River Volga: plants and animals of the river, description, ecology, protection. What do they do to protect the Volga River?

The Volga is one of the most famous symbols of Russia, the largest river not only of the country, but of the whole planet. The life of the European part of the country is concentrated on the river, electricity is generated and agricultural production is needed all over Russia. Here you can relax, fish and live constantly, enjoying the magnificent nature.

Impressive scale

The length of this great river is more than 3,5 thousand kilometers. It feeds the city with 4 million cities, is covered by four power stations, gave the name to the whole region. The huge river has more than 200 tributaries, and its basin occupies the third part of the European territory of Russia. It flows through forests, steppes, mountains and semi-deserts. The map of the country shows that the Volga River flows through 15 subjects of the federation. Plants and animals of the river are very diverse: they are meadow meadows, as well as a real miracle - lotus fields, which UNESCO considers a biosphere reserve. In the Volga floodplain, more than 500 plant species grow, which are distributed among 82 families.

Different parts of the river

Due to the huge length and different nature, the Volga river is divided into several parts. Plants and animals are quite diverse.

On the Upper Volga, where the cities of Rzhev, Tver, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Nizhny Novgorod are located, four reservoirs have been artificially created. All of them were formed during the construction of hydroelectric power plants: Ivankovskoe, Uglich, Rybinsk and Gorkovskoye reservoirs.

Average Volga

In this part, the river overcomes the entire Volga Upland. Here, 4 rivers flow into it, the largest of which is the Oka River. Forms a large reservoir Cheboksarskaya HPP. On the territory of the hill passes the Volga-Don watershed, one of the parts of which is the Volga River. Plants and animal rivers form a forest-steppe landscape of these places. This is the habitat of the brown bear, squirrels and martens, there is a lynx and taiga polecat. Hunters are looking for grouse and grouse. The local forests resemble the taiga, at every step you can see the mighty pines.

The Lower Volga

In the lower reaches, the Kama flows into the Volga, and the river becomes unusually deep. The Zhiguli hydroelectric power station is preceded by the Kuibyshev reservoir, and further downstream, one can see Volgograd.

Below Astrakhan, a unique place begins - the delta, on which the state reserve is located, to which the Volga River is famous. Plants and animals rivers are in this place under protection. There are many fishing grounds with year-round fishing. Here, not only do they catch sturgeon and admire the flowering lotus, but they also observe pelicans, Siberian Cranes and flamingos in the natural environment.

Water regime

The river receives water from the area in almost one and a half million kilometers. The regime of the Volga River depends, of course, on the climate. Affect it melting snow and spilling rain. The width of the river in some places reaches 2500 meters. The depth in shallow places does not drop below 2.5 meters. Here is a characteristic of the Volga River. But this was not always the case: before the construction of water reservoirs that regulated the water level, it could only be up to 30 cm deep.

Ice is installed in late November - early December, such a regime of the Volga River. The beginning of navigation falls at the beginning of April, and the opening of the ice in Astrakhan - in March. A calm and smooth current reaches the river to the Caspian Sea.

Characteristic

In a kind of rating of the long rivers of the planet Volga is engaged in 16th place, but in Europe it has no equal. Through the Volga-Don canal, it connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, and through the Baltic way with the same sea. The White Sea is connected through the Severodvinsk river network.

The slope of the waterway is small - only 256 meters throughout. The main characteristic of the river (Volga) in its water flow velocity is only 1 meter per second. For an hour in different places the river crosses from 2 to 6 kilometers. Such features allow the rapid development of all types of plants and animals.

The indicator of the "comfort" of the river among living things is som. The usual weight of this fish is up to 400 kg (in other cases), but there are champions weighing up to one and a half tons.

River Volga: the source and the mouth

The majestic river begins with a small brook near the village with the spoken name of Volga-Upper. The village is located on the Valdai Upland, and a small wooden chapel is guarding the brook.

On the Central Russian Upland, the river flows smoothly, and the turn to the south makes near the Urals. Further it goes along the Caspian lowland and gives its waters to the sea of the same name. The Volga River is the central water artery of the country.

There are over 150 thousand rivers and streams in the Volga River. The source and the mouth of the river are true national treasures that feed the city and villages with moisture. On the Volga water everything is growing, what people eat all over Russia.

Such different fish

About this you can write a whole poem, which is what experienced fishermen do. Some species of fish live here permanently, while others come from the Caspian. Pike perch, bream, carp, asp, ruff and blue, white-eyed and roach, chub, perch and grayling are permanent inhabitants of the river. From the Caspian Sea, sturgeon and beluga, whitefish and herring are visited here.

The diversity of the fish world is amazing. The smallest fish that lives here has a length of only 2.5 cm. This is a granular head, which is mainly known to the ichthyologists. But about the beluga, growing in length to 4 meters, everyone knows. About what fish is found in the Volga, many books and manuals are written.

In the bays, sprouted plants, where the quietest current, beautiful carp feels. Astrakhan is home to red fish species that have glorified Russia for the whole world. It is a sterlet and stellate sturgeon, a thorn and a famous sturgeon. The Volga herring and mirror carp are the best treats for locals and guests. For all comers there are many fishing bases, where you can see for yourselves what fish is in the Volga.

Ecological problems

The surface from which the Volga collects sediments occupies 8% of the territory of the European part of Russia. Statistics asserts that the mouth of the Volga is attributed to the first pollution of a dozen rivers. Actually, the whole life of these places is connected with the Volga, here all the waste flows. If the amount of industrial wastewater can be reduced, then unorganized waste is a real scourge of the river. These are surpluses of chemical fertilizers and other aggressive substances that are washed away by rain.

What do they do to protect the Volga River?

Everyone who is familiar with the problems of the river, unanimously say that the greatest harm to all living things is brought by turbines of power plants. They create frenzied streams and pressure drops, pernicious for all living things. Plankton, tadpoles and everything else are dying, than the river is alive.

By the way, this situation is typical not only for the Volga. This is a world problem affecting all the major rivers of developed countries. The question of survival in the blades of turbines excites zoologists and engineers around the world. A lot of conferences and symposiums are devoted to this.

Not so long ago, scientists from St. Petersburg developed an innovative and simple way to save living things in turbine blades. Scientists suggested injecting at a certain pressure and in the right concentration, bubbles of ordinary air. Air balls absorb excess pressure, centrifugal and centripetal forces. All small living creatures, passing through such a balanced water-air mixture, remain intact.

The method is invented, the patent is, the technology is understandable. But on the way of introduction of an impenetrable wall officials got up, their indifference can not be overcome yet. It remains to be hoped that common sense and the desire to live on a living river still win.

Beautiful beaches

The banks of the Volga inspired artists and poets in all ages. Collapsed and written many folk songs and poems about the great river. The feat of Stalingrad is inextricably linked with the Volga. Since then, every Russian knows that beyond the Volga there is no land for us. Songs, films, exhibitions, books - all this gave the name of the Russian river. Reserves and recreation places, towns, villages and villages - all this is also Volga.

In works of art, it is inextricably linked with the Russian character. The souls of the river and man are similar: also generosity, breadth and kindness.

Today the Volga coasts are being actively developed: cottage settlements with modern infrastructure are being built, which have an excellent view of the river.