Luga River in the Leningrad and Novgorod Regions

Meadows - the river basin of the Baltic Sea. It begins in the Novgorod region, and ends in the Leningrad region. Almost the entire coastline is located near the motorways, so fishing lovers get to the stream is not difficult. There are a lot of entrances here for both cargo and passenger transport.

The name of the river

Scientists and local historians put forward three versions of the origin of the name of the river.

According to one of them, it is associated with the name of the Celtic god. His name was Lug, which means "shining". In ancient times, the Celtic tribes inhabited vast territories. Archaeologists find their settlements in France, Spain, Ukraine, in the countries of small Asia. Many names of geographical objects are associated with the names of Celtic gods. Perhaps, this phrase also has the same origin. Therefore, it is possible that the water flow bears the name of the god Lug. The river and its picturesque landscapes fully correspond to this name.

Consider another version, which also seems plausible enough. It refers to an even earlier period. In those days, the ancient nationality of the people settled here. Laukaa - this is the pronunciation of the given name in the vaud language, which means "to break or scatter". Presumably, this name was given for the reason that the channel of the water flow shifted to the west during the entire post-glacial period, that is, the river wandered and tore its outlines.

Another version. It says that the name of the river came from the word laugas (swamp, pit) from the Estonian dictionary or from the Finnish laukka (gate for salmon). Luga - a river, the fish in which is found in large quantities, has become the most favorite place for spawning of representatives of the salmon family.

Geography and natural conditions

The Luga River begins in the Tesovsky swamps, which are located on the territory of the Novgorod region. It flows through the terrain of the two regions, gracefully wriggling. And, finally, completes its journey near the Gulf of Finland. The Luga Bay is the mouth of the Luga River. At this point, you can observe a beautiful picture, as the stream bifurcates. One sleeve is considered the main one, the second one, which goes to the north, is called Vybya.

The length of the river from the source to the mouth is 353 kilometers. The sandy bed of the meadow is notable for its tortuosity. Where the river overflows the rapids, the bottom is pebble with large boulders. The thresholds were formed at the elevations of the hills. The intermittent floodplain of the river in some places is cut by starets and cold lakes.

Meadows - a river with a mixed type of food. Basically, the replenishment of water is due to the melting of snow. In the first half of December the river freezes. The ice continues to stand until about the middle of April. In the spring, during the active thawing of snow, there is so much water in the stream that part of it flows into the Narva River, through the Rosson Channel. This sleeve is separated from the meadow near the mouth.

The river has many tributaries. Scientists allocate more than 33, they are considered to be the main ones. It is worth mentioning the longest tributaries of Luga: Long, Saba, Lizard, Oredezh.

Vegetable world

Vegetation along the banks of the meadow varies depending on the climate. Mixed forests of spruce and birch, located in the upper reaches of the riverbed, are replaced by deciduous trees, consisting of birch, alder and aspen. Coniferous pine plantations, as well as mixed pine-birch plantations, decorate the banks in the middle of the river. Throughout its length, the forests are interspersed with the flooded meadows, which makes the banks often impassable.

Recreation and tourism on the Luga River

Luga is a river that attracts fishing enthusiasts. Due to the difference in the climate on the sections of the water flow, you can meet soms, asp, pike-perch, lamprey, roach, eel. Also there is a high probability of catching a pike weighing more than 10 kilograms. During the spawning season, salmon come from the Gulf of Finland at the mouth of the river.

On the banks of Luga are a variety of holiday homes and hotels, tourist and fishing facilities, boarding houses and summer camps for children. Picturesque landscapes, clear lakes, winding channels, unique nature monuments and a large number of springs with clean water all attract people who love nature and active rest. This summer will give you a cool and fresh forest and river. Autumn pleases with bright colors. In winter, you find yourself in a real fairy tale, which is especially felt in the forest. In the spring one can become an eyewitness of the awakening of an unforgettable northern nature.

The economic importance of the river

At present, the Luga River is navigable on several sections, which are divided by thresholds. It is quite abundant and is the main supplier of water to small rivers. The port of Ust-Luga was built in the Luga Bay. The climatic conditions here are such that the work does not stop almost all year round.

The port operates a forest, coal, oil, fish terminals, a ferry complex for rail and road transport, a universal shop for transshipment of various cargoes and other services. Large-tonnage vessels with a settled draft of up to 13.7 meters are accepted here. Throughput in 2015 was more than 50 million tons.