Inner waters of Eastern Siberia. Rivers, lakes of Eastern Siberia, features of nature

Siberia is a unique natural region with stunning flora and fauna. Geographical features of these territories may be of interest not only to scientists and specialists, but also to ordinary travelers and people who care about the planet and its diversity. The basis for the development of regions is often water. Perhaps, that is why acquaintance should begin with hydro resources. So, what are the internal waters of Eastern Siberia, what are they worth knowing about? Let's study in detail the rivers, lakes, seas of this region, flora and fauna, as well as its geographic and climatic features.

Geographical location

The region occupies seven million square kilometers. The geography of Eastern Siberia includes the territory from the mountains that create a watershed between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, to the Yenisei basin. In the center there is the Central Siberian plateau. In addition, there are two lowlands here. This is the North-Siberian and Central-Yakut. The mountains are found in the Transbaikal and along the Yenisei Ridge.

The length of the region from north to south is three thousand kilometers. The borders of Eastern Siberia are located in Mongolia and China. In the north, the extreme point is Cape Chelyuskin. A large part of the territory is distinguished by a sufficiently high position above sea level. The rivers of Eastern Siberia, the list of the largest of which will be considered below, are distinguished by their high water content and rapidity of flow, they are often directed to deep valleys.

At the heart of the lands is the Archaean-Proterozoic foundation, which projects to the surface in the south-west and in the north. Soils include schists, marbles, charnockites. The features of the tectonic plate in this territory provide a recognizable step relief. It is interesting that such a surface organization is observed even under the waters of Lake Baikal, the bottom of which is also deepened by wide ledges.

Lena

First of all it is necessary to indicate one of the greatest rivers in the world. Its length is four thousand four hundred kilometers, and the pool area is four hundred ninety thousand square kilometers. Its main territory is located in the Irkutsk region and in Yakutia. The source is located on the slopes of the Baikal ridge at an altitude of almost a thousand meters above sea level, and Lena flows into the Laptev Sea. Most of the way the river flows through rocks and taiga. In winter it freezes almost to the bottom, and in dry summer it can dry out completely. The food of the Lena River is provided by sediments and lakes of the Baikal region. In some areas, its depth reaches ten meters, and the valley can be up to thirty kilometers wide.

Its banks are asymmetric - one slope is gently sloping, and the other is high and steep. The tributaries that also feed the Lena River are Vitim, Vilyui, Aldan. Near Yakutsk, there are interesting natural terraces of sand. A hundred and fifty kilometers from the sea begins delta, which is one of the largest in the world. Its territory occupies thirty thousand square kilometers - more impressive scale can not brag even Nile. In the delta are numerous islands, formed from the current brought by the sand.

In the spring, Lena often spills, especially in the upper reaches. Floods can occur in the summer, after heavy rains. At such times the pool becomes even larger, but not always safe for living.

Yenisei

We continue to study the internal waters of Eastern Siberia. The Yenisei River is one of the largest rivers in the Russian Federation. The name comes from the Evenki word "ionesi", which in translation means "big water". The river is the most abundant.

The basin is mainly located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Upper reaches the territory of Mongolia. The length of the Yenisei River is three thousand four hundred and eighty-seven kilometers. The basin is replenished with many tributaries, most of which are right-bank. These include Tuba, Angara, Kan, Kureika, Podkamennaya and Lower Tunguska, Khantayka. The left tributaries are Abakan, Sym, Kas, Turukhan, Yelogui. The impressive length of the Yenisei River provides an impressive annual runoff - it is more than six hundred kilometers. In the basin there are one hundred thousand lakes, the most famous of which is Baikal. In addition, there are several dams and two large reservoirs - Sayano-Shushenskoe and Krasnoyarsk. Downstream, the river flows into the Yenisei Gulf, which belongs to the Kara Sea.

Ob

The territory of Eastern Siberia is rich in great rivers. For example, the Ob is one of the largest not only in the Russian Federation, but also on the Eurasian continent. It is formed by the confluence of Katun and Biya and flows to the Kara Sea. The length of the river is three thousand six hundred and fifty kilometers. The top of the current is distinguished by a wide valley. Narrow the mouth of the city only Kamen-na-Obi. Large tributaries are Tom, Chulym, Tym, Vakh and Ket, Vasyugan, Irtysh and Big Yugan. In addition, the territory of many large cities is crossed by the river Ob. Barnaul, Salekhard, Surgut, Novosibirsk - they all stand on its banks.

In the upper reaches it spreads from April to June, and below the high water happens from April to September. Ice can cover it up to two hundred and twenty days a year. The banks are covered with forest and quite often quite elevated, in clay sites are hidden shells and fossils. The riverbed each year slightly changes its appearance - the left bank is washed away, and the right bank is covered with sand and silt. In addition, in the spring flood the river rises by four meters, which makes its boundaries very vague.

Ural

The length of the Yenisei River is much more impressive, but the Urals is also significant. It differs by a length of two thousand four hundred and twenty-eight kilometers, and the area is two hundred thirty-one thousand square kilometers. The source is located on the ridge of Uraltau. This is a fairly shallow river - in the upper reaches it rarely exceeds the depth of one and a half meters. The feeding of the Urals is Sakmara and Ilek, as well as rains and melting snow.

The river is full of a variety of fish - here is fishing for beluga, sturgeon, bream, pike perch, carp, pike, vobla, bream, roach, chub, yazya, gudgeon, bream, grayling. In winter, the Urals freezes - in the upper reaches - at the beginning of November, and below - by the end. The ice comes off to April.

Selenga

The rivers of Eastern Siberia, whose list is worth exploring, include this one. Selenga is the largest tributary of Lake Baikal and flows from Mongolia. Its source is the merger of Idar-Gol and Dalger-Muran. There are interesting hypotheses about the origin of the river. For example, once upon a time it was combined with the Angara. According to another theory, Selenga was a tributary of Lena. Opinions about the origin of the name also differ. Some believe that the "selenga" in Evenk is connected with the word "iron" - "selė". According to other opinions, the essence of the Buryat word is "sel", which denotes water. The length of the river is eight hundred and seventy kilometers.

The tributaries of the Selenga are Jida, Khilok, Uda, Chikoy, Temnik. In Lake Baikal, it brings thirty cubic kilometers of water a year, which is half the total inflow. Volumes depend on the season of the year - in June and July, Selenga is the most abundant, and from January to March is noticeably shallow. After heavy rains, the river basin is flooded, the level can rise by twenty centimeters per hour. Selenga brings to Baikal not only water, but also solid suspensions - sand, the volume of which can reach up to three and a half million tons per year, polluting its bottom. Falling into the lake, the river forms an impressive delta, which for many kilometers is covered with loose sediments. Outwardly it seems like a swampy plain, which is divided into tiny islets of the canals and old Selenga. The main current on this section passes under the ground, in the same unusual way of Selenga and unites with Baikal.

Before the construction of a large hydroelectric power station in Irkutsk, the delta area was several times larger. Among other things, this area is seismically active - here there are earthquakes with a capacity of ten points. The river delta is included in UNESCO's list as a unique natural phenomenon with planetary significance, it is a protected zone. Nearly three hundred species of birds live in the protected area, seventy of which are listed in the Red Book. These include black crane, peregrine falcon, white-tailed eagle and Asian spindle. In the east delta is the ornithological reserve "Kabansky", which is engaged in the rescue of these endangered species.

Baikal

Studying the inland waters of Eastern Siberia, one should not forget about this lake. It is the largest freshwater on the whole continent, and the third among all water bodies. Find the mark of "Lake. Baikal "on the map is not difficult - its length is more than six hundred kilometers, and the width is eighty, so it will be easy to see such a point.

On the shores of an amazing reservoir, for many centuries people live, but nature still seems wild and untouched, creating a special atmosphere of a natural nature reserve. Perhaps, that is why it is considered one of the best places on the whole planet, marked with guidebooks and even a UNESCO list.

On the lake is the island of Olkhon. The peninsula of the Holy Nose separates the lake. Baikal is divided into two parts. The maximum depth of the water reaches one thousand three hundred and seventy-two meters. And the bottom descends quite sharply, differing steep slopes right in the coastal strip. In a kilometer or two from the shore begins a thick layer of silt. In places the bottom is covered with a large number of decks, stumps and whole sunken trees.

The largest lake in Eastern Siberia has three hundred and thirty-six tributaries, the most significant are the Upper Angara and Tunguska. The Baikal is known for crystal clear and transparent water. By December the lake freezes, and in May the ice is coming down. In the winter months, the road runs directly along the ice, and in the summer the shipping company is actively operating here. The water is cold enough - the wind blows a warm layer off the surface, constantly mixing it with a deep one. From spring to August there are thick fogs.

Recent studies have shown that the lake is inhabited by a variety of mollusks and invertebrates, as well as an impressive number of fish species. The amazing water, which remains transparent even under the ice, is a landmark known on the world level - people from all over the world come to look at the impeccable surface of Lake Baikal. However, the deteriorating ecological situation on the planet can lead to the disappearance of this phenomenon - the reservoir loses its purity and can drastically change in the coming decades.

Taimyr

The internal waters of Eastern Siberia are distinguished by a number of unusual features. For example, the famous Taimyr Lake is interesting because it is the most northern lake in the world. It flows into the same river - Taimyr. The lake is located far beyond the Arctic Circle, and the northernmost point is at seventy-six degrees of latitude. Like some rivers in Eastern Siberia, the reservoir freezes for many months of the year. On the coast there are islands - they differ in round shape, rocky coasts and cliffs, on some there are glaciers. It is known that the lake. Taimyr is located on the territory that used to be the bottom of the sea. This affects the terrain surrounding the pond lands. The study of the shoreline was conducted in the forties of the eighteenth century - this was done by the famous travelers of Laptev, Chekin and Chelyuskin.

Hantay Lake

Another large pond is located in the southern part of the Taimyr Peninsula. Local residents call it differently - Kutarmo. Also known as the "Great Khantay". Nearby there is a village with the same name, which was founded eighty years ago.

This pond is considered unique because of its depth - it can reach four hundred and twenty meters, which is second only to the Caspian Sea and Baikal. Lake Khantayskoe stretches for eighty kilometers in length and twenty-five wide, covering an area of eight hundred and twenty-two square kilometers. The reservoir is located in the tectonic glacial depression, which is located on the Putorana Plateau, which lies at a height of sixty-five meters above sea level. With a nearby lake called Little Khantai it is connected by a wide channel. This area is located beyond the Arctic Circle, so the weather characteristic of the region is severe enough - here there is a zone of permafrost, therefore, the waters of Khantai Lake are very cold, all year round.

Kara Sea

The internal waters of Eastern Siberia are directly connected with external water bodies. Therefore, it is not superfluous to study the seas of the region. For example, Karskoye, which is part of the Siberian Arctic group. It refers to the continental type of marginal seas and forms the borders of Eastern Siberia in the north of the region. The area is eight hundred and eighty three thousand square kilometers, which makes it one of the largest. The volume of water reaches ninety eight thousand cubic meters. The average depth is one hundred and ten, and the maximum depth is six hundred meters. In the waters there is a large number of archipelagos, which are located along the coast. In the cold season over some parts of the sea there are hurricane winds. The cyclone from the west carries warm air masses on land, most often in February. Then comes the spring, the air warms up quickly, and the hottest month is July, when the temperature on the shore can reach plus twenty degrees Celsius. The Kara Sea is of such great importance for the region because many rivers of Eastern Siberia flow into it. For example, this is the Ob and the Yenisei.

Climatic features

The nature of the weather in any territory determines its geographical location. The climate of Eastern Siberia, remote from the Atlantic Ocean, can be called continental. This means significant seasonal temperature fluctuations, small clouds and not too abundant precipitation. In winter, the weather is determined by the Asian anticyclone. This means that during the day there can be strong temperature fluctuations. A snow cover forms, the temperature can drop to minus forty, and in the lowlands - to minus sixty. In this case, the arrival of warm masses can increase the daytime temperature to zero. In summer cyclones come from the west and provide an impressive amount of precipitation. Annual number of them varies from one hundred and thirty to thousands of millimeters.

The most mild conditions are the Central Siberian plateau. The territory of Yakutia is characterized by aridity, and the Baikal region is close to marine conditions, which is explained by the large size of the lake. The minimum precipitation in the region falls in February and March. The climate of Eastern Siberia creates conditions for dense forests that cover almost the entire territory, as well as the steppes - they are found even to the north of sixty degrees of latitude. The harsh climate of these places has provided Siberia an ominous place in history - despite the fact that the region's natural resources are impressive with wealth, deep snowdrifts and constant cold made this land a place of exile. To this day, many places remain unoccupied, preserving the virgin nature precisely because of severe climatic conditions.

Flora and fauna

The natural resources of Eastern Siberia are vast and diverse. It is here that the main timber extraction takes place. Trees of the region are represented by such species as pine, cedar, fir, spruce and larch. In addition, in the east of Siberia, many different animals live. One of the most important species is protein. In the mountains of this area live marmots, Kamchatka and black-capped. In the forests you can meet Asian forest mice, Siberian voles. The animal from the Red Book is the local Tuvan beaver. On the shores of the Yenisei there are Asian long-tailed ground squirrels. In the taiga regions the most rare and unusual animals are lemmings, there are also voles and other species. Bats are represented by leather jackets and water scythes.

There are few species of insects. Small animals are represented by shrews and Daurian hedgehogs. In the East Siberian taiga live brown bears, moose and lynx, foxes, badgers and ferrets. Deer and sable are common, and in some places roe deer, flying squirrels, hare-hares and mouse-shaped rodents are found. The diversity that distinguishes these natural resources of Eastern Siberia ensures its historical status as one of the raw regions.