Krasnodar reservoir: past and present

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 11:40

Krasnodar reservoir - an artificial reservoir on the Kuban River. Its size exceeds the size of all similar storage facilities throughout the North Caucasus, therefore it is popularly referred to as the Krasnodar Sea. Some shores are so distant from each other that it is impossible to see the opposite side with the naked eye. When strong winds start, the waves on the vault can reach 2.5 meters in height.

General characteristics

Krasnodar reservoir is 40 kilometers long. In the widest parts, the width of the reservoir reaches 15 kilometers.

Total occupied area of 420 square kilometers. Throughout the water area, the water level differs by 8 meters.

Several rivers flow into the reservoir: Shunduk, Belaya, Marta and a number of others.

On the banks is the city of Krasnodar itself, several urban-type settlements and Lenin's farm.

The depth of artificial storage is from 5 to 16 meters. The dam covers 11.6 meters of the riverbed.

Economic value

As soon as the construction of the reservoir was completed,shipping was established here. And over time, the bottom of the reservoir rose strongly: due to the operation of the pumps, many shoals appeared and the movement of ships stopped. Another purpose of the reservoir is the irrigation of rice fields in the Krasnodar Territory and the Republic of Adygea. Also, the reservoir was intended to prevent possible floods in the lower reaches of the Kuban.

Historical background

The construction of the Krasnodar reservoir took place in 1973, although the decision to build was made back in 1967. The dam was finally put into operation in 1975. First, the reservoir was connected to the Tshchik reservoir, and then the rest was filled with water.

During the construction of the reservoir, 26 villages had to be flooded. And this is 35 thousand hectares of land and 46 cemeteries (25 cemeteries were transferred and 5 mass graves), of which not all were transferred, but were covered with a thick layer of concrete. More than 30 thousand people were resettled. Two cities were built for the settlers: Tlyustenkhabl and Adygeysk, formerly Teuchevsk. For these people, who lived all their lives in rural conditions, the resettlement was a great stress. The problem of the improvement of new cities also remains urgent, especially Adygeysk, because it was built on a swampy area. The city is constantly damp, but not only because of the swamps, but because of the proximity to the Krasnodar reservoir. And given that this is a seismically active area, then 3-4 points will be enough to destroy a settlement.

But in addition to settlements, about 25 thousand arable Adyghe fields were flooded, which are famous for theirchernozem. In addition, about 16 thousand hectares of forests were cut down.

12 settlements belonging to the Maikop culture were flooded. They really tried to save archaeological artifacts, but everything was done in a hurry. They saved what could be carried away, the rest of the artifacts were buried under the water column.

To this day, as soon as the water level drops, the inhabitants of the coastal zone on the banks discover ancient artifacts (amphoras, household items).

Prospect of construction of hydropower plant

In the 90s, they tried to abolish the reservoir, but the plan was never implemented. Much later in 2008, they announced the start of construction of a hydroelectric power station, with a commissioning date as early as next year, but this project was not implemented either.

Tshchik reservoir

The old and abandoned dam of the Krasnodar reservoir separates it from the Tshchik reservoir, which is swallowed up by the Krasnodar Sea. The absorbed lake is located in the area of Vasyurinskaya station.

Tshchik reservoir was created in 1940. At that time it was a grand building. Shafts with a height of 4 to 8 meters were built around the reservoir. However, the construction was carried out in the so-called folk way, that is, mainly collective farmers (about 64 thousand people) participated in the process. At the same time, almost all the work was carried out manually, but with overfulfillment of the plan by 2 or even 3 times. The spillway dam was made of reinforced concrete and spanned ten meters.

The reservoir was used during the war years, the water was drained as needed, and the shafts were used as firingpoints. But due to the constant need to eliminate the leak, they refused to use it for this purpose. As a result, the lower part of the reservoir was disconnected from the rest of the water area. Now, even with the complete drawdown of the Krasnodar reservoir, part of the Tshchik reservoir is still filled with water.

Monument to villagers

A memorial complex has been erected on the Enem-Adygeysk-Bzhedugkhabl highway to immortalize the memory of the inhabitants of five auls, whose houses disappeared from the map due to the construction of a reservoir. These are six granite steles, which are designed to preserve the memory of the ancestors who lived on the site of the Krasnodar Sea.

Flora and fauna

The Krasnodar Sea is located in the steppe zone, on the shores there are many cereal plants, tansy, colchicum. There are even special fields in the district where medicinal herbs are grown. There are many bushes, mostly wild rose and sea buckthorn, hawthorn and buckthorn. Of the trees, poplars and oaks are often found.

In the area of the Krasnodar Sea you can meet hares and foxes, weasels and rodents live here. Birds include ducks, pheasants and quails.

Fishing

The Krasnodar reservoir was once stocked with fish, so there are always a lot of fishermen on its banks, including winter. Freezing begins in November and ends at the end of March. The thickness of the ice allows for ice fishing.

There are a lot of bream, silver carp and carp, roach and rudd, there are also pike perch and perch.

Experienced fishermen recommend fishingfrom a boat, bites best in the middle on the Krasnodar reservoir. Fishing near the dam is prohibited.

In the southern part of the water area, silver bream and bleak, sabrefish and pike perch are caught. The upper reaches of the storage were chosen by carp, catfish, ram and roach. And crucian and carp are sure to be caught along all the coasts.

Rest

Swimming in the Krasnodar Sea is prohibited. But, despite this, you can organize a picnic on the shore. There is even an opportunity to settle in a recreation center. It offers vacationers a base called "Forest Fairy Tale". There is absolutely everything here to relax. Swimming pool with clean water, playground for children. It is possible to ride quad bikes and bicycles. And in the district there is a forest.

Recreation at the Krasnodar Reservoir on the basis of "Forest Fairy Tale" is an opportunity to disconnect from problems without leaving the city. Here you can rent a house or a gazebo if you do not plan to spend the night.

You can come to the base at any time of the year. Discos and entertainment events are held here. For lovers of quiet hunting, there is a forest area where you can even pick berries. You can also go fishing from the shore. Location of the base: Lenin's farm, about 20 kilometers from the city.

Recreation on the Krasnodar reservoir can also be at the Lukomorye base. There are two pools and gazebos. The base is located in the village of Starokorsunskaya on the highway Krasnodar - Kropotkin. You can get here not only by private vehicles, but also by fixed-route taxis and regular buses. The base is very well maintained, with many ornamental plants.

Myths and reality

A lot is written and said about the state of the Krasnodar reservoir. In particular, the discussion begins on the eve of the flood season. But, according to the assurances of the reservoir specialists, there is no danger.

Myth	Reality
It is believed that the region did not need the Krasnodar Sea at all.	In fact, there were many floods before its construction. So, in 1956, 156 settlements were flooded. And in 1966, the flood caused damage of 60 million rubles. And if you ask the old-timers, they will remember how two or even three times a year some parts of the city were flooded. To date, 13 major floods have been prevented, and over the entire history of observations, more than 100 floods were recorded in Krasnodar until 1973, that is, before the construction of the reservoir.
There is an opinion that the reservoir is located in a seismically dangerous place, in the place of a deep fault, which can lead to an earthquake.	In fact, there is no scientific evidence. According to scientists, there are indeed several faults on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, but they are located in completely different places.
The reservoir of the Krasnodar Territory is rapidly silting up and will soon turn into a swamp.	Indeed, all run-of-river reservoirs are silted up, but allmeasures to prevent the formation of sludge. Some of the work is carried out underwater, while others can be seen on the surface. Explosive specialists are involved in these works.
Only planned repairs are carried out on the reservoir.	Indeed, the object was declared dangerous in 1999, and after the catastrophic flood of 2002, funding increased. The shipping lock has been completely restored and anti-corrosion measures are carried out on a regular basis, pumps are regularly changed.
The water in the area is very dirty.	The latest research data indicate that the hydrochemical situation is stable, and the water quality is normal, high levels of pollutants have not been identified.

And finally, for those who still suspect that something is wrong with the Krasnodar Sea: the volume of water is below the retaining level, and the flood control tank is completely empty. Periodically, the volume of the water area decreases, as rice fields are flooded. The only thing that disturbed the ecological situation after the appearance of the reservoir was the deterioration of water in the wells.

A unique find

In September 2007, the fossilized bones of three mammoths and the skeletons of two bison were discovered on the banks of the Krasnodar reservoir. According to the researchers, these fossils are over 35 million years old. Now they are in the National Museum of the Republic of Adygea.

A similar find was discovered 10 years earlier, when fishermen found a mammoth skeleton on the shore, which is also in the museum. The surprising fact is that this type of mammoth has not been found anywhere else and has not been studied at all.