies is very ramified.Valley quite asymmetrical: the slope of the Lena River on the left bank is much lower than on the right.In this area, the depth reaches 16-20 meters.In the lower reaches of the reservoir pool is narrow: there are hills west Central Siberian Plateau and the east are the spurs much of the Verkhoyansk Range.Further, in an area where the river flows between the ridge and Czekanowski Kharaulakh mountains, channel width is narrowed to 2 km.
In a place where the reservoir flows into the Laptev Sea, forming a vast delta with numerous branches (this can be seen if you look at the pool of the Lena River on the map), which exceeds the largest delta of the Nile (30 000 km. Sq.).There are important ecological areas: parks Falcon and the Ust-Lena and reserve "Lena-Mouth".In these places, there are about 109 species of birds, 32 species of fish, 33 mammals and 402 species of plants.
Features
Lena River is significantly different from other rivers with a powerful ice regime.A fairly strong and thick ballast ice is formed on the pond in the harsh, long and snowy winters.Without it, the river holds approximately 5-6 months in the south and 4-5 months in the north.She freezing set about 10 days later than in the tributaries of the reservoir.Upper Lena River freezes over in late October, and the bottom - from the end of September.Completely thaw pond in mid-May in the upper and only at the beginning of the summer - in the lower reaches.The maximum temperature of the water can reach 19 C in the upstream and about 14 C - in the bottom.
In late April, spring flooding is frequently observed near the town of Kirensk (upper part of the Lena) and gradually shifted to the north, where there comes an even ice-covered pond.In the lower reaches of the river is a phenomenon usually observed in mid-June.Here, the rise of water can be up to 18 meters.Every year in the Laptev Sea Lena makes about 41 ths. Tons of dissolved substances.
for ponds also typical periodic increase in annual runoff, which does not happen as a result of a large amount of sediment in the water, but because there is an intensive melting of permafrost and ice at the bottom of the Lena.This phenomenon is due to the fact that in recent years in northern Yakutia temperature higher than usual.
Places
most major cities and towns on the river are considered Kachug, Ust-Ilga, Vitim Verkholensk, Sangar, Yakutsk, Best, Maimaga, Feeling, Chekurovka, Omoloy, Bahanay, horintsy, Sinskaya and others.
largest ports: Lensk, Sangar, Pokrovsky, Tiksi, sturgeon Kirensk, Olekminsk and Yakutsk.
most major city of the region is considered to Yakutsk.It was founded in 1632 detachment of Cossacks Peter Beketov on the right side of the pond.Later it was moved to the left bank of the Lena River.Now its population is approximately 240 thousand inhabitants.This is one of the largest settlements of the North-Eastern Siberia.
the whole bank of the river inhabited by little.From one village to the other times the distance can be up to hundreds of kilometers.Most of the settlements located near Yakutsk.Many villages are in a derelict state.
Vegetation
Much of the territory is covered with taiga and vast coniferous forests.In this region grow cedars, spruce, larch, fir and pine.However, in some parts of the coast of the Lena found the meadows, where there is a steppe vegetation (such as wormwood, fescue).
Ichthyofauna
Lena River basin is rich in fish species: whitefish, pike, ide, lenok, catfish, tungun, whitefish, dace, eel, trout, grayling, cisco, ruff, perch, carp, roach and bream.
Animals
Among animals there live ermine, mink, wolf, bear, caribou, marten.Soft and fluffy fur helps beasts endure harsh winters quite easily.Birds Region - Tit and Redpoll tundra, tundra swan and pink seagull - also have a warm thick plumage.
water quality in the river
observed turbidity of less than 50-60 g / m³.The salinity of the reservoir - from fresh to saltwater.In general, Lena is characterized by medium and low mineralization.The average observed during the floods and floods.If we talk about the chemical composition, the water can be attributed to the hydro-carbonate-calcium.
Shipping
Lena is considered to be the main waterway of Yakutia and the Irkutsk region.The river is navigable from its mouth to Kachug.From the village of Ust-Kut on the Lena can swim only vessels with shallow draft.On small plots annually measures for dredging the pond.The navigation period lasts from about 125 to 170 days.It should be noted that it is on this body of water made a significant part of "northern delivery".
Tourism
floating on the river cruise ships and small boats.Lena - a popular place for fishing both tourists and locals alike.
Lena River basin is famous for the so-called Shishkin rocks.It is very well preserved rock inscriptions of ancient people.Are they in the upper reservoir.It is worth noting that this is the only place where so vividly and clearly presents works of primitive man
Equally popular among tourists Lena Pillars (Yakutia Khangalassky district) - a unique geological formation - and the nature reserve, which is located on the right bank of the river.One of the rapids is called "Devil's path" and the rock called "Drunk bull".In the area of Lena Pillars were also found traces of ancient people.This fact confirms the theory of non-tropical origin of man.Although scientists have a different date the age of the Neolithic sites, it is known that members of the genus Homo lived here at least 300 thousand years ago.
In Siberia, really a lot of miracles, but in the taiga wilderness - just phenomenal.On the right bank of the river there is a small area (about 1 km) of sand dunes, which create the illusion of an arid and hot terrain.Destroy this deception only adjacent pine.The explanation for this phenomenon, there are many, though not one of them has not officially been made.
resources and energy potential
On Lena created 12 reservoirs, two of the largest hydroelectric power station are on Vilyue and Mamakane.The basin is famous for its minerals.Here are Aldan, and Bodaibo gold-bearing areas.Gold deposits in the basin of the Lena was found in the early 19th century.Pretty soon after that the fame of the incredible wealth of the area swept across Russia.The region started a real gold rush in Alaska.Coast began to occupy a lot of fans of easy money.Among them were representatives of different sectors of the population: merchants, craftsmen, fugitive soldiers.Many of them in the pursuit of wealth have died from hunger and disease, but the gold seekers still only getting bigger and bigger.
On the river Viluy also placed diamond deposit, which was discovered in 1955.Previously it was thought that these stones are only found in tropical countries.Now the diamond capital of Russia is considered a major city of Mirny.In addition, there are such resources as coal, natural gas, mica, rock salt, iron ore and others.
this harsh and inhospitable at first sight in its own region is beautiful and attractive.As it turned out, despite its apparent inaccessibility, water and coast Lena contain many riches.It is possible that in these areas will show many more treasures, since the river basin is not fully understood.
