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The Lena River basin. Direction, slope, length, tributaries, river basin boundaries
The basin of the Lena River is located in the vast territory of North-Eastern Siberia (in Yakutia, as well as in the Irkutsk region). Some of its tributaries are located in Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk, Zabaikalsky Krai and the Republic of Buryatia. Among all the rivers in the world, Lena occupies the 10th place in length and 8 in the fullness. This reservoir is considered the longest river in Russia, which flows under one name.
General information
The source of the Lena River is located near Lake Baikal, 145 km from the village of Kachug in the Irkutsk Region (Baikal Range). Further, it proceeds along the Zhigalovsky, Kachugsky, Ust-Kutsky and Kirensky districts, which are located in the same region.
In Yakutia, Lena flows in Lensk, Khangalassky, Olekminsky, Namsk, in the urban district of Yakutsk, Zhigansky, Kobiai and Bulunsky districts. It flows into the Laptev Sea in 160 km from the village of Chekurovka (Bulunsky district). The direction of the Lena River is from the south to the northeast, and further from Yakutsk to the north.
History of the discovery
The first information about the huge eastern river appeared at the beginning of the XVII century. Several detachments of Cossacks were sent to explore this unexplored region. In 1628 Vasily Bugor and his detachment set out for the expedition. They climbed up the Angara, then went to Ilim, they crossed the watershed and went out to the Lena River along the Kuta River. A couple of years later the centurion Petr Beketov went to the region of North-Eastern Siberia. His troops in the area of the river Kuta were built the first houses, due to which began to build a new city - Ust-Kut.
In 1733-1743 the Lena River basin began to be studied by members of the scientific Kamchatka expedition. In the 19th century, this region continued to explore Chekanovsky, Anjou, Toll and other scientists. In 1910-1915 on Lena cartographic works were conducted. In 1919-1920, according to the results of the expedition of Evgenov and Matisen, an inventory of the reservoir was compiled from its mouth to the city of Yakutsk. The name "Lena", strangely enough, is completely unrelated to the Russian woman's name, but resembles the Yakut "Elyu-Ene", which translates as "the big river".
The tributaries of the Lena River
The main tributaries:
- Molodo, Kuta, Viluy (the largest left tributaries).
- Tea, Aldan, Vitim, Chuya, Kirenga, Olekma (the largest right tributaries).
The largest of them is the river Aldan with a basin area of 729,000 square meters.
Smaller tributaries:
- on the right: Sukhusha, Orlinga, Bicha, Zharkov, Chichapta, Iga, Dyanshka, Tayura, Jarjan, Kovtorov, Botovka, Anga, Tutura, Bolshaya rechka, Vinokurennaya, Shapkin, Buotmama, Berezovka, Malaya Balakhnya, Yukte, Larch, Chechui, Upper Sarafanikha, Tuolba, Zybunya, Kovtorov, Kuzmin, Yelovetsky, Sobolokh-Mayan, Parshinka, Zakobeninsky river and others;
- on the left: Indus, Yamniy, Ilga, Nizhnyaya, Atalanga, Markha, Lunakha, Zakharovka, Dry, Upper Bochakta, Shulaga, Turuka, Konec, Namana, Semiga, Bobrovka, Kazimirka, Boty, Fedorovka, Ilikta, Talabak, Kukhta, Fedorovka, Half, Potapovka, Kokara, Killed, Peleduy, Khoruonka, Eekit, Tympylikan, Bear, Piuda, Rassokha, Yamniy, Upper Katyama, Mokshcheny, Menevsky, Nizhaya Katyama, Olenek, Chembalovka, Bear, Nemtanka, Ichera, Zaharovka, Stepanikha, Kulenga and Others.
Hydrological regime
The length of the Lena River is 4400 km. The maximum depth is 21 km. The largest width of the armhole is 30 km. The basin area is 2 490 000 km ². The food of the Lena and almost all its tributaries is provided by melting snow and rainwater. Because of the permafrost, the reservoir feeds poorly on groundwater, although geothermal sources are an exception. In the spring, a flood is observed on the river, several floods occur in the summer, and autumn and winter are characterized by low levels.
Relief and soil
The upper part of the reservoir and a significant part of its right tributaries are located in the mountainous areas of the Baikal region, the Aldan upland and the Transbaikal. Part of the left-bank basin is on the Central Siberian plateau. The lowest part of the river lies in the middle and lower reaches of the river (the Central Yakut lowland). After the city of Pokrovsk, which is located in Yakutia, the current of the Lena River slows down considerably.
The river can be divided into three main zones: from the source, which is located 12 km from Lake Baikal at an altitude of 1,470 meters, to the confluence of the Vitim River (the upper section), from the last to the confluence in the Aldan (middle) and from this point to the mouth (lower).
The upper part of the river accounts for almost a third of its length. The width of the valley varies from 1-3 km to 10 km, in some places the canal narrows to 200 meters. The slopes of the pond are rocky and steep. The height of the Lena River in this region reaches 300 meters.
In the middle reaches, it becomes more abundant. Its dimensions especially increase after the confluence of the Olekma River. Here the channel width reaches 2 km. Below the mouth of the Olekma, the Lena valley becomes narrow with limestone slopes strongly dissected, which are individual rocks.
Below the mouth of the Aldan, the boundaries of the Lena River basin extend beyond the Central Yakut lowland. In this region, its valley extends to 20-25 km, and the width of the armhole - 7-15 km. The bed of reservoirs is very ramified. The valleys are quite asymmetrical: the slope of the Lena River on the left bank is much lower than on the right. In this area, the depth reaches 16-20 meters. In the lower reaches of the basin the reservoir is narrow: from the west, there are elevations of the Central Siberian plateau, and from the east the spurs of the Verkhoyansk Range are strongly protruding. Further, in the region where the river flows between the Chekanovskii ridge and the Kharaulakh mountains, the channel width narrows to 2 km.
In the place where the reservoir flows into the Laptev Sea, an extensive delta with numerous branches was formed (this can be seen from the Lena basin on the map), which is larger than the Nile delta (30,000 km2). Here there are important ecological territories: the Sokol and Ust-Lenskoye nature reserves, as well as the Lena-Ustye reserve. In these places there are about 109 species of birds, 32 species of fish, 33 mammals and 402 plant species.
Features of the river
Lena is significantly different from other rivers due to the powerful ice regime. Quite sturdy and thick ice ballast is formed on the reservoir in conditions of severe, long and little snowy winter. Without it, the river lasts about 5-6 months in the south and 4-5 months in the north. On it, the ice sheet is installed about 10 days later than on the tributaries of the reservoir. The upper course of the Lena River freezes from the end of October, and the lower reaches from the end of September. Completely thaws pond in the middle of May in the upper reaches and only at the beginning of summer - in the lower reaches. The maximum water temperature can reach +19 C in the upper current and about +14 C in the lower one.
At the end of April, a spring flood is often observed near the city of Kirensk (the upper part of the Lena) and gradually shifts to the north, where it comes to an ice-covered reservoir. In the lower reaches of the river, this phenomenon is usually observed in mid-June. Here the water can rise up to 18 meters. Annually in the Laptev Sea Lena takes out about 41 thousand tons of dissolved substances.
The reservoir is also characterized by a periodic increase in the annual runoff, which does not occur as a result of a large amount of precipitation in the reservoir, but because there is an intensive melting of the permafrost and ice in the lower part of the Lena. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that recently the temperature in the north of Yakutia is higher than usual.
Settlements
The largest settlements on the river are Kachug, Ust-Ilga, Vitim, Verkholensk, Sangar, Yakutsk, Bestyah, Maimaga, Chuya, Chekurovka, Omoloy, Bahanay, Khorintsi, Sinsk and others.
The largest ports are Lensk, Sangar, Pokrovsk, Tiksi, Osetrovo, Kirensk, Olekminsk and Yakutsk.
The most important city in the region is Yakutsk. It was founded in 1632 by a detachment of Cossacks Peter Beketov on the right side of the reservoir. Later the city was transferred to the left bank of the Lena. Now its population is about 240 thousand inhabitants. This is one of the largest settlements of North-Eastern Siberia.
In general, the banks of the river are poorly populated. From one village to another, sometimes the distance can reach hundreds of kilometers. Most of the settlements are located near Yakutsk. Many villages are in an abandoned state.
Vegetation
A significant part of the territory is covered with endless taiga and coniferous forests. In this region grow cedars, spruce, larch, fir and pine. However, in some parts of the banks of the Lena there are meadows where there is a steppe vegetation (eg wormwood, fescue).
Ichthyofauna
The Lena River basin is rich in such kinds of fish: whitefish, pike, ide, lenok, catfish, tungun, chir, dace, burbot, taimen, grayling, omul, ruff, pike perch, carp, roach and bream.
Animals
Water quality
In the river there is a turbidity of no more than 50-60 g / m³. The degree of mineralization of the reservoir is from fresh to saline. In general, Lena is characterized by medium and small mineralization. The average is observed during floods and floods. If we talk about the chemical composition, the water can be attributed to hydro-carbonate-calcium.
Shipping
Lena is rightfully considered the main waterway of Yakutia, as well as the Irkutsk region. The river is navigable from its mouth to Kachuga. From the village of Ust-Kut on the Lena can only sail ships with a small draft. In small areas, measures are taken every year to deepen the bottom of the reservoir. The navigation period lasts approximately 125 to 170 days. It is worth noting that it is on this reservoir that a significant part of the "northern delivery" is produced.
Tourism
Cruise liners and small boats sail along the river. Lena is a favorite fishing place for both tourists and local residents.
The basin of the Lena River is famous for the so-called Shishkinsky rocks. The rock inscriptions of ancient people are very well preserved here. They are in the upper reaches of the reservoir. It is worth noting that this is the only place where the creativity of the primitive man is so clearly and distinctly represented
No less popular among tourists Lena Pillars (Yakutia, Khangalassky district) - is a kind of geological formation - and a natural reserve, which is located on the right bank of the river. One of the passes was called "Devil's Path", and the rock is called "The Drunken Bull". Traces of ancient people were also found in the area of the Lena Pillars. This fact confirms the theory of extratropical origin of man. And although scientists differently date the age of the Neolithic sites, it is reliably known that representatives of the genus Homo lived here at least 300 thousand years ago.
In Siberia, really many miracles, but the desert among the taiga - just a phenomenal phenomenon. On the right bank of the river there is a small section (about 1 km) of sand dunes, which create the illusion of arid and hot terrain. Destroy this self-deception only the nearby pine trees. There are many explanations for this phenomenon, although not one of them has yet been formally adopted.
Fossil and energy potential
12 reservoirs have been created on the Lena, the two largest hydropower stations are located on Vilyu and Mamakan. The river basin is famous for its minerals. Here are the Aldan and Bodaibo gold-bearing areas. Gold deposits in the Lena basin were found in the early 19th century. Quite soon after that, the glory of the incredible wealth of this area swept across Russia. In the region, a real gold rush began, as in Alaska. The coast began to populate a lot of fans of easy money. Among them were representatives of various strata of the population: merchants, artisans, runaway criminals, soldiers. Many of them in the pursuit of wealth died of hunger and disease, but gold seekers still became just more and more.
On the Vilyui River there is also a diamond deposit, which was discovered in 1955. Earlier it was believed that these stones can be found only in hot countries. Now the capital city of Russia is the large city of Mirny. In addition, there are fossils such as coal, natural gas, mica, rock salt, iron ore and others.
This stern and inhospitable at first glance, the edge in its own beautiful and attractive. As it turned out, despite its external inaccessibility, the waters and coast of Lena contain a lot of wealth. It is possible that in these areas there will be many more treasures, because the river basin has not been fully studied yet.
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