Rivers of Gorno-Altaisk. Altai mountains Rivers and streams of Altai names

Rivers of the Altai Territory

Ob
The main river of the Altai Territory is Ob formed from the confluence of two rivers - Bii 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 only to the Lena (4264 km) and Amur (4354 km) in Russia, and in terms of the area of ​​the Ob basin it is the largest river in our country, second only to five rivers on the planet: the Amazon, the Congo, the Mississippi, the Nile and La Plata.

Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Anui, Alei, Big River, Barnaulka and others have a calm current, wide developed valleys, in which strongly winding channels with sandy stretches adjoin.

Barnaulka River - a tributary of the Ob River

The bottom of the Ob is sandy for a large extent. Sometimes rocky rifts and shoals come across, especially a lot 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 for centuries. The Nenets living in the lower reaches of the river called it "Salya-yam", which means "cape river". The Khanty and Mansi gave it the name "As" - "big river", the Selkups called the river "Kvay", "Eme", "Kuai". All these names had the meaning of "large river". The Russians first saw the river in its lower reaches, when hunters and merchants went behind the Stone (as the Ural Mountains were then called) together with the Zyryan guides. Long before Ermak conquered 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 means “snow”, “snowdrift”, “place near the snow”.

There is also an assumption that the name is associated with the Iranian word "ob" - "water". And such a name for a full-flowing river could well have been given by the peoples of the Iranian-speaking group, who lived in the south of Western Siberia in 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 - rapids, waterfalls, rifts. Merging with the Katun, Biya gives birth to the Ob.

The name Biy is associated with the Altaic word "biy", "beg", "bii" - "master".

Katun

The Katun flows out of 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 summer, when snow and glaciers melt intensively. In the lower reaches, it acquires a flat character, spilling below the village. Maima into channels and channels, and flows along the sloping plain to the north to the confluence with the Biya.

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

Alley

The Aley is the largest tributary of the Ob in the flat part of the region. In length (755 km), it surpasses the Katun and Biya, but is inferior to them in terms of high water content. Aley originates in the low mountains of the northwestern Altai. This is a river with a mixed type of nutrition (snow and rain), the spring flood reaches its maximum in April. Loop-shaped large bends are characteristic of Aley, in the lower reaches the river has wide 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 shallow river. In many places its valley is swampy and covered with mixed forest. The share of snow supply is more than half of the runoff per year, and the maximum flood in Chumysh is in April.

Lakes of Altai

Picturesque Altai lakes. 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 Priobsky plateau. No wonder Altai is called the land of blue lakes. Small mountain and steppe lakes give natural landscapes a peculiar charm and originality.

The largest lake in the Altai Territory is a bitter-salty lake Kulunda(area 600 sq. km, length - 35 and width 25 km). It is shallow (maximum depth is 4 m), fed by the waters of the Kulunda River and groundwater. To the south of Kulundinsky is the second largest lake - Kuchukskoe(square 180 sq. km). It is completely similar in regime and nutrition to Kulunda and used to be connected to it by a canal.

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-Peresheechnoe, Crimson- are places of pilgrimage for residents of the region and numerous guests. on salty Big Yarovoye For many years there has been a health-improving complex on the lake. Salt water, abundance of the steppe sun, picturesque pine forest along the shores of such lakes create unique conditions for recreation.

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

The lakes of the mountainous part of the Altai Territory are very picturesque. They are located in the hollows of the ancient runoff, in the place of the old channels of long-disappeared mountain rivers, which arose during the melting of an ancient glacier.

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

The Altai Territory is also rich in mineral springs. Radon springs, which have been used by the local population for medicinal purposes since time immemorial, are especially famous for this. 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 in the valleys of the Kalmanka and Berezovaya rivers was noted.

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

The famous rivers of Altai are exactly the same property of the region as mountains, glaciers and lakes. The water arteries flowing through the Siberian expanses are also the most important tourist sites. Hundreds of hiking and combined routes run exactly along the Altai rivers, and sometimes along with rafting and crossings from one bank to another.

It is better to talk about the rivers of Altai, covering two regions - the Altai Territory and the Republic of Altai.

Rivers of the Altai Territory

Almost all the rivers of the Altai Territory are the Ob and its numerous tributaries. Unlike the mountainous republic, most of the local rivers are valley and full-flowing arteries, suitable both for navigation and for outdoor activities.

The mighty Ob, one of the largest rivers in the world, originates precisely in the Altai Territory, in the suburbs of Biysk, at the confluence of two mountain Altai rivers - the Katun and the Biya. The entire section of the upper reaches runs through the territory of Altai.

Due to the relatively flat relief, the river is considered a valley with a wide channel and calm waters. Along the entire course on the banks you can find several hundred villages, towns and regional centers of Altai. The largest of the cities on the Ob in the Altai Territory - the capital of the region - Barnaul.

The calm waters of the Ob are deceptive - every spring the river overflows, flooding the right bank, and bringing a lot of worries to the inhabitants of the coastal regions. Due to abnormal precipitation in 2014, the Ob was among the rivers that caused enormous damage to flooded areas.

Throughout the summer, small pleasure boats with tourists and motor ships go along the Ob. The cultural program of tourist destinations is also rich in events - various open-air festivals are often held on the banks of the Ob.

The river that gave its name to the second largest city in the Altai Territory - Biysk. This waterway originates in the Altai Mountains, in the legendary Teletskoye Lake, but most of the river flows through the neighboring region. The total length of Biya exceeds 280 km.

The upper part of the Biya is a typical mountain river, unsuitable for serious navigation, but attractive for fans of kayaking. A large number of rapids and the restless nature of the current only add popularity among local tourists. The lower reaches of the Biya are a full-flowing channel with navigable sections, up to the confluence with the Ob.

Regular navigation along the Biya was discontinued in 2006 due to unprofitability. All cruising boats and motor ships today are tourist ships. The river "comes to life" only during periods of large floods.

The purity of the water in Bie also affected the popularity of the river among fishermen - from amateurs to fishing professionals. Several dozen species of river fish live here, including grayling, taimen and burbot, which are especially revered by Siberian fishermen.

It is believed that the Aley is the longest river flowing through the territory of the Altai Territory. The water artery originates in Eastern Kazakhstan, but it is in Altai that it turns into a full-flowing tributary of the Ob, on the banks of which the city of Aleysk, famous for its farmland, and Rubtsovsk arose.

It was the active development of arable land in the 1930s that made it possible to create several irrigation canals in the river valley with a total length of 50 km, which are still used to supply land for growing wheat and other cereals.

Two reservoirs have been created on the Alei, providing water to several cities and dozens of rural settlements. The river itself is notable, like the Biya, for its regular sporting events - for example, fishing competitions are regularly held here with a bait.

Rivers of the Republic of Altai

The rivers of Gorny Altai are a lot of turbulent mountain arteries that give rise to full-flowing valley rivers. Unlike the rivers of the neighboring region, the reservoirs in the republic have strong currents, many rapids and rocky shores.

River tourism in the Altai Mountains is extreme - the water in most reservoirs is cold even in summer, due to the fact that almost all large rivers are fed by glaciers hidden among the mountain peaks of the Katun and Chui massifs.

Due to the specifics of the flow, many mountainous Altai rivers do not freeze in winter.

The main river of Gorny Altai - Katun - appeared on the map thanks to the Gebler glacier, located on Mount Belukha. It is there that the source of this majestic and, in some areas, very restless river is located.

The total length of the Katun to the place where it flows into the Ob near Biysk is 688 km. And along this entire length, the river passes through all types of the Altai landscape - from high-mountain regions to the flat steppe. Moreover, the inhabitants of Altai remember the stormy mountain nature of the river every spring during floods. Like the Ob, the Katun flooded in 2014, bringing great destruction.

Water tourism on the Katun is in great demand. In addition to the rapids that have their own names, you can also see waterfalls on the river. The total number of such objects is in the thousands. And this despite the fact that even on hot summer days the water temperature rarely warms up above +15 ° C - this does not stop tourists.

There are many cultural sites on the Katun, the most famous of which is the island of Patmos, where the Znamensky Convent is located, which can only be reached by a suspension bridge from the right bank.

Interesting to visit are also such natural objects as the confluence of the Katun Chemal, Chuya and other famous rivers of the Altai Mountains.

In many sources, the Argut is unequivocally called one of the largest tributaries of the Katun. This is a 232 km long river, fed by glaciers, eternal snows of the mountains and streams originating on the legendary Ukok plateau.

It is believed that the Argut is the best river for testing extreme rafting skills in kayaks and other types of boats. Some rapids are considered impassable, and at regular competitions, a number of sections of the river are patrolled by doctors due to high injuries - the flow of “boiling” water is so strong here.

The Argut Valley attracts not only thrill-seekers, but also ordinary tourists. On the banks of the river there are many Altai burial mounds, famous stone statues and other attractions. Of the local fauna on the banks of the Argut, snow leopards and other rare animals of Altai are regularly noticed.

The muddy waters of the Chulyshman River increasingly began to attract tourists from all over the world. In reference books, this is the main water tributary of Lake Teletskoye, originating in the high-mountain lake Dzhulukul. And on most extreme forums, the Chulyshman River is an artery impregnable for rafting, flowing through the wild regions of the Altai Republic.

The very “dirty” color of the water in some areas is not due to the human factor, but to the natural washing out of the clay rocks of the channel by the river. Closer to Lake Teletskoye, the waters of Chulyshman brighten noticeably, filling the lake with cleared runoff.

The river valley of Chulyshman itself is very attractive for tourists. Due to the height difference, the vegetation along the banks of the river changes - from dwarf birches to dense taiga thickets.

The Chulcha River is one of the main tributaries of the Chulyshman with a length of 72 km. The stormy mountain artery originates from Lake Itykul, and almost throughout its entire length remains an extremely restless body of water with many rapids, cascades and other unpleasant surprises for those who want to raft along it.

Despite the inaccessibility, the hand is popular among backpackers. They go here in order to see the Chulchinsky waterfall, which the river feeds. Together with all the cascades, its length exceeds 160 meters.

In addition, the Bolshoi Proryv Canyon surrounding Chulcha on one of its sections has become a place of pilgrimage for tourists and photographers from all over the world.

The second most important river in the Altai Mountains after the Katun is the Chuya, which gave its name to the track of the same name - the Chuisky tract, as well as to the mountain range of the same name - the Chuisky Ridge. It is also a watershed for some mountainous regions of the region.

Chuya is a powerful river passing from a mountain stream into a majestic valley channel. Here you can see both canyon landscapes and flat landscapes. The diversity of the river determined not only the places of settlement by people, but also modern tourism. Chuya is one of the centers of sports rafting in Altai; competitions of various classes are held here every year.

On the banks of the Chuya River you can see the legendary sights of Altai. These are the Shirlak waterfall, Bely Bom, the Kalbak-Tash tract, dozens of ancient burial grounds and thousands of rock paintings recognized as the property of the Altai Republic, as well as the river itself.

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 flow - the drainless basin of the Kulunda lowland.

The Altai Territory is crossed in its upper reaches by the Ob River. At a distance of 500 km, its wide ribbon forms two gigantic bends. Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Alley, Big River, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which lie strongly winding riverbeds, with well-defined sandy stretches.

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 have swamps that give rise to rivers ( Bashkaus- Chulyshman tributary). Mountain rivers flow in narrow valleys, sometimes in dark, gloomy gorges. Along the rocky channel, strewn with boulders and pebbles, the water rushes down during a big fall, meets solid crystalline ledges, thresholds on the way, breaks against them, turning into white bubbling foam. The noise of the rapids is replaced by the roar of waterfalls, which are many in the Altai highlands.

The picture of roaring 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 Tekel(the right tributary of the Akkem) there is a waterfall 60 m high; on the Tigirek (left tributary of the Kucherla) - a 40 m waterfall. On the southern slope of the Belukha, in the upper reaches of the Katun, on its right tributary, there is Rossypnaya 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, glacier and soil.

Near the rivers of the Kulunda lowland, snow feeding prevails. They are characterized by spring floods. In summer, there is very little precipitation, the rivers become very shallow, in many places they dry up. 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 flat river, but its sources and main tributaries are located in the mountains, therefore, signs of flat and mountain rivers are observed in the feeding and regime of the Ob. The Ob has two maximum water rises - in spring and summer. The spring rise of water comes from the melting of snow, the summer - from the melting of glaciers. The lowest water level in the Ob in winter.

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

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

Snow in the mountains melts 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 mountains. In June, snowfields and glaciers begin to melt. Sunny clear days alternate with rainy ones. There are years with long summer rains. Often, precipitation falls in the form of showers, and the water level in the rivers rises rapidly and strongly. The rivers of the highlands are fed by snow and glaciers, and therefore they are characterized by a summer, namely, June rise in water. There are autumn floods. In four to five months, most of the annual water flow drains.

The rivers of the middle and low mountains have two high water levels: 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 - low water. Mountain rivers freeze later than flat ones. Water does not freeze on the rapids, and ice forms through open rapids. Often the rivers freeze to the bottom, ice plugs appear that the water cannot break through, it comes to the surface, and the 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, when combined, create a barrier to water. She finds a way out through the surface ice and ice forms again. The ice cover lasts up to 7 months.

Belukha is not only a glacial knot, but also the most important feeding center for large and small rivers flowing from Belukha in different directions. The Belukha glaciers are very active in this regard, because they end low, which means they melt strongly 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 river Iedygem, the second and third place belongs to the Katun and Berel, then Ak-kem and Myushtu-airy. The total flow of glacial waters, which gives Belukha, is estimated at approximately 400 million cubic meters. m. per year. All this 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 out of 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 is Lower Akkemskoye Lake, 1350 m long and 610 m wide, has a surface 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. The 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, flows into it near the city of Zarinsk. It originates 2.5 km southeast of the Alambay railway station (Zarinsky district of the Altai Territory). Length 140 km, basin area 1960 sq. km. Main tributaries: Ingara (right, 28 km long), Lesnoy Alambay (right, 68 km long), Khmelevka (right, 28 km long), Borovlyanka (left, 21 km long). The upper part of the basin is located on the dissected low mountains of the Salair Ridge, the lower part is on the gently sloping Predsalairskaya...

The Alei River is the left tributary of the river. Obi. It flows into it near the village of Ust-Aleyka, Kalmansky district, Altai Territory. The source of the East Aley River is taken as the beginning of the river. The length of the Aley is 866 km, the catchment area is 21,100 sq. km. The main tributaries are: Goltsovka, Kamenka, Zolotukha, Kizikha, Transverse, Klepechikha, Yazevka, Gorevka, Chistyunka. In the middle reaches, the floodplain is crossed by large longitudinal channels: Sklyuikha (62 km long), Bashmachikha (15 km), Babylon (40 km). On the left bank are the 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 Mirror in the Shipunovsky district of the Altai Territory. Length 207 km, catchment area 5720 sq. km. Basically, all tributaries flow into it from the left: Voronikha, Rozhnya, Kolyvan, Panshikha, Shtabka, Vlasikha. The catchment is completely located on the Priobsky plateau. It stretches in a narrow strip (20-27 km) from the southwest to the northeast for 240 km. The modern valley is located in the hollow of the ancient runoff. AT...

Biya Biy (river), Biysk (city) - "Biy is the lord." The Biya is the second most powerful (after the Katun) river of the Altai Republic. It receives the bulk of its water from Lake Teletskoye; the average annual water consumption at the outlet is 221 cubic meters. m per second. For the first 100 km, the average drop is about 1.6 m per kilometer. The speed of the current 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 Republic of Altai in a northerly direction among low ridges. For s. Lake-Kureyevo...

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

The Burla River is located in the closed 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 endorheic bitter-salty Lake Bolshoy Adzhbulat on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and in medium and low-water years it flows into Bolshoye Topolnoye Lake, Burlinsky District, Altai Territory. The length of the river is 489 km, the basin area is 12800 sq. km. Main tributaries: Panshikha (left, length 22 km), Kurya (Aksenikha, left, length ...

The Kasmala River, the left tributary of the Ob, originates in a swampy watershed south of the Podstepnoe of the Rebrikhinsky district of the Altai Territory. It flows into the Ob-Tikhaya channel in the Pavlovsky district 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 catchment area is flat, on the Priobsky plateau. Bolina is located in the hollow of the ancient runoff, in the Kasmalinsky ribbon forest. Floodplain...

Among the numerous rivers of Altai, the Katun is the largest and longest. It originates from the glaciers of Mount Belukha and extends beyond the Altai Mountains in the northwest. Merging with the second most full-flowing river of 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 channel, the river either rumbles between stones and boulders, or calmly flows along the flattened sections of the bottom, overgrown on low islands with willow bushes and ...

The Kulunda River is located in the closed region of the Ob-Irtysh interfluve. It flows out of a small swamp 2 km north of the village of Ust-Mosikha, Rebrikhinsky district, Altai Territory. It flows into Lake Kulundinskoye with two branches. The length of the river is 412 km, the basin area is 12400 sq. km. The largest tributaries: Ermachikha (left, 37 km long), Solonovka (right, 37 km long), Cheremshanka (right, 56 km long), Proslaukha (right, 78 km long), Chuman (right, 88 km long). The catchment area is flat...

The Kucherla River, which flows into the Katun, is formed as a result of the confluence of three equal river flows of sources: Koni-Aira, Ioldo-Aira and Myushtu-Aira. The common valley of Kucherla turns out to be deeper than the valleys of each of the three equal sources. These rivers have large beautiful waterfalls. At the confluence with Kucherlinskoye Lake, the Kucherla River already looks like a turbulent 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 Kuchukskoe. Length 121 km, catchment area 1020 sq. km. In the upper reaches, small temporary streams flow into it. The catchment area is located on the Priobsky plateau and the Kulunda lowland. The valley is expressed throughout, the floodplain is only in some areas. The channel is blocked by earthen dams, in the areas between the ponds it is dry, the water is only in pits or reaches. The constant flow of the river ...

The Ob River is one of the largest rivers in the world. It is formed from the confluence of the Biya (length 301 km) and 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 Gulf of Ob of the Kara Sea at Cape Yam-Sale. The length of the river is 3650 km, the basin area is 2990000 sq. 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, flows into it above the village of Zarechny, Kytmanovsky District, Altai Territory. In the lower reaches it is called Kolbikha. It originates 2 km southwest of the Tyagun railway station. Length 103 km, catchment area 1480 sq. km. Main tributaries: Mishikha (right, 28 km long), Potaskuy (left, 33 km long), Mostovaya (right, 45 km long). The upper part of the basin is located on the Salair Ridge, occupied by taiga. The lower part is located on a ridged patch, mostly plowed.

The Uksunai River is the right tributary of the Chumysh, flows into it at the village. Buranovo, Togulsky district, Altai Territory. It originates on the southwestern slope of the Salair Ridge. The length is 165 km, the catchment area is 2600 sq. km. Main tributaries: Kamenushka (left, 43 km long), Togul (right, 110 km long). The catchment area is formed on the slopes of the Salair and the Predsalair Plain. In the upper part it is forested (fir, aspen, birch), in the lower part it is almost treeless, heavily plowed. The valley is well defined throughout...

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

The Chumysh River is a right tributary of the Ob River, flows 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 catchment area is 23,900 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), Chui squirrels, Chui steppe, Chui tract - "Water, river". Chuya is of interest to water tourists from the mouth of the Mazhoy River, where the Mazhoy cascade of rapids of 5-6 difficulty category begins, one of the most interesting and technically difficult for rafting. Mazhoysky cascade is the most popular among tourists due to the convenience of access roads. Downstream there are also several interesting rapids, on one of them - "Behemoth" - annual water tourism competitions are held ...

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 flow - the drainless basin of the Kulunda lowland.

The Altai Territory is crossed in its upper reaches by the Ob River. At a distance of 500 km, its wide ribbon forms two gigantic bends. Ob and its tributaries Chumysh, Alley, Big River, Barnaulka and others have a calm flow, wide developed valleys, in which lie strongly winding riverbeds, with well-defined sandy stretches.

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 is a tributary of the Chulyshman). Mountain rivers flow in narrow valleys, sometimes in dark, gloomy gorges. Along the rocky channel, strewn with boulders and pebbles, the water rushes down during a big fall, meets solid crystalline ledges, thresholds on the way, breaks against them, turning into white bubbling foam. The noise of the rapids is replaced by the roar of waterfalls, which are many in the Altai highlands.

The picture of roaring 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 the Tekel (the right tributary of the Akkem) there is a 60 m high waterfall; on the Tigirek (left tributary of the Kucherla) - a 40 m waterfall. On the southern slope of the Belukha, in the upper reaches of the Katun, on its right tributary, there is a 30 m high placer waterfall. 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, glacier and soil.

Near the rivers of the Kulunda lowland, snow feeding prevails. They are characterized by spring floods. In summer, there is very little precipitation, the rivers become very shallow, in many places they dry up. 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 flat river, but its sources and main tributaries are located in the mountains, therefore, signs of flat and mountain rivers are observed in the feeding and regime of the Ob. The Ob has two maximum water rises - in spring and summer. The spring rise of water comes from the melting of snow, the summer - from the melting of glaciers. The lowest water level in the Ob in winter.

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

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

Snow in the mountains melts 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 mountains. In June, snowfields and glaciers begin to melt. Sunny clear days alternate with rainy ones. There are years with long summer rains. Often, precipitation falls in the form of showers, and the water level in the rivers rises rapidly and strongly. The rivers of the highlands are fed by snow and glaciers, and therefore they are characterized by a summer, namely, June rise in water. There are autumn floods. In four to five months, most of the annual water flow drains.

Hydrography gives an idea of ​​the maximum water level in the river. Altai rivers can be roughly divided into five groups.

1. Rivers with spring floods. Snow food. This group includes medium and small rivers of the foothill part with an average catchment 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 of 500 to 1500 m.
3. Rivers with spring-summer floods and rain floods. Food - snow, ice, rain. This group includes all large and medium-sized rivers with a catchment height of 1500 to 2500 m.
4. Rivers with a summer flood. Ice food. These are mainly medium and small rivers at altitudes above 2500 m.
5. Rivers with an even course of flow throughout the year. Ground food. Mostly these are small rivers.

The greatest groundwater supply 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 runoff. This is due to the fact that the Chuya basin, filled with sand and pebble deposits, is a huge accumulator of groundwater, gradually entering Chuya.

The duration of freeze-up on the rivers of Altai ranges from 110 to 200 days, and in some parts 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 knot, but also the most important feeding center for large and small rivers flowing from Belukha in different directions. The Belukha glaciers are very active in this regard, because they end low, which means they melt strongly 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 river Iedygem, the second and third place belongs to the Katun and Berel, then Ak-kem and Myushtu-airy. The total flow of glacial waters, which gives Belukha, is estimated at approximately 400 million cubic meters. m. per year. All this mass of water is taken at an altitude of about 2000 m and, therefore, has a huge potential reserve of power.

Characteristics of the rivers of Altai

Hello dear friends! I suggest you put aside your affairs for a while, distract yourself from your worries for a while and read an interesting story by Oksana Belousova about rivers and lakes of Altai . You, looking at Oksana's photos, will be able to mentally move to Altai and admire this magical land, and she perfectly conveys all her emotions.

There are many rivers (more than 20 thousand), streams and lakes in Altai, there are reservoirs of natural and artificial channels. I will share with you photos of the reservoirs that I myself saw. And how much more I have to see!

Rivers of Altai

Altai rivers - collage

Rivers in the Altai Territory

There are unusual and even some funny river names in the Altai Territory:

• Aychenok,
• Badger, Wolf, Otter, Hare, Hare, Goose, Crane,
• Bezstanka,
• Big Garlic,
• Big Siberian,
• rumble,
• Dirty, Zamarayka,
• Dugout,
• Zelenka.

The names are easy to remember and then you can show off your knowledge in geography lessons or in the game "Cities, Rivers". It was my favorite game in school.

Rivers in Gorny Altai

There are also many beautiful, unusual river names in Gorny Altai:

• Akkem (White Water),
• Aktru (Station), Taldura (Willow site), Argut (the place where the snow leopard lives),
• Swan,
• Chulcha (Stream),
• Biya, Multa (there are 42 lakes in the Multa basin!), Katun, Kumir, Kucherla, Oroktai, Sandy, Pyzha, Tekelyu, Charysh, Chulyshman, Chuya, Shinok.

In our city of Biysk there are three rivers - Biya, Ob, Katun. And close to the city - Chemrovka and Chugunayka.

The Biya River in Gorny Altai

A pontoon bridge has been installed on the Biya River. The bridge is very helpful. After all, getting to the right place is faster.

Artificial reservoirs - sand pits, reservoir, culverts. This is also all there in Biysk.

The Biya River in the Altai Mountains - a collage

And here is a photograph rich in minerals. This spring is located in Kyzyl-Ozek.

Lakes of the Altai Territory

The most interesting names of the lake in the Altai Territory:

• white,
• bitter,
• mirror,
• Crimson (the color of the lake is crimson due to crimson crustaceans),
• Manzherok
• moss,
• dead,
• Teletskoye
• Khomutinoe,
• Chernokurinskoe.

In the Altai Territory, most of the lakes have salt water, many lakes are famous for their healing water.

I was only on the lake Aya and Manzherok.

Lake Manzherok in Altai

Manzherok is well known to many, thanks to the song "Manzherok" by Edita Piekha. She sings about our lake - fabulous, in water lilies. Trees and flowers grow along the banks of the lake. There are always a lot of people on the beach. A local attraction is a white camel. Rides kids.

In the village of Manzherok there is a cable car to the mountain Malaya Sinyukha - in the form of a lift with chairs. Once I went up there. The spectacle is magnificent!

Lake Manzherok in Altai - collage

Lake Aya in Altai

I visit Lake Aya every year. There is such a wonderful forest! Birch trees stand inclined to the water. Rocky shores in places. You can climb on them and look at the lake from high.

Lake Aya in Altai - collage 1

Cozy pavilions on the lake, boats, catamarans, slides in the water park.

And also a bungee! Once I was at the lake with my daughter. She said she would go to the forest. She left and after a while I hear her voice - to the whole lake. And she is already flying on a bungee over the lake, and screams both from the joy of flying and from fear. I got an adrenaline rush at the age of 18. I remember how her eyes burned after landing. The extremal had so much delight.

You swim, sunbathe, the air is clean, fragrant, the sun warms you tenderly and you don’t want to leave. I would have stayed there so as not to return to the city hustle and bustle, where the whole air smelled of gasoline.

The artist G. I. Choros-Gurkin was amazingly successful in conveying the beauty of Altai:

“... Altai is not just mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls, but a living spirit, a generous, rich giant - a giant. He is fabulously beautiful with his multi-colored clothes of forests, flowers, herbs. Mists - his transparent thoughts - run in all directions of the world. Lakes are his eyes looking into the Universe. Waterfalls and rivers - his speech and songs about life, about the beauty of the earth, mountains ... "

the beauty rivers and lakes of Altai - unsurpassed! And it's great that we, who live in these beautiful, fabulous places, can enjoy, admire, admire all this natural wealth at any time! I can sing the beauty of Altai for a long time. But it's time to say goodbye. And you get back to your business. I hope your heart is warmer and your mood has improved? All the best! And let the sunny summer be remembered! Warmly Oksana Belousova .