Western Dvina River - a waterway in the north of Europe.It flows through the territory of Latvia, Belarus and Russia.The ancient name of the river - and Hesin Eridanus.It begins in the Tver region.Here she is gradually gaining strength to jerk across the three countries and replenish its waters Baltic Sea.In the Tver region on the banks of the river mentioned in the dense forests is a small town of the same name, which is, among other things, the center Zapadnodvinsky District.
ancient city of the Western Dvina (Tver region)
history of this region has five millennia.According to archaeological data, the first settlement here date back to the Neolithic period.On the outskirts of the city discovered the oldest Slavic settlement, which allows to make the assumption that in ancient times the water resources of the region were used by our ancestors as transportation routes and made these unique places attractive to people's lives.Life was never quiet in these parts, to the local populations who regularly attack comes from the Baltic Lithuanians.As a result, only the beginning of the fifteenth century, the locals managed to win the land and possess long 150 years.However, during the Livonian War (1558-1573 years) was again a struggle over the edge.In the first phase Ivan the Terrible was forced to give up their Lithuanian prince Bathory.However, by the end of the military conflict zapadnodvinsky edge again it was incorporated into the Muscovite state.In the seventeenth century here invaded the Polish-Swedish invaders.And only in the middle of the nineteenth century in the region there is a tendency for economic and social development.
modern city Western Dvina (Tver region)
During numerous wars ancient settlement has been completely wiped out.And only in the twenties of the last century, there appears a village, and then the urban village Zapadnaya Dvina.The town was founded ten years later, thanks to built here the largest logging plant.Today, the Western Dvina - is the administrative center Zapadnodvinsky District of Tver region.According to the census of 2010, the number of its 10.2 thousand people.Accidentally hit the tourists would not stay in this god-forsaken and people "resort town" and it has a number of objective reasons.The only interesting place here is the Forestry Works, but you there is still no let, unless you settle down there to work, but it is only capable of Extreme.However, there is in this town and its attractions: Museum of history and local history, which is the local school number 1 on Kirov Street in the house number 16, acting Orthodox Christian church of St. Nicholas (the street Shcherbakova, house number 8), built quite recently - in2008.From the monuments of history, culture and archeology preserved only dilapidated temples and archaeological ensembles: the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the Holy Trinity, the Transfiguration of the Lord and Savior.Perhaps these ruins and are of some interest to historians and archaeologists, but "advanced" traveler, they are unlikely to surprise.The tourist infrastructure in the city is not completely developed, there are only two cafes with colorful names "Vova" and "Una" and the restaurant "Dvina".In fairness it should be noted that in this village there is a ski lodge "Mukhino", but in the summer you there will be boring and uninteresting.As you can see, the range is very meager, and it is understandable, because the Western Dvina - an industrial town.But the area is of interest for tourists.These excursions that allow to get acquainted with the most beautiful monuments of nature: lakes and Savinskoe Vysochert, the locus of the water chestnut Chilim listed in the Red Book, old park "Nikopol", which saved rare trees, Velesskoy marsh system.But in most cases these regions attract fans of water recreation and fishing.That is not surprising, because the place is notable.Not only that nature is very beautiful, so still and the river Western Dvina is rich in rare species of fish.
Description waterbody
Western Dvina for a long time for a man to highways.On it he lays the ancient route "from the Vikings to the Greeks", which is described by the chronicler Nestor in the years 1114-1116 in the famous "Tale of Bygone Years".Source of the Western Dvina - Lake Koryakina (Valdai Hills).The river carries its turbulent waters through hilly plains and depressions left by the motion of an ancient glacier.The total length of the water body is 1020 kilometers.Every year, it carries up to twenty cubic kilometers of water in the Baltic Sea.Basin lake system contains up to four cubic kilometers of fresh water.This region is very generously endowed with extraordinary charm.Here reign mixed forests, which cover a quarter of the basin.In the upper reaches of the river, forests, dominated by spruce, and in the middle reaches - birch, aspen and alder.Polotsk plain grow mostly pine forests.
Geography River
On the map of the Western Dvina noteworthy rich palette of green in your pool.It is characterized by numerous depressions that were once glacial lakes.Narrow sections of the valley, where the river passes through a moraine ridge, where they show a descent.One of the most extensive of former lakes - a modern Polotsk Lowland.The surface of her almost flat or gently undulating, very swampy places, it is composed of clay and sand belt.River Valley was formed about 12-13 million years ago, it is unformed features.On the territory of Belarus its channel width of 100-300 meters, it is often found shoals and rapids.In some places the valley narrows and becomes a canyon with a depth of up to fifty meters.But, leaving the Baltic plain, Western Dvina turns into deep river, its bed up to 800 meters wide, and the valley comes to six kilometers.
Swimming Pool Western Dvina form more than twelve thousand small and large rivers.The largest tributary is Meza, its length is 259 km and a catchment area - 9080 square kilometers.Most tributaries occur or originate from numerous lakes, thereby forming a very complex hydrographic system.Blue Lakes placer places combined into groups: Ušačy, Zarasai, Braslavsky.The largest are Osveyskoye, Lukomskaya, Lubāns, Lake Zhizhitskoye, Drisvyaty different, Drivyaty.The total area of lakes exceeds two thousand square kilometers and reaches three percent of the total catchment area of the river.
Seasonal filling
Western Dvina is a plain river, its main flow is formed by the melting snow that accumulates during the winter.This explains the nature of the distribution and flow of the waterway throughout the year.In the spring, characterized by high water, excessive floods, which is accompanied by significant spills and flooding of the floodplain, in addition, it contributes to the spring rain.Western Dvina to the beginning of the summer begins to calm down, the waters returned into the channel of the river, and by mid-June recorded a significant decline in the water.During the rest of the year depends on runoff sediment and groundwater.In summer and autumn, when the rain comes, the Western Dvina could even get out of their coasts.In winter, the volume decreases significantly, at this time the river level is the lowest, because the foundation of his power up groundwater.
Dangerous river
But do not think that the life of the river during the winter low water such a serene.In late autumn, when the river is covered with ice, slush on it goes.As a result, the water are different hazards - zazhery.The channel on its separate sites can be completely clogged with slush, resulting in significantly increased levels of the river, creating flooding and extensive flooding upstream.A similar phenomenon may occur in the spring, when the channel is clogged with ice.
People come and go, but the river flows ...
time immemorial people have tried to tame the capricious river and adapt it for their own economic purposes.Today, on the Western Dvina created a cascade consisting of three large reservoirs.It is rich in water resources used in hydro and thermal power sector, water supply, transportation purposes, for recreation and fishing.Local places rich in monuments of ancient architecture that are witnessed many historical events.For example, Elder Belarusian towns - Polotsk - is decorated with an ancient St. Sophia Cathedral.It is a monument of architecture of the eleventh century.In the same city lived and worked Simeon and Georgy Skorina, and in one of the houses during the Swedish war stopped Peter.Another ancient city - Vitebsk (an important trading center on the way "from the Vikings to the Greeks") - has a thousand-year history.
Fishing on the Western Dvina
This unique corner of the Tver region attracts many tourists and fishing enthusiasts.Clean area (this confirms Medal of the All-Russian contest "The eco-friendly district") is replete with lakes with huge fish resources, which will not leave any chance for a bad bite.Unique and Western Dvina River, covered with forests that make up the bulk of the natural resources of the region.This water body attracts lovers of fishing chub.After it on the river a lot, even individuals caught up to three kilograms.A large number of his feature contributes to the river: rapids abound here, shoals, islands and huge boulders.All these places are like a magnet attract the fish, especially the rolls.In the spring and early summer the chub caught in front of them, at the exit of the pits, and until late autumn - for them, where a bank goes into depth.
You do not like that kind of fishing?Western Dvina rich and for other types of fish, such as pike and perch.Fans spinning tackle will get here an incredible feeling.Fishing season begins at the end of May.At this time, the water level in the river drops significantly, and the near shore zone can observe a high concentration of medium-sized pike and a half kilograms.Caught it on all kinds of bait, but prefers spinners.Perch as well bite into small "pinwheel» (№ 0-2).Caught here mainly instances 400 grams.Since the second half of the summer until mid-October, caught a pike weighing 2-3 kilograms, sometimes more.
