One of the major tributaries of the Don River is Hopper, stretching 1,000 km through Penza, Saratov, Voronezh and Volgograd regions.The source is located in the village of Handful of Penza region, where 12 pure springs are joined into one stream.
Legend has it that in those places lived an old man named Hopper who discovered 12 springs and connected them with a shovel, and then built a mill and grind it into flour for the grain residents of nearby villages.The river was named Chopra and Chopra, a monument to the old man at the origins.
sinuous and inconstant river Hopper, the map shows that the flow of repeatedly changing speed and direction.Narrow areas with strong fast current are replaced by calm quiet backwaters that can end in a whirlpool.Initially Hopper river flows in a southwesterly direction, then turns to the southeast and near the confluence of the Don again makes a turn.The pool Chopra many lakes and oxbow lakes, islands, left bank of the flat, and the right - and ovrazhisty fairly steep, overgrown with shrubs and forest.
Hopper - the river, photo which will not leave anyone indifferent.Floodplain exceptionally picturesque, especially during the spring floods.
Hopper river has many tributaries, the largest of which are the rivers Arkadachka, Kara Crow, Tamala, Serdoba, Zavala, Karachay, Olshanka.Flora and fauna of the river valley is represented in Arkadakskom, Almazovskom and Khopyor reserves.
Khopersky Park occupies a large area in the middle reaches of the river - about 50 km.The fauna is represented by beaver, squirrels, bison, rare species of bats, wild ducks, foxes, martens, deer and other animals.In Khoper a lot of fish - pike, bream, perch, roach, bream, carp, catfish, perch, ide.It is home to muskrat - animals listed in the Red Book as a relict species.
The flora is represented by shrubs, woody and herbaceous species.Floodplain forests Chopra include oak, maple, poplar, linden, ash, elm, aspen.The undergrowth is formed of hazel, buckthorn, wild cherry, wild rose, viburnum, blackthorn and wild apple trees.Among herbaceous occur ground elder, lungwort, gagea, sedge, blackberries.On the right bank, near the confluence of the Crow and Chopra, ancient and vast stretches Tellerman forest.
Hopper river some time ago was considered one of the most beautiful and cleanest rivers in Europe, is now the environmental situation has deteriorated significantly due to the destructive activities of the population.The main reasons - discharge of industrial waste into the river, soil erosion, deforestation of riparian forests, siltation of springs, leading to a gradual waterlogging Chopra.
To stop the negative processes of river pollution, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive clean bed to suspend the destruction of trees, coast guard health area - in other words, to restore the natural balance of nature.An important measure will be to conduct outreach to explain the need to protect the unique nature Chopra.
