Altai mountains. The main river of the Altai region is the Ob. The main river of Altai

Rivers of the Altai Territory

Ob
The main river of the Altai region is the Ob, formed from the confluence of two rivers - the Biya and the Katun. At a distance of 500 kilometers, the wide ribbon of the Ob crosses the Altai Territory, forming two giant bends. In its length (3680 km) it is second in Russia only to the Lena (4264 km) and Amur (4354 km), and in terms of the area of ​​the Ob basin it is the largest large river our country, second only to five rivers on the planet: the Amazon, Congo, Mississippi, Nile and La Plata.

The Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Anui, Alei, Bolshaya Rechka, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding channels with sandy reaches adjoin.
Barnaulka River- tributary of the Ob River

The bottom of the Ob is sandy over a large area. Sometimes you come across rocky rifts and shoals, there are especially many of them in the section of the river between Biysk and Barnaul. During floods, the water level in the Ob is high; water floods the right low bank for several kilometers.

Name great river The Ob owes its origin not to the peoples who have lived on its banks from time immemorial. The Nenets living in the lower reaches of the river called it “Sala-yam”, which means “Cape River”. The Khanty and Mansi gave it the name “As” - “ big river“, the Selkups called the river “Kvay”, “Eme”, “Kuay”. All these names meant “large river.” The Russians first saw the river in its lower reaches when, together with their Zyryan guides, they went beyond the Kamen (as they called it then Ural Mountains) hunters and merchants. Long before Ermak’s conquest of Siberia, the region around the Ob was called Obdorsky.

There is a version that the name of the great Siberian river comes from the Komi language, which meant “snow”, “snowdrift”, “place near the snow”.

There is also an assumption that the name is related to the Iranian word “ob” - “water”. And such a name deep river could well have been given by the peoples of the Iranian-speaking group living in the south Western Siberia during the period from the Early Bronze Age to the Middle Ages.

Biya
Biya is the second largest river in Altai. It originates in Lake Teletskoye. Its length is 280 kilometers. In the upper part of the river there are rapids, waterfalls, and rifts. Merging with Katun, Biya gives rise to the Ob.

The name Biya is associated with the Altai words “biy”, “beg”, “bii” - “lord”.

Katun
The Katun flows from the Gebler glacier at an altitude of about 2000 meters on the southern slope of the high mountain Altai - Belukhas. In the upper and middle reaches the river has a mountainous character, especially in summer time when snow and glaciers are rapidly melting. In the lower reaches it acquires a flat character, spreading below the village. The Maima has channels and channels, and flows along an inclined plain to the north until it merges with the Biya.

The water in the Katun is cold, its temperature in summer rarely rises above 15 C. The river is fed mainly by the melting of snow and ice from glaciers. The length of the river is 665 kilometers, and there are about 7,000 waterfalls and rapids in its basin.

Aley
Alei is the largest tributary of the Ob on the flat part of the region. In length (755 km) it exceeds Katun and Biya, but is inferior to them in terms of water content. Alei originates in the low mountains of northwestern Altai. This is a river with a mixed type of feeding (snow and rain), the spring flood reaches its maximum in April. Alei is characterized by large loop-shaped bends; in the lower reaches the river has broad clay soil.

Chumysh
Chumysh is the right tributary of the Ob. The river originates in Salair, from the confluence of two rivers: Tom-Chumysh and Kara-Chumysh. Although the river is twice as long as the Biya (644 km), the Chumysh is a relatively low-water river. In many places its valley is swampy and covered mixed forest. The share of snow supply makes up more than half of the runoff for the year, and the maximum flood in Chumysh is in April.

Lakes of Altai

The Altai lakes are picturesque. There are thousands of them in the region, and they are located throughout the territory.

Most of the lakes are located in the Kulunda Lowland and on the Priob Plateau. It’s not for nothing that Altai is called the land of blue lakes. Small mountain and steppe lakes give natural landscapes unique charm and uniqueness.

The most big lake in the Altai Territory there is a bitter-salty lake Kulundinskoye (area 600 sq. km, length - 35 and width 25 km). It is shallow, ( maximum depth- 4 m), fed by the waters of the Kulunda River and groundwater. To the south of Kulundinsky there is the second largest lake - Kuchukskoye (area 180 sq. km). It is completely similar in regime and nutrition to Kulundinsky and was previously connected to it by a channel.

The Kulunda lakes are all remnants ancient sea, which existed many millions of years ago on the site of the present plains. Many of these lakes have long been famous for their mineral waters, having healing properties, and healing clays and dirt. Gorkoe-Peresheichnoye and Malinovoye are places of pilgrimage for residents of the region and numerous guests. There has been a medical and health complex on the salty Bolshoi Yarovoe Lake for many years. Salty water, abundance of steppe sun, picturesque Pinery The shores of such lakes create unique conditions for recreation.

There is a lot of fish in the fresh flowing lakes, and waterfowl in the reed thickets along the banks.

The lakes of the mountainous part of the Altai Territory are very picturesque. They are located in the hollows of ancient drainage, on the site of old riverbeds that have long disappeared mountain rivers, which arose during the melting of an ancient glacier.

Lake Aya

The unique beauty of Lake Kolyvan, along the shores of which quaint castles of granite rocks are piled up. You can admire the stone sculptures of fantastic animals while lying on the sandy beach.

Kolyvan Lake

Many of these lakes form long chain, connecting with each other through channels and small rivers. Some of these lakes give rise to the left tributaries of the Ob (the Barnaulka River, flowing through the territory of the regional center, originates from such lakes located in the forest near the villages of Peschanoye and Voronikha).

Between the Biya and Chumysh rivers there are small and shallow freshwater lakes. There are lakes on the floodplains of lowland rivers, and in ancient and modern river valleys there are small elongated lakes - oxbow lakes.

The Altai region is also rich in mineral springs. What makes it especially famous is its radon sources, which have been used by the local population since time immemorial. medicinal purposes. Both in our country and abroad, the famous radon waters of Belokurikha are famous, where numerous resorts and health resorts have been built. The presence of radon waters was noted in the valleys of the Kalmanka and Berezovaya rivers.

Waterfalls are also common in Altai, like the waterfall on the Shinok River, not far from Denisova Cave, about 70 meters high, until recently it was known only local residents. Now many people dream of visiting here. Currently, there are eight waterfalls and one waterfall on the Shinok River. In 2000, the Cascade of Waterfalls on the Shinok River reserve acquired the status of a natural monument.

The rivers of the Altai Territory mainly belong to the Ob system. In the west and north-west of the region there is an area of ​​internal drainage - the drainless basin of the Kulundinskaya Lowland.

The Altai region crosses in its upper reaches the Ob River. At a distance of 500 km, its wide ribbon forms two giant bends. Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Aley, Big River , Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding river beds lie, with clearly visible sandy reaches.

The river network in the Altai Mountains, with the exception of the southeast, is well developed. Rivers start from glaciers and numerous lakes. Some flat watersheds contain swamps that give rise to rivers ( Bashkaus- Chulyshman tributary). Mountain rivers flow in narrow valleys, sometimes in dark, gloomy gorges. Along a rocky channel strewn with boulders and pebbles, the water rushes down with a large fall, encounters hard crystalline ledges and rapids along the way, breaks against them, turning into white bubbling foam. The noise of the rapids gives way to the roar of waterfalls, of which there are many in the Altai highlands.

The picture of thundering water falling in ledges from a height of tens of meters is amazing. The tallest and beautiful waterfalls located on the slopes of the Belukha massif. On the northern slope Tekelu(the right tributary of the Akkem) there is a waterfall 60 m high; on the Tigirek (the left tributary of the Kucherla) there is a waterfall of 40 m. On the southern slope of Belukha, in the upper reaches of the Katun, on its right tributary, there is Rossypnoy waterfall 30 m high. There are dozens of waterfalls on the rivers flowing into Lake Teletskoye. Well known Korbu waterfall, its powerful stream falls from a 12-meter height.

The rivers of the Altai Territory have a mixed supply: rain, snow, glaciers and groundwater.

The rivers of the Kulundinskaya Lowland are predominantly fed by snow. They are characterized by spring floods. Very little in summer atmospheric precipitation, rivers become very shallow and dry up in many places. By the end of summer, there is almost no water left in the upper reaches of the Kuchuk River; the channel represents chains of small elongated lakes.

Ob- a lowland river, but its sources and main tributaries are in the mountains, therefore, in the diet and regime of the Ob, signs of lowland and mountain rivers are observed. The Ob has two maximum water rises - in spring and summer. The spring rise in water occurs from the melting of snow, and the summer rise from the melting of glaciers. Most low level water in the Ob in winter.

Low water in winter is typical for most rivers in the region. Rivers freeze for a long time. Freeze-up on the Ob and rivers of the plains begins in the second half of November; by the end of April they are free of ice.

Mountain rivers belong to the Altai type, which has special treatment and nutrition. First of all, they are rich in water, since they have food sources that continuously replenish water supplies from precipitation, melting glaciers and the influx of groundwater.

Snow melts in the mountains for several months, from April to June. The second feature of snow melting is that the snow melts first in the north Gorny Altai in the lowlands, and then in the middle mountains and finally in the southern highlands. In June, snowfields and glaciers begin to melt. Sunny clear days alternate with rainy ones. There are years with long summer rains. Precipitation often falls in the form of showers, and the water level in rivers rises quickly and strongly. The rivers of the highlands are fed by snow and glaciers and therefore are characterized by a summer, namely June, rise in water. Autumn floods occur. It drains in four to five months most of annual water norm.

Rivers of middle and low mountains have two high levels water: in spring and summer - high water in late May and early June; in summer and autumn - floods from melting glaciers and autumn rains. In autumn and winter there is low water. Mountain rivers freeze later than lowland rivers. The water does not freeze on the rapids; ice forms through the open rapids. Often rivers freeze to the bottom, ice plugs appear that the water cannot break through, it comes to the surface, and ice floods the valleys. In some mountain rivers, the process of ice formation occurs simultaneously on the surface and along the bottom of the channel. Surface and bottom ice combine to create a barrier to water. It finds its way out through the surface ice and ice dams form again. Ice cover lasts up to 7 months.

Belukha is not only a glacial junction, but also the most important feeding center for large and small rivers spreading from Belukha in different directions. The Belukha glaciers are very active in this regard, because they end low, which means they melt a lot and at the same time receive a lot of precipitation. According to the available hydrometric data, the first place in terms of water content belongs to the Iedygem River, the second and third are the Katun and Bereli, then the Ak-kem and Myushtu-airy. The total flow of glacial water produced by Belukha is estimated at approximately 400 million cubic meters. m. per year. This entire mass of water is taken at an altitude of about 2000 m and, therefore, has a huge potential reserve of power.

The Ak-kem River flows from the Ak-kem glacier and is a turbulent foamy stream. There are two lakes on the Ak-kem River: Upper and Lower, which are of glacial origin. The largest of them, Lower Akkem Lake, 1350 m long and 610 m wide, has a mirror area of ​​1 sq. km and a depth of 15 m. It lies at an altitude of 2050 m and is formed by one of the young moraines. Upper Ak-Kem Lake, which is small in size, is located near the tongue of the Ak-Kem glacier and was formed by the youngest Late Holocene...

The Alambay River is the right tributary of the Chumysh, flowing into it near the city of Zarinsk. Originates 2.5 km to southeast from railway station Alambay (Zarinsky district of Altai Territory). Length 140 km, basin area 1960 sq. km. The main tributaries: Ingara (right, length 28 km), Lesnoy Alambay (right, length 68 km), Khmelevka (right, length 28 km), Borovlyanka (left, length 21 km). Top part The basin is located on the dissected lowlands of the Salair ridge, the lower one is on the gently ridged Pre-Salair...

The Alei River is the left tributary of the river. Obi. It flows into it near the village of Ust-Aleika, Kalmansky district, Altai Territory. The source of the Vostochny Alei River is taken as the beginning of the river. The length of Alei is 866 km, the drainage basin area is 21,100 sq. km. The main tributaries: Goltsovka, Kamenka, Zolotukha, Kizikha, Poperechnaya, Klepechikha, Yazevka, Gorevka, Chistyunka. In the middle reaches, the floodplain is crossed by large longitudinal channels: Sklyuikha (length 62 km), Bashmachikha (15 km), Vavilon (40 km). On the left bank there are cities...

The Barnaulka River is a left tributary of the river. Ob and flows into it near the city of Barnaul. It flows out of Lake Zerkalnoye in the Shipunovsky district of the Altai Territory. Length 207 km, drainage basin area 5720 sq. km. Basically, all the tributaries flow into it from the left: Voronikha, Rozhnya, Kolyvan, Panshikha, Shtabka, Vlasikha. The drainage basin is located entirely on the Priob Plateau. It extends in a narrow strip (20-27 km) from southwest to northeast for 240 km. The modern valley is located in the hollow of an ancient drainage. IN...

Biya Biy (river), Biysk (city) - “Biy is the lord.” The Biya is the second most powerful river (after the Katun) of the Altai Republic. It receives the bulk of its water from Lake Teletskoye; average annual water consumption at the outlet is 221 cubic meters. m per second. In the first 100 km, the average drop is approximately 1.6 m per kilometer. The current speed is 7-9 km per hour, depending on the water level in Lake Teletskoye. In the upper reaches of the Biya it passes through the territory of the Altai Republic in a northern direction among low ridges. For s. Lake-Kureevo...

Bolshaya Rechka, river, right tributary of the Ob. It originates 12 km from the village of Gornovoe, Troitsky district, Altai Territory. Length 258 km, drainage basin area 4000 sq. km. There are 294 lakes in the catchment area with a total surface area of ​​28.9 sq. km. The main tributaries: Eltsovka (left, length 23 km), Belaya (left, length 61 km), Borovlyanka (left, length 45 km), Listvyanka (right, length 25 km), Kamyshenka (left, length 76 km). The upper and middle parts of the basin are located on the ridged Biysk-Chumysh upland with dense...

The Burla River is located in the drainage region of the Ob-Irtysh interfluve. The river originates 8 km northeast of the village of Dolganki, Krutikhinsky district. In high-water years, it flows into the drainless bitter-salty Lake Bolshoy Adzhbulat on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in medium- and low-water years - into Lake Bolshoye Topolnoe in the Burlinsky district of the Altai Territory. The length of the river is 489 km, the basin area is 12800 square meters. km. Main tributaries: Panshikha (left, length 22 km), Kurya (Aksenikha, left, length...

The Kasmala River, a left tributary of the Ob, originates in a swampy watershed south of the Podstepnoye village in the Rebrikhinsky district of the Altai Territory. It flows into the Ob-Tikhaya channel in the Pavlovsk region of the Altai Territory. The length of the river is 119 km, the catchment area is 2550 sq. km. It receives a number of tributaries: Kalmanka, Rebrikha, Barsuchikha, Torbachikha, Borovlyanka, Rogozikha, Funtovka, Chernopyatovka. The drainage basin is flat, on the Priob plateau. Bolina is located in the hollow of an ancient drainage, in the Kasmalinsky ribbon forest. Floodplain...

Among the numerous rivers of Altai, the largest and longest is the Katun. It originates from the glaciers of Mount Belukha and extends in the northwest beyond the Altai Mountains. Merging with the second largest river in Altai, the Biya, the Katun gives rise to one of the largest Siberian rivers, the Ob. The length of the Katun is 688 km. Depending on the slope and nature of the riverbed, the river either rumbles between stones and boulders, or calmly flows along the flattened sections of the bottom, overgrown with willow bushes and...

The Kulunda River is located in the drainage region of the Ob-Irtysh interfluve. It flows from a small swamp 2 km north of the village of Ust-Moshikha, Rebrikha district, Altai Territory. It flows into Lake Kulundinskoye in two branches. The length of the river is 412 km, the basin area is 12,400 square meters. km. The largest tributaries: Ermachikha (left, length 37 km), Solonovka (right, length 37 km), Cheremshanka (right, length 56 km), Proslauha (right, length 78 km), Chuman (right, length 88 km). The drainage basin is flat...

The Kucherla River, which flows into the Katun, is formed as a result of the confluence of three equal river streams of its sources: Koni-Ayra, Ioldo-Ayra and Myushtu-Ayra. The general Kucherla valley turns out to be deeper than the valleys of each of the three equal sources. These rivers have large, beautiful waterfalls. When it flows into Lake Kucherlinskoye, the Kucherla River already looks like a stormy river, which is not so easy to cross. There are 43 lakes in the Kucherla valley, most of which are concentrated in the upper reaches of the valleys...

The Kuchuk River originates 10 km south of the village. Voznesenka, Rodinsky district, Altai Territory, flows into Lake Kuchukskoye. Length 121 km, drainage area 1020 sq. km. In the upper reaches small temporary streams flow into it. The drainage basin is located on the Priob Plateau and the Kulundinskaya Lowland. The valley is expressed throughout its entire length; the floodplain is present only in certain areas. The riverbed is blocked by earthen dams; in the areas between the ponds it is dry, with water only in holes or reaches. Constant flow of the river...

The Ob River, one of the largest rivers on the globe. It is formed from the confluence of the Biya (length 301 km) and the Katun (length 688 km) on the territory of the Altai Territory, 22 km below the city of Biysk, near the village of Sorokino (right bank) and the village of Verkhne-Obsky (left bank). The Ob flows into the Ob Bay of the Kara Sea at Cape Yam-Sale. The length of the river is 3650 km, the basin area is 2,990,000 square meters. km, within the Altai region (Altai Territory) its length is 493 km, the basin area is 209,500 sq. km. The main tributaries of the Upper Ob (from...

The Sungai River is the right tributary of the Chumysh, flowing into it above the village of Zarechny, Kytmanovsky district, Altai Territory. In the lower reaches it is called Kolbiha. It originates 2 km southwest of the Tyagun railway station. Length 103 km, drainage area 1480 sq. km. The main tributaries: Mishikha (right, length 28 km), Potaskuy (left, length 33 km), Mostovaya (right, length 45 km). The upper part of the basin is located on the Salair Ridge and is occupied by taiga. The lower part is located on a ridged clearing, mostly plowed.

The Uksunay River is the right tributary of Chumysh, flows into it at the village. Buranovo, Togul district, Altai Territory. It originates on the southwestern slope of the Salair Ridge. Length 165 km, drainage basin area 2600 sq. km. The main tributaries: Kamenushka (left, length 43 km), Togul (right, length 110 km). The drainage basin is formed on the slopes of Salair and the Pre-Salair plain. The upper part is forested (fir, aspen, birch), the lower part is almost treeless, heavily plowed. The valley is well defined along its entire course...

The Chemrovka River is the right tributary of the river. Ob and flows into it below the village of Fominskoye, Zonal District of the Altai Territory. It is formed from the confluence of two rivers - left and right Marushka - near the village. Marushka Tselinny district of the Altai Territory. The length of the river is 123 km, the basin area is 2830 sq. km. The main tributaries: Sukhaya Chemrovka (left, length 60 km), Shubenka (right, length 68 km), Utkul (right, length 55 km). The drainage area of ​​the upper part of the basin is located in the south of the Biysk-Chumysh Upland with gentle hills and dense...

The Chumysh River is a right tributary of the Ob River, flowing into the latter 88 km below the city of Barnaul. Chumysh is formed from the confluence of the Kara-Chumysh and Tom-Chumysh rivers in the Kemerovo region. The length of the river is 644 km, the drainage basin area is 23900 sq. km. Main tributaries: Kara-Chumysh (left, length 173 km), Tom-Chumysh (right, length 110 km), Sary-Chumysh (left, length 98 km), Angurep (left, length 48 km), Yama (left, length 67 km), Uksunai (right, length 165 km), Taraba (left, length 70 km), Sungai (right, length...

Chuya (river), Chuya squirrels, Chuya steppe, Chuya tract - “Water, river”. Chuya is of interest to water tourists from the mouth of the Mazhoy River, where the Mazhoysky cascade of rapids of the 5th-6th category of difficulty begins, one of the most interesting and technically difficult for rafting. Mazhoysky cascade is most popular among tourists due to the convenience of access roads. Downstream there are also several interesting rapids, one of them - “Behemoth” - hosts annual water tourism competitions...

The Mashey River 94 kilometers from the mouth, along the bank on the left side, flows into the Chuya River. The river begins at the slope of the Maashey-Bash mountains; at the source of the river there is a glacier with the same name.

According to statistics from the Russian state water register, the Mashey River is part of the Verkhneobsky basin district. It is a water management section of the Katun River and a river sub-basin of the Biya and Katun rivers. It was also the river basin of the Upper Ob River, before it flowed into the Irtysh River.

The river extols a very picturesque and fresh view of the Altai Mountains. The water is clean and clear, and the banks are bordered by small bushes.

Black Iyus River

Black Iyus is a mountain river located in the north of Khakassia. It flows through the territories of Ordzhonikidze and Shirinsky districts. The river merges with the Bely Iyus, forming the Chulym River, the right tributary of the Ob.

Inzhul is the left tributary of the Black Iyus.

The length of the river is 178 kilometers, the spillway area is 4,290 square kilometers. Its source is a karst lake, which is located in the eastern part of the Bely Golets mountain Kuznetsk Alatau. The mouth is the Chulym River. The source has a height of 1340 meters, the mouth is approximately 380 meters.

The basin is 5% swampy, forest cover occupies 75% of the territory. IN annual progress water regime We can distinguish spring flood, summer-autumn and winter low water. Rain floods repeatedly interrupt the summer-autumn low-water period. The total flow of the summer-autumn period is 80-85%. In winter, ice dams appear with water leaking onto the ice.

The river water has hydrocarbonate chemical composition. Over the course of a year, its flow rate averages 43.1 meters per second.

Chemal River

The length of the Chemal River reaches 54 kilometers. Covers a decent part of the Altai Territory. Settlements There is a lot of Chemal on the way. The largest village has exactly the same name as the river. There it connects with the small river Kuba, from where, seven kilometers later, it flows into the Katun.

By the way, the name “Chemal” itself is translated from Altai as “anthill”. This name appeared because of the goats and sheep that grazed in this area more than a hundred years ago. From above they looked like ants swarming in the grass.

In some places Chemal is quiet and calm, pleasing the eye with its calm, in others it bubbles and foams. In the area where there was a strong flow, the Chemal hydroelectric power station was built in 1935.

In addition, the Chemal region is famous for the cleanliness of its air. Therefore, there are a huge number of tourist centers and campsites along the banks of the river. There are even two sanatoriums: one just for children, and the second for children with tuberculosis diseases.

Rivers of the Altai Territory

Ob
The main river of the Altai Territory is Ob, formed from the confluence of two rivers - Biya and Katun. At a distance of 500 kilometers, the wide ribbon of the Ob crosses the Altai Territory, forming two giant bends. In terms of its length (3680 km), it is second in Russia only to the Lena (4264 km) and the Amur (4354 km), and in terms of basin area, the Ob is the largest river in our country, second only to five rivers on the planet: the Amazon, Congo, Mississippi, Nile and La Plata.

Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Anui, Alei, Bolshaya Rechka, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding channels with sandy reaches adjoin.

Barnaulka River - tributary of the Ob River

The bottom of the Ob is sandy over a large area. Sometimes you come across rocky rifts and shoals, there are especially many of them in the section of the river between Biysk and Barnaul. During floods, the water level in the Ob is high; water floods the right low bank for several kilometers.

The name of the great river “Ob” owes its origin not to the peoples who have lived on its banks from time immemorial. The Nenets living in the lower reaches of the river called it “Sala-yam”, which means “Cape River”. The Khanty and Mansi gave it the name “As” - “big river”, the Selkups called the river “Kvay”, “Eme”, “Kuay”. All these names meant “large river.” The Russians first saw the river in its lower reaches when hunters and merchants, together with Zyryan guides, went beyond the Stone (as the Ural Mountains were then called). Long before Ermak’s conquest of Siberia, the region around the Ob was called Obdorsky.

There is a version that the name of the great Siberian river comes from the Komi language, which meant “snow”, “snowdrift”, “place near the snow”.

There is also an assumption that the name is related to the Iranian word “ob” - “water”. And this name could well have been given to the deep river by the peoples of the Iranian-speaking group who lived in the south of Western Siberia during the period from the Early Bronze Age to the Middle Ages.

Biya

The Biya is the second largest river in Altai. It originates in Lake Teletskoye. Its length is 280 kilometers. In the upper part of the river there are rapids, waterfalls, and riffles. Merging with Katun, Biya gives rise to the Ob.

The name Biya is associated with the Altai words “biy”, “beg”, “bii” - “lord”.

Katun

The Katun flows from the Gebler glacier at an altitude of about 2000 meters on the southern slope of the highest mountain in Altai - Belukha. In the upper and middle reaches, the river has a mountainous character, especially in the summer, when snow and glaciers melt intensively. In the lower reaches it acquires a flat character, spreading below the village. The Maima has channels and channels, and flows along an inclined plain to the north until it merges with the Biya.

The water in the Katun is cold, its temperature in summer rarely rises above 15 C. The river is fed mainly by the melting of snow and ice from glaciers. The length of the river is 665 kilometers, and there are about 7,000 waterfalls and rapids in its basin.

Aley

Alei is the largest tributary of the Ob on the flat part of the region. In length (755 km) it exceeds Katun and Biya, but is inferior to them in terms of water content. Alei originates in the low mountains of northwestern Altai. This is a river with a mixed type of feeding (snow and rain), the spring flood reaches its maximum in April. Alei is characterized by large loop-shaped bends; in the lower reaches the river has broad clay soil.

Chumysh

Chumysh is the right tributary of the Ob. The river originates in Salair, from the confluence of two rivers: Tom-Chumysh and Kara-Chumysh. Although the river is twice as long as the Biya (644 km), the Chumysh is a relatively low-water river. In many places its valley is swampy and covered with mixed forest. The share of snow supply makes up more than half of the runoff for the year, and the maximum flood in Chumysh is in April.

Lakes of Altai

The Altai lakes are picturesque. There are thousands of them in the region, and they are located throughout the territory.

Most of the lakes are located in the Kulunda Lowland and on the Priob Plateau. It’s not for nothing that Altai is called the land of blue lakes. Small mountain and steppe lakes give natural landscapes a unique charm and uniqueness.

The largest lake in the Altai region is a bitter-salty lake Kulundinskoe(area 600 sq. km, length - 35 and width 25 km). It is shallow (maximum depth - 4 m), fed by the waters of the Kulunda River and groundwater. South of Kulundinsky there is the second largest lake - Kuchukskoe(area 180 sq. km). It is completely similar in regime and nutrition to Kulundinsky and was previously connected to it by a channel.

Kulunda the lakes are all remnants of an ancient sea that existed many millions of years ago on the site of the present plains. Many of these lakes have long been famous for their mineral waters, which have healing properties, as well as healing clays and mud. Gorkoe-Isthmus, Raspberry- are places of pilgrimage for residents of the region and numerous guests. On the salty Bolshoi Yarov There has been a medical and health complex on the lake for many years. Salt water, abundance of steppe sun, picturesque pine forest along the shores of such lakes create unique conditions for relaxation.

There is a lot of fish in the fresh flowing lakes, and waterfowl in the reed thickets along the banks.

The lakes of the mountainous part of the Altai Territory are very picturesque. They are located in the hollows of ancient drainage, on the site of old channels of long-vanished mountain rivers that arose when an ancient glacier melted.

Between the Biya and Chumysh rivers there are small and shallow freshwater lakes. There are lakes on the floodplains of lowland rivers, and in ancient and modern river valleys there are small elongated lakes - oxbow lakes.

The Altai region is also rich in mineral springs. What makes it especially famous is its radon springs, which have been used by the local population for medicinal purposes since time immemorial. Both in our country and abroad, the famous radon waters of Belokurikha are famous, where numerous resorts and health resorts have been built. The presence of radon waters was noted in the valleys of the Kalmanka and Berezovaya rivers.

Waterfalls are also common in Altai, like a waterfall on a river Shinok, not far from Denisova Cave, about 70 meters high, until recently it was known only to local residents. Now many people dream of visiting here. Currently, there are eight waterfalls and one waterfall on the Shinok River. In 2000, the Cascade of Waterfalls on the Shinok River reserve acquired the status of a natural monument.

The rivers of the Altai Territory mainly belong to the Ob system. In the west and north-west of the region there is an area of ​​internal drainage - the drainless basin of the Kulundinskaya Lowland.

The Altai region is crossed in its upper course by the Ob River. At a distance of 500 km, its wide ribbon forms two giant bends. Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Aley, Big River, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding river beds lie, with clearly visible sandy reaches.

The river network in the Altai Mountains, with the exception of the southeast, is well developed. Rivers start from glaciers and numerous lakes. On some flat watersheds there are swamps that give rise to rivers (Bashkaus - a tributary of the Chulyshman). Mountain rivers flow in narrow valleys, sometimes in dark, gloomy gorges. Along a rocky channel strewn with boulders and pebbles, the water rushes down with a large fall, encounters hard crystalline ledges and rapids along the way, breaks against them, turning into white bubbling foam. The noise of the rapids gives way to the roar of waterfalls, of which there are many in the Altai highlands.

The picture of thundering water falling in ledges from a height of tens of meters is amazing. The highest and most beautiful waterfalls are located on the slopes of the Belukha massif. On the northern slope along Tekel (the right tributary of the Akkem) there is a waterfall 60 m high; on the Tigirek (the left tributary of the Kucherla) there is a waterfall of 40 m. On the southern slope of Belukha, in the upper reaches of the Katun, on its right tributary, there is the Rossypnaya waterfall, 30 m high. There are dozens of waterfalls on the rivers flowing into Lake Teletskoye. The Korbu waterfall is well known; its powerful stream falls from a 12-meter height.

The rivers of the Altai Territory have a mixed supply: rain, snow, glaciers and groundwater.

The rivers of the Kulundinskaya Lowland are predominantly fed by snow. They are characterized by spring floods. In summer there is very little precipitation, the rivers become very shallow and dry up in many places. By the end of summer, there is almost no water left in the upper reaches of the Kuchuk River; the channel represents chains of small elongated lakes.

Ob- a lowland river, but its sources and main tributaries are in the mountains, therefore, in the diet and regime of the Ob, signs of lowland and mountain rivers are observed. The Ob has two maximum water rises - in spring and summer. The spring rise in water occurs from the melting of snow, and the summer rise from the melting of glaciers. The lowest water level in the Ob is in winter.

Low water in winter is typical for most rivers in the region. Rivers freeze for a long time. Freeze-up on the Ob and rivers of the plains begins in the second half of November; by the end of April they are free of ice.

Mountain rivers belong to the Altai type, which has a special regime and nutrition. First of all, they are rich in water, since they have food sources that continuously replenish water supplies from precipitation, melting glaciers and the influx of groundwater.

Snow melts in the mountains for several months, from April to June. The second feature of snow melting is that first the snow melts in the north of the Altai Mountains in the low mountains, and then in the middle mountains and finally in the southern high mountain regions. In June, snowfields and glaciers begin to melt. Sunny clear days alternate with rainy ones. There are years with long summer rains. Precipitation often falls in the form of showers, and the water level in rivers rises quickly and strongly. The rivers of the highlands are fed by snow and glaciers and therefore are characterized by a summer, namely June, rise in water. Autumn floods occur. In four to five months, most of the annual water requirement flows down.

Picture of maximum level Water in a river is determined by hydrography. Altai rivers can be roughly divided into five groups.

1. Rivers with spring floods. Snow food. This group includes medium and small rivers in the foothills with an average drainage height of up to 500 m.
2. Rivers with spring floods and rain floods. This group includes medium and small rivers with an average catchment height from 500 to 1500 m.
3. Rivers with spring-summer floods and rain floods. Food: snow, glaciers, rain. This group includes all large and medium-sized rivers with a drainage height from 1500 to 2500 m.
4. Rivers with summer floods. The food is glacial. These are mainly medium and small rivers at altitudes above 2500 m.
5. Rivers with equalized flow throughout the year. Ground nutrition. These are mostly small rivers.

The greatest groundwater recharge is observed on rivers with an average catchment height ranging from 600 to 2000 m. The exception is the Chuya River, in which the share of groundwater is 33% of the annual flow. This is due to the fact that the Chuya depression, filled with sand and pebble deposits, is a huge reservoir of groundwater that gradually flows into the Chuya.

The duration of freeze-up on Altai rivers ranges from 110 to 200 days, and in some sections of the rivers the water does not freeze. The beginning of freeze-up usually occurs in November, the opening - at the beginning - mid-April.

Belukha is not only a glacial junction, but also the most important feeding center for large and small rivers spreading from Belukha in different directions. The Belukha glaciers are very active in this regard, because they end low, which means they melt a lot and at the same time receive a lot of precipitation. According to the available hydrometric data, the first place in terms of water content belongs to the Iedygem River, the second and third are the Katun and Bereli, then the Ak-kem and Myushtu-airy. The total flow of glacial waters provided by Belukha is estimated at approximately 400 million cubic meters. m. per year. This entire mass of water is taken at an altitude of about 2000 m and, therefore, has a huge potential reserve of power.

Characteristics of Altai rivers