A large amount of precipitation, the presence of permafrost, long-melting snow in the mountains, low evaporation, and mountainous terrain are the reasons for the development of an exceptionally dense hydraulic network within the Kamchatka Territory.
In Kamchatka there are 1401 rivers and streams, but only 105
of them have a length of over 100 km. Despite their insignificant depth, the rivers are extremely deep.
The Kamchatka River (length 758 km) and the Penzhina River (713 km) stand out sharply in size. Most Kamchatka rivers flow in a latitudinal direction, which is due to the meridional nature of the main watersheds: Sredinny and Eastern ranges.
Kamchatka rivers They have a mountainous character in the upper reaches and a calm character within the plains. When they flow into the sea, many of them usually form spits, and at their mouths there are underwater shafts and bars.
Within the mountains, rivers flow in relatively narrow V-shaped valleys with steep slopes and have a fast, often rapids flow. The bottom and slopes of the valleys are composed of large coarse clastic material (boulders, pebbles, gravel). As rivers approach the plains, the size of the material composing the valleys and river beds decreases; The flow of rivers slows down and becomes calmer. In general terms, the coastal lowlands are a combination of flat wetlands, concentrated mainly near the coast, undulating, hilly interfluve areas and wide river valleys. Within the hilly plains, river channels branch into channels and branches, and on the coastal lowlands they form many bends and old rivers. .JPG)
Mountain rivers are distributed exclusively within mountainous regions. Basically, they correspond to the upper sections of rivers, but on large rivers this pattern is violated. Often, when crossing the spurs of ridges, rivers in the middle and even lower reaches acquire a mountainous flow due to the large slopes of the valley.
Rivers within mountainous regions with maximum elevation differences have rapids-waterfall channels. They are characterized by alternating rapids and waterfalls with segments of stagnant zones. Such rivers are usually small in size and flow along the bottom of valleys with steep slopes. The length of such sections ranges from a few percent of the entire length of the river (if the river downstream flows into the foothills and plains) to 100% (small rivers and streams flowing throughout their entire length within mountainous regions).
As the relief gradually flattens out, the rapids and waterfalls disappear, but the nature of the flow still remains turbulent. In addition, as tributaries flow in, the size and water content of rivers (i.e., the amount of water flowing through a cross-section of a river in a certain period of time) increase. Such rivers are most characterized by a rectilinear channel shape with separate single islands and forced bends (bends in the river bed). The formation of such bends is due to the fact that the river flow tends to go around rocky ledges composed of strong, indestructible rocks, and thereby acquires a tortuous shape.
In some areas, mountain rivers form large erosion holes, the depth of which is tens of times greater than the average depth of the river. Such holes are good refuges for fish, since the current speeds in them are sharply reduced.
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On the large rivers of Kamchatka you can also observe areas with rapid flow. Narrow valleys with steep slopes and high current speeds (> 1 m/s) may be due to the restriction of rivers by spurs of mountain ranges. On rivers that, in general, do not have a deep and flat channel, there are always sections with a significant slope, leading to a sharp increase in flow speeds, which, due to the shallow depth and rockiness of the channels, makes the flow turbulent. Such rivers, as a rule, flow in a single channel and only a few islands divide the flow into branches. The islands here are high and represent clusters of large pebbles, overgrown with birch and alder bushes. Open pebble banks form above and below the islands.
The most beautiful banks of mountain rivers attract attention. When approaching the ridges they take on the appearance of high rocky ledges. The mosses and lichens growing on them give the rocks a red-brown or green color.
When moving from mountainous to flat conditions, the steepness of river valleys and the flow speed sharply decrease. For these reasons, the flow power becomes insufficient to move river sediments (boulders, pebbles). This material is deposited directly in the river bed, forming peculiar islands called sedges. As a result, a bizarre and very dynamic pattern is formed from many ducts separated by islands. These types of channels are most common in the lower reaches of small rivers.
Another distinctive feature of these rivers is the presence of a large amount of driftwood (various sizes of logs and branches) in the riverbed, which is associated with the rivers exiting into the forest area. During periods of spring snowmelt, as well as after heavy rains, the water level in rivers and flow speeds increase, and the flow of water intensively erodes the banks. As a result, a huge amount of woody material enters the river and is deposited downstream on the shallows - near islands or coastal spits. That is why the largest creases (accumulations of branches, cramps, as well as entire tree trunks) lead to the splitting of the river into channels, some of which have the opposite direction to the main flow of the river. As a result, the use of rivers for rafting purposes along almost their entire length turns out to be impossible.
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Distribution of rivers by basin. All rivers of the Kamchatka Territory belong to the basins of the Okhotsk and Bering Seas and the Pacific Ocean.
The rivers of western Kamchatka flow into Sea of Okhotsk. Most originate in Sredinny ridge. A smaller part originates in its foothills or peat bogs. In the upper reaches they flow in narrow gorges with numerous rapids and waterfalls; on the plain their valleys become wide (up to 5-6 km), the banks are low, and the flow is slow. The rivers form channels and are replete with sandbanks.
Swamp rivers represent a sharp contrast to clear, rapid mountain streams. Their bed is mostly narrow and deeply cut into the peat. The water, as always in swamp streams, is dark brown in color and the flow is slow. After rains they swell greatly. They usually start in small oval or round lakes.
The largest of the rivers flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk is Penzhina river(713 km). The river originates in Kolyma ridge and flows into Penzhinskaya Bay. The largest tributaries of the Penzhina are the Oklan and Chernaya rivers. Other rivers in the western part of Kamchatka include: Bolshaya, Tigil, Icha, Vorovskaya, Krutogorova.
The rivers flowing into the Bering Sea are even shorter than the rivers of western Kamchatka. Most of them have a pronounced mountain character all the way to the mouth. The largest rivers originate in the Sredinny Range: Ozernaya(length 199 km), Ivashka, Karaga, Anapka, Valovayam. WITH Koryak Highlands flow into the Bering Sea Vivenka, Pakhacha, Apuka.
Directly to Pacific Ocean The rivers of south-eastern Kamchatka flow into them. Of these, the largest are Zhupanova, Avacha And Kamchatka.
The largest river in the region Kamchatka(length 758 km, drainage area 55.9 thousand sq. km), unlike other Kamchatka rivers, it flows along a large section of its length Central Kamchatka plain and has a mountainous character only in the upper reaches. The river has many tributaries. Of these, the largest: left - Kozyrevka, Fast, Elovka; right - Shchapina And Big Khapitsa.
The rivers of Kamchatka are surrounded by a landscape that is completely unique in terms of vegetation. In conditions of high humidity, which is typical of flooded river floodplains, truly monstrous grass grows, in which an adult person disappears headlong. They are accompanied by bushes, all together creating a truly impassable thicket.
Another characteristic feature of the floodplain landscape is animal trails. Even in the wildest regions, there are trodden paths along water bodies along which you can move freely (unless you meet a four-legged club-footed friend on it).
Lakes
In Kamchatka from above 100 thousand large and small lakes. By nature they can be divided into six types. Each type is confined to a specific region of the region.
1. Numerous crater and dammed lakes are common in areas of ancient and modern volcanism. Crater lakes (sometimes with hot water) are small in size and located at a significant altitude. Dammed lakes were formed as a result of the blocking of rivers by lava flows (Lake Palanskoye).
Small pools of hot water often form where hot springs come out. Lakes associated with volcanism also include large caldera lakes (Lake Kurilskoye).
2. Oxbow lakes form the second large group. They are located mainly in the valley of the Kamchatka River.
3. On the coasts, mainly in the estuarine parts of rivers, there are lagoon lakes, separated from the sea by spits. They are of considerable size. Lake Nerpichye, for example, is the largest lake in Kamchatka. Its area is 448 square meters. km, depths range from 4 to 13 m.
4. Discharge lakes were formed as a result of the splitting and subsidence of individual sections of the earth’s crust. They are characterized by the simplicity of the outline of the banks. (Lake Dalnee near the village of Paratunki).
5. Another type is formed by glacial lakes located at the foot of the ridges, where they sometimes form a typical landscape.
6. Peat lakes are widespread within the region.
Many lakes were formed under the influence of several factors and cannot be classified into any specific type.
Small, well-warmed lakes are home to silver crucian carp and pike. In some lakes there is Amur carp.
At the same time, the lakes are wonderful spawning grounds for salmon, and Lake Kurilskoye And Nerpichye are among the best spawning grounds in the world.
Some lakes are an exceptional phenomenon. An example is Lake Kurilskoye, an ancient caldera filled with water. .JPG)
Among the volcanic lakes of Russia there is not a single one that is anything close to it in structure. With a relatively small size (77.1 sq. km), the lake has great depths (306 m) and belongs to the deepest lakes in Eurasia. The panorama of the lake is unique. It is surrounded on all sides by majestic volcanic cones. The shores and underwater slopes are steep and rocky. Ancient lake terraces are visible on the slopes of the volcanoes.
Islands rise from the bottom in the form of peaks, one of the islands, a triangular Alaid rock.
The lake is fed by numerous mountain streams mixed with the waters of hot springs. One weakly freezing river, Ozernaya, flows out of it. The lake is one of the most important spawning grounds for sockeye salmon.
In the craters or calderas of many volcanoes there are lakes that do not freeze all winter, so ducks and swans often spend the winter on them.
Palana is a small picturesque river flowing in the north of the Kamchatka Territory. In its upper reaches, the river forms many beautiful rapids, which attract the bulk of tourists.
The name "palana" comes from an old Koryak word that means "threshold". And the river fully lives up to its name - originating from Lake Palansky, it forms a long chain of rapids and waterfalls at its source. Many of these waterfalls are very picturesque and beautiful.
Apart from the rapids, Palana has nothing else to boast of. The river is about 140 kilometers long and is used mainly to satisfy the various economic needs of the region. In addition, its waters are home to many varieties of commercial fish, which is why Palana is also popular among local fishermen.
Zhupanova River
The Zhupanova River is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula, its length is about 240 km. Flowing into the Kronotsky Bay, the river forms a vast estuary, which bears the same name. The Zhupanova River has a typical mountain character and is considered a corner of virgin nature untouched by civilization. Five species of salmon spawn here. In addition, the river basin has become the habitat of many animals, such as brown bear, reindeer, fox, sable and many others.
Sport fishing is practiced on the river.
In the next five years, it is planned to build small hydroelectric power stations on the river; unfortunately, this will lead to flooding of part of the valley, which could have a detrimental effect on the inhabitants of this ecosystem.
The largest river in the region. Its length is more than 750 km, the Itelmen name is Uykoal, which means “Big River”. Kamchatka has two sources: the left one, originating in the Sredinny Range (Ozernaya Kamchatka River), and the right one in the eastern ridge (Pravaya Kamchatka River). Merging within the Ganal tundra, they give rise to the Kamchatka River itself. It flows north, but near the village of Klyuchi it sharply turns east and flows into the Kamchatka Bay, forming a wide mouth, the fairway of which is constantly changing.
Kamchatka is the only river in the region that is navigable. Currently, Kamchatka is used for shipping for 200 km. from the mouth. In the lower reaches, the depths on the reaches during low-water periods reach 5-6 m, on the rifts about 2 m.
The Kamchatka basin occupies the Central Kamchatka depression, between the Sredinny Range in the west and the Valaginsky Range in the east. The large size of the river determines that more than 80% of its length falls on the flat bed. In the upper reaches the channel is mountainous and semi-mountainous, with numerous branches typical of Kamchatka rivers.
Within the flatbed there are several special and extremely intriguing areas. This is the famous Big Cheeks gorge, in which the river flows for 35 km and has almost sheer rocky banks, which can be the envy of any “promoted” canyon in North America. Their development here is associated with the river crossing the spurs of the Kamchatka Range. The river also very picturesquely crosses the spurs, where, already being a large flat river, it forms two large rapids - Krekurlinsky and Pingrinsky.
The Kamchatka River has the largest fish resources. All types of salmon fish come to spawn: pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and brown trout (Salvelinus leucomaenis). A wide variety of fish of residential forms: char (Salvelinus), mykiss (Parasalmo mykiss), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), grayling (Thymallus arcticus pallasi), carp species, even sturgeon.
A huge number of tributaries flow into Kamchatka. The largest of them, Shchapina,. Kamchatka and its numerous tributaries carry large amounts of alluvial material.
The Kamchatka River is not only the most powerful waterway, but also the history of the region. Its valley has been densely populated since ancient times. The famous archaeologist N.N. Dikov, working in the valley, discovered ancient settlements. The greatest habitability of this river valley was also noted by Russian explorers. V. Atlasov in his “skasks” reported: “And as we sailed along Kamchatka, there were many foreigners on both sides of the river, great settlements.” The Cossacks sent on reconnaissance reported that from the mouth to the sea, in an area of 150 km, there were 160 forts, and in each of them 150 - 200 people lived in one or two yurts. According to the most conservative estimate, about 25 thousand people lived in the Kamchatka Valley.
Used sources:
Data collected and processed by Batalov D.
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Kamchatka is a river on the peninsula with the same name. It is located in the northeast of Eurasia.
Kamchatka River (description)
The river is the largest on the peninsula of the same name, located in the Far East of the Russian Federation. The source and mouth of the Kamchatka River are 758 kilometers apart. The area of the river basin is 55,900 square kilometers. The source of Kamchatka is located in the mountainous central part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, namely, in the southern part of the Sredinny Range. Before connecting with the tributary Pravaya Kamchatka, the river is called Ozernaya. After the confluence with Pravaya, along the bank of the river until it flows into the bay of the same name, there is a highway connecting Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky with Ust-Kamchatsky.
Different sections of the river
The upper reaches of Kamchatka are typical for a mountain river: green waters flow in a stormy stream from the Ganalsky and Sredinny ridges. The current is so violent that it carries large stones over vast distances. These boulders form rapids and riffles on the river. Having passed by the village of Pushchina, entering the Central Kamchatka Lowland, the river calms down and becomes a flat stream. 80 percent of the length of Kamchatka lies on the plain. The width also becomes more impressive - from 100 to 150 meters near the village of Milkovo. The further downstream, the wider and fuller the river. The riverbed is winding, has many branches and oxbow lakes, and forms meanders. The river's floodplain is occupied by green meadows, fields, and forests.
Sometimes the forest comes very close to the river, forming a “green hedge”. In the lower reaches of Kamchatka, the latitude reaches 600 meters and the depth reaches 6 meters. In some places navigation is possible, but due to floods these areas change their position, which is very inconvenient. The Kamchatka River delta consists of many channels, which are separated by spits of sand and pebbles. The general appearance of the delta changes at different times of the year. Where the river flows into the bay, it is joined by a channel flowing from the largest lake on the peninsula called Nerpichye.
Mountains on the river's path
As already mentioned, the Kamchatka (river) begins in the southern part of the Sredinny Range. It is formed, thanks to the waters of melted snowfields, in a deep, bowl-shaped gorge. Further it flows between two ridges - Middle and Eastern. The average height of the Sredinny Range is from 1400 to 1800 meters, the maximum height is 3621 meters. The average height of the Eastern Range is from 1200 to 1600 meters, and the highest point is 2412 meters. The waterway is blocked by the huge Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano. Going around it, the Kamchatka River then flows to the east. Where Klyuchevskaya Sopka is located can be understood from afar, thanks to the sparkling glaciers on the top of the volcanic mountain. Then, cutting through the Kumroch ridge, it flows through a narrow valley (the “Cheeks” gorge) and goes out to the Pacific Ocean onto the coastal lowland, where it flows into the Kamchatka Bay, which belongs to the Bering Sea.
Big Cheeks Gorge
The flat bed of Kamchatka cuts through the Kumroch Mountains, passing through the Big Cheeks gorge. Its length is 23 kilometers and it ends 4 km from the former Nizhnekamchatsk. The river in this place gathers into one narrow channel, the flow speed increases. Previously, back in the 19th century, there was a fort here where the Itelmens, the indigenous people of the Kamchatka Peninsula, lived. And already in the next century, a fishing farm was formed here from the Lenin’s Path collective farm. The catch was supplied to a fish canning plant in Ust-Kamchatsk.
Hydrological regime
Kamchatka is a river that is one of the deepest. The average water consumption per year is 950 cubic meters per second. The river is fed primarily underground (35 percent), so rainwater easily passes through volcanic rocks and feeds groundwater. Snow nutrition is 34 percent and ranks second. Then comes glacial and a very small share (3 percent) is rain. The hydrological regime is characterized by significant floods in spring and summer, which occurs due to the melting of snow and glaciers in the mountains.
It is at this time that 50 to 70 percent of the total annual flow occurs. The flood consists of two waves. The first wave comes when snow melts in the valley, and the second comes from the melting of mountain snowfields. After the period of high water, low water begins, which includes September and October. During this period, the river is very full due to incoming groundwater and glacial waters. Next comes winter low water, which lasts approximately 180 days. The ice on the river appears in November, and the river breaks up in April or May.
Altitudinal zone
Since the river basin is located partly in the mountains, it has developed altitudinal zones. In the upper reaches of the rivers that flow into Kamchatka, mountain tundras are widespread.
In the upper reaches of Kamchatka itself, mainly white and stone birch grow, and dry meadows are common. In the middle reaches there are larch forests with an admixture of spruce (Ayan spruce and Okhotsk larch). In the lower reaches there are alder-willow forests and shrubs, the area is swampy.
Tributaries
In the Kamchatka River basin there are 7,707 tributaries, the total length of which is 30,352 kilometers. But at the same time, 7105 of them are rivers with a length of less than 10 kilometers. The longest tributary is the Elovka River (242 kilometers).
It is followed by Kozyrevka (222 kilometers), Shchapina (172 kilometers), Tolbachik (148 km), Kitilgina (140 km), Kirganik (121 km), Bolshaya Khapitsa (111 km), Kavycha (108 km), Vakhvina Levaya, Andrianovka , Rainbow, Right Kamchatka.
The influence of volcanic activity on the river
The Kamchatka River Valley is located in a zone of increased seismic activity and volcanic activity. When nearby volcanoes erupt, natural phenomena such as mudflows sometimes occur due to the sudden melting of glaciers.
In 1956, a catastrophic eruption of the Bezymianny volcano occurred, a powerful stream of mud and stones merged with the Bolshaya Khapitsa tributary, which fed the Kamchatka River. A photo of that eruption shows how large it was, the explosion destroyed half the cone. Therefore, after the awakening of volcanoes, the river becomes most turbid. Another phenomenon is that in some areas the river does not freeze in winter due to the release of thermal waters.
Animal world
There is a lot of fish in the river, and valuable species of salmon spawn. Here you can find the following species from the salmon family: pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and kunja. Also found: char, mykiss, grayling, and Dolly Varden. Fishing industry is developed. The following species are found in the river basin: Siberian mustachioed char, Amur carp, silver crucian carp. Water tourists from Ust-Kamchatsk often raft along the river.
Kamchatka River is the largest river in the region. It stretches over more than 750 km. The Itelmens called it Uykoal, which means “Big River”. U Kamchatka there are two sources: the left one, which begins at the Sredinny ridge (Ozernaya Kamchatka) and the right one, which is located in the eastern ridge (Right Kamchatka). Meeting in the area of the Ganal tundra, they form the beginning of Kamchatka itself. This river flows in a northerly direction, but near the village of Klyuchi it abruptly changes and flows into the Kamchatka Bay, which is why a wide mouth is formed, in which the fairway often changes.
Kamchatka remains the only river in the region that is navigable. Today Kamchatka is used for shipping purposes over a distance of 200 km. from the mouth. The lower reaches can boast depths of up to 5-6 m on the reaches during low-water periods, and up to 2 m on the riffles.
Pool Kamchatka River is located in the Central Kamchatka depression, between the western Sredinny ridge and the eastern Valaginsky ridge. Due to the large size of the river, almost 80% of its length is on a flat bed. The upper course is semi-mountainous and mountainous, and has multiple branchings typical of rivers in the region.
On the territory of the flat riverbed there are special and quite intriguing places. These include the Big Cheeks gorge, where the river flows for 35 km. Throughout this section, the river has almost sheer rocky banks that will give a head start to any of the canyons in North America. Here they appeared due to the intersection of the river with the spurs of the Kamchatka Range. In addition, the river passes through the spurs of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano, along which, already in the form of a large lowland river, it forms the Krekurlinsky and Pingrinsky rapids.
On Kamchatka River the largest fisheries resources are located. During the spawning period, all types of salmon fish appear here, among which you can see: pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and kunja. There are quite a lot of fish belonging to residential forms: char, mykiss, Dolly Varden, grayling. There are species of the carp family, as well as those related to sturgeon.
Kamchatka River has a large number of tributaries. The largest ones include Elovka, Shchapina, Kozyrevka. A sufficient amount of alluvial material was observed in Kamchatka and its tributaries.
Kamchatka River bears the title of not only the largest reservoir in the region, but also occupied a significant place in the history of the region. People settled in the river valley in ancient times. While working in the valley, archaeologist N.N. Dikov found ancient settlements. The great habitability of this valley was also noted by Russian pioneers. The Cossacks who went on reconnaissance reported that from the mouth of the Elovka to the sea, on an area of 150 km, there were 160 forts. In each fort, 150-200 people lived in one or two yurts. According to the most conservative estimates, approximately 25 thousand people lived in the river valley.
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