Northern Dvina refers to navigable rivers. Located in the north of Russia, in its European part. At first glance, this river is unremarkable, but if you look deeper into its history and geography, you can find some interesting facts.

At one time (approximately mid-16th century By beginning of XVII century) this river was the only route that connected the Russian Empire with those countries that at that time were located in the Northern and Western Europe. This route was actively used by merchants and diplomats. TO mid-19th century centuries its significance for foreign trade Russian Empire decreased significantly. However, in order to defend some cities in a possible war (for example, Arkhangelsk), the mouth of this river was very suitable.

Length of the Northern Dvina River

This river is not very large - its length is only 744 km. If we compare it with the Volga, the largest and longest Russian river, then the Northern Dvina is five times inferior to it - the length of the Volga is 3530 km.

Two rivers - Sukhona and Yug - merge into one, called the Malaya Northern Dvina. All this happens near the city of Veliky Ustyug, located in Vologda region. And this city is interesting because the Russian residence of Father Frost is located there.

After this, it turns north and flows through Arkhangelsk and its environs. The high-water Vychegda River brings its waters into the Northern Dvina watercourse immediately after Arangelsk, after which the river continues its movement strictly north. Just before it flows into the Dvina Bay, the White Sea, it merges with another river called Pinega.

The source of the Northern Dvina is located at the confluence of two rivers: the Sukhona and the Yuga. The Northern Dvina flows into the White Sea. There are many in the river rare species fish: bream, burbot, roach, pike. Migratory fish are of industrial importance: lamprey and salmon, and in the delta you can find smelt and river flounder.

Tributaries of the Northern Dvina River

The Northern Dvina is fed mainly by snow, which melts into its waters in the spring. It freezes at the end of October - somewhat earlier than other Russian rivers, which is explained by its more northern position. When the river opens up (and this usually happens in mid-April or even early May, if the spring is late and cold), the ice flow is quite stormy and active, and jams often form. During this period, it is not navigable - it can even be dangerous.

This river has two main tributaries - the Sukhona and Yug rivers. However, if we counted all the rivers that flow into it, then it would be

Cities of Russia on the Northern Dvina River

There are many cities - large and small - located on the Northern Dvina River. First of all, this is the above-mentioned Veliky Ustyug, famous for that that you can meet the real Santa Claus there. In addition, the cities of Novodvinsk, Severodvinsk and the legendary city of Arkhangelsk are located near the mouth of the river.

Ships sail along the river. To this day, the paddle steamer “N.V. Gogol” operates on the Northern Dvina - it was launched back in 1911 and still operates as a full-fledged cruise ship, enjoying the attention of tourists.

Western Dvina is a river body of water in the northern part of Eastern Europe, which covers the territories of three countries - Russia, Latvia and Belarus. It has many ancient names, the most common being Eridanus and Rudon. The total length of the channel is 1020 kilometers, the territory of Russia accounts for about 330 km. Flowing from Lake Karyakino, it runs in a southwestern direction, turning to the northwest, passing the city of Vitebsk. The area of ​​the Western Dvina basin is about 90 thousand square kilometers, which allows it to remain among the deepest rivers in Eastern Europe.

Peculiarities

The first mention of the name of the river is found in the chronicles of the monk Nestor, and if we take into account the research of V.A. Zhuchkevich, the hydronym is of Finnish origin, meaning “calm” in translation.

The river basin is formed by twelve thousand small and large rivers. Most large influx– this is the Mezha River, whose length is approximately 260 kilometers. From the scattering of reservoirs surrounding the Western Dvina, lake systems can be distinguished - Braslavskaya, Zasarayskaya and Zhizhitskaya.

The river valley has a relatively rugged, trapezoidal shape. Its width upstream reaches 0.9 kilometers, and in the downstream it is close to 6 km. The floodplain is two-sided. The channel can be called moderately winding, indistinctly branched, but it is observed a large number of rapids, which upon reaching Vitebsk increase in length to twelve kilometers. It is noteworthy that within Lake Coverage, the width of the reservoir hardly reaches twenty meters.

The coastal zone is quite wooded, characterized by the presence of boulders, and the nature of the riverbed is rocky and has riffles.

Since time immemorial, the river has served people as a transport route. It was along this road that the world-famous road called “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed. Every year the river replenishes the Baltic Sea by 20 thousand cubic meters. kilometers of water.

The surroundings of the river passage in the Tver region are endowed with special attractiveness picturesque landscapes. IN upper reaches prevail conifers trees, in the middle and lower areas birch, aspen and alder plantations prevail. The predominant shrubs are cranberries and lingonberries.

Speaking about the section of the river flowing in the Tver region, one cannot fail to mention the city of the same name, located near the riverbed. The history of the city of Western Dvina goes back about five thousand years, and in its vicinity Slavic settlements centuries ago have been repeatedly discovered.

The flora and fauna of this area remains virtually untouched in some places, and lovers fishing They often have great catches of perch, roach, pike and other fish species. The ecological cleanliness of the area facilitates the organization of all types of country holidays and tourist rafting on the river from May to September.

How to get there

On the territory of the Tver region on the banks of the Western Dvina there is a city of the same name. His removal from regional center– Tver is 24 kilometers and can be overcome on a personal or public transport along the M10 highway in less than an hour.

Length 1020 km, basin area 87.9 thousand km2. It originates on the Valdai Hills, and then flows through Lake Okhvat (a series of large reaches connected by channels) and flows into the Gulf of Riga, forming a delta. The river is very winding, the banks are mostly high. Along the banks of the Western Dvina, rivers predominate, alternating with fields. There are shoals, riffles, and rapids in the riverbed. In the lower reaches the river splits into branches. The average water flow is 678 m2/s. Within the Smolensk region, the river flows along a slightly undulating, partially swampy plain. The main tributaries are Mezha, Kasplya, Ushacha (left), Drissa, Aiviekste (right).

The Western Dvina originates from the small lake Dvina or Dvintsa, lying at an altitude of 250 meters above sea level, among the forests of the Tver region, about 15 km from its sources. About 15 km downstream the Dvina flows through Lake Okhvat. General direction the flow of the Western Dvina from east to west in an arcuate direction, to the south - in a curved direction. After leaving Lake Okhvat, the Dvina goes south until the Mezhi River flows into it, then it heads southwest and, after a sharp turn, reaches its southernmost point.

Before flowing into Lake Okhvat, the Western Dvina flows for 16 km in the form of a stream, and at the exit from the lake its width reaches 20 m. Near Vitebsk, the width of the river increases to 100 meters. During the flood, in many places the width of the Dvina reaches 1500 meters. The valleys adjacent to the Western Dvina are flooded with it only in a few places during the spring flood. Spring floods occur from mid-April to mid-May, and sometimes cover part of the month of June.

In Tverskaya and Smolensk regions Along the banks of the Western Dvina there are outcrops of layers, mountain limestones overlying sands and sandstones. In the eastern part, the banks of the Western Dvina consist of sediment. Further, it has the character of a meadow, thanks to the low sandy banks. There are limestone boulders. Even lower, the banks rise and take on a forest character. Further, the area becomes more and more sandy and, finally, not reaching 10-13 km from Vitebsk, bedrock (dolomite with layers of blue clay) appears, especially in the riverbed, with superbly preserved fossils.

Somewhat lower, the bedrock layers in the riverbed form bends that create dangerous rapids. The river bed becomes deeper, the coastal layers lie in ledges and are so high above the water that they are beyond its influence. The river bottom, consisting of the same layers, is eroded and forms ledges; Huge granite boulders come across. Between Vitebsk, Polotsk and Disna, sediments with high banks of red clay are again observed. Near Dvinsk, the Western Dvina becomes deeper, white sand is exposed, and then the banks become lower. In connection with the nature and formation of the banks of the Dvina, there are also features of its channel. The Dvina in many places separates branches that go around the islands from Dvinsk to Riga. Such sleeves are formed several times. Above Riga there are sharp turns and rapids.

The tributaries of the Western Dvina are numerous, but not large and special significance by themselves they do not have. Of them longer length only the Mezha River reaches (259 km). The basin area is 9,080 km2, the average water flow at the mouth is 61 m2/sec. It, like the Western Dvina, originates on the Valdai Hills. The other most significant tributary of the Western Dvina, the Veles, also flows from there. The length of this river is 114 km, the basin area is 1420 km2. The remaining tributaries are even shorter and insignificant.

The Western Dvina, despite its short length, is largest river flowing into . Its current is fast and the water is clean, but there are few fish in the river, due to its shallow water.

About 4 km2 are concentrated in the lake systems of the Western Dvina basin fresh water. The banks of the river are mainly covered mixed forests. The upper reaches of the basin represent forested areas with a predominance of spruce, in the middle reaches birch, alder and aspen are more common. In the Polotsk lowland there are magnificent pine forests.

The river valley was formed relatively recently, about 13-12 thousand years ago, and therefore looks unformed. On the territory of Belarus, the width of the Western Dvina channel varies from 100 to 300 m. Rapids and rifts are often found in this area. In some places, the river valley is narrow, canyon-like, and the depth increases to 50 m. After entering the Baltic Plain, the Western Dvina becomes full-flowing. The width of the river bed reaches 800 m, and the valley expands to 5-6 km.

The Western Dvina is a typical river. The river is fed mainly by melting accumulated during the winter. The Western Dvina is characterized by spring floods. Flood usually occurs over the course of only two months - most often it begins at the end of March, and at the beginning of June a decline in water is already noted. The rest of the year is determined by rainwater. During rainy periods in summer and autumn, minor floods are also possible. In winter, water consumption and level decrease significantly, since the basis of nutrition is made up of. In the spring, the channel of the Western Dvina becomes clogged with ice floes and forms. At the same time, the river level also rises sharply, flooding large areas of the valley.

Geographical encyclopedia

I in Latvia Daugava, a river in Eastern Europe, flows on the territory of Russia, Belarus, Latvia. 1020 km, basin area 87.9 thousand km2. Begins on the Valdai Hills, flows into the Gulf of Riga Baltic Sea, forming a delta... encyclopedic Dictionary

City (since 1937) in Russian Federation, Tver region, on the river. Zap. Dvina Railroad station. 11.4 thousand inhabitants (1992). Wood processing plant, flax plant...

- (Latvian Daugava), a river in Russia, Belarus and Latvia. Length 1020 km. Its sources are on the Valdai Hills and flows into the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. Main tributaries: Disna, Drissa, Aiviekste, Ogre. Navigable in some areas. On the Western... ... Modern encyclopedia

- (in Latvia Daugava Daugava), a river in the East. Europe. It flows through the territory of the Russian Federation, Belarus, and Latvia. 1020 km, basin area 87.9 thousand km². It starts at Valdai Vozd, flows into the Riga Hall. Baltic Sea, forming a delta... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Exist., number of synonyms: 3 city (2765) Daugava (2) river (2073) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin... Synonym dictionary

Western Dvina- WESTERN DVINA, a river, originates in the lake. Dvintse, Ostashkov. uez., Tver. lips., on the slopes of Central Russia. elevation, not far from the sources of the Volga and Dnieper and flows into Riga. Bay near the village of Ust-Dvinsk. Length 938 ver. Z. D. enters Berezin. water... Military encyclopedia

Western Dvina- 1) city, district center, Tver region. Originated as a village. at Art. Western Dvina (opened in 1901); name by location on the river Western Dvina. Since 1937 the city. Probably, regardless of the considered name Dun, Dina in the middle and upper reaches of the river... ... Toponymic dictionary

1. WESTERN DVINA (in Latvia Daugava, Daugava), a river in Eastern Europe, flows through Russia, Belarus, and Latvia. 1020 km, pl. basin 87.9 thousand km2. It begins on the Valdai Hills, flows into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea, ... ... Russian history

I Western Dvina River in the RSFSR, BSSR and Latvian SSR (within the latter it is called the Daugava). Length 1020 km, basin area 87,900 km2. Originates on the Valdai Hills, west of the sources Volga, flows into the Gulf of Riga... ... Big Soviet encyclopedia

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The Western Dvina River (Belarusian: Zahodnyaya Dzvina, Dzvina, in Latvia - Daugava, Latvian: Daugava) belongs to the category of the great rivers of Europe. It flows through the territory of Russia (325 km), Belarus (328 km) and Latvia (367 km). The total length is 1020 km, the basin area is 87.9 thousand sq. km.

Got to the root

The source of the Western Dvina was finally found only in the 1970s. expedition of the magazine "Tourist" under the leadership of A.S. Popova.

Historical reference

The source of the Western Dvina is located in the Pyanishnik swamp on the Valdai Upland, near the Main European watershed separating the Baltic and Caspian slopes of the drainage, in the Penovsky district of the Tver region. It enters Lake Dvinets (Koryakino) as a stream and leaves it as a river several meters wide. After a few kilometers it flows into the flowing Lake Okhvat and, receiving the tributaries Volkota and Netesma, becomes a full-flowing river. The Western Dvina flows into the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea.

The width of the Western Dvina behind Lake Okhvat is 15-20 m, the width of its valley in the upper reaches is up to 0.9 km. In the section of the river between the cities of Andreapol and the Western Dvina, the width of the river increases to 50 m. Below the city of the Western Dvina, having overcome the rapids, the river reaches within the Western Dvina region major tributaries: Veles (left), Torop (right) and Mezha (left), after which it expands to 100 m. Beyond the mouth of Mezha, the Western Dvina leaves the Tver region.

Throughout history, the Western Dvina River had up to 14 names: Dina, Vina, Tanair, Turun, Rodan, Dune, Eridan, Western Dvina and others. The name “Dvina” was first mentioned by the chronicler monk Nestor at the beginning of the 12th century. in the chronicle “The Passage of Bygone Years.” At the beginning of the chronicle, he writes: “The Dnieper flowed from the Volkovsky forest and flowed at noon, and the Dvina from the same forest flowed at midnight and entered the Varangian Sea...” The etymology of the name Dvina (Latvian: Daugava ‘much water’) has not been definitively established. Some researchers consider the Finnish-language name to be primary, elevating it to “quiet, calm”, others attribute it to the Indo-European languages ​​with the meaning “river”, bringing it closer to the hydronyms Don, Dnieper, Dniester, Danube. In ancient times, a section of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed through the Upper and Middle Podvina.

The Western Dvina is attractive for fishing. It contains pike, perch, pike perch, catfish, chub, asp, burbot, ide, tench, dace, rudd, roach, bream, silver bream, bleak, crucian carp. This section of the Western Dvina flow is extremely attractive for water tourism. It is very picturesque, full of small rifts, rifts and rapids, but not difficult to navigate in kayaks and is ideal for novice water tourists and family groups. There are many convenient parking places on the banks of the river.

How to get there

Above the city of Western Dvina, the river is crossed by the Moscow - Riga M9 highway. There are approaches to the shores every few kilometers, with the exception of the section between the mouths of the Toropa and Mezha, where there are few of them. In the Upper Podvina basin within the Western Dvina region - on the banks of its tributaries and lake shores - there are many beautiful places for relaxation and active species tourism.