South - a river flowing through the Kirov and Vologda regions of Russia. It is the right component of the Northern Dvina (the left one is the Sukhona River). The South River is 574 kilometers long. The total area of the pool is 35,600 sq. km. In the Kichmengsko-Gorodets region, on the Northern Uvaly hill, there is the source of the river in question. In the upper reaches, it flows in a southerly direction, winding sharply. Before Nikolsk, the river makes a turn to the north. Pichug, Pyzhug, Kichmengu and Shongu flow into it, after which the South expands to hundreds of meters and becomes navigable during the flood period.
River Hydrology
The average water flow at a distance of 35 kilometers from the mouth is 292 cubic meters per second. The type of food is mixed, snow is the predominant one. The flood lasts from April to June. The south is a river that freezes in late October-early November, and it opens in April-May.
Nearby towns
The city of Nikolsk is located in the upper reaches of the South; the villages of Demyanovo, Podosinovets and Kichmengsky Grodok - on average; at the mouth is the village. Kuzino, and opposite the mouth - Veliky Ustyug.
The water level during the year varies from 0.6 to 3.5 meters in the upper reaches of the river, from 2.5 to 5 meters in the middle reaches and up to 6.7 meters in the lower reaches.
Physical and geographical information
South - a river flowing through the territory of the Upper-South landscape. It belongs to the White Sea basin. The Volga-Dvina watershed is the place where the river originates. It is rather weakly expressed and represents a surface that is leveled and waterlogged. Sukhona and Yug are the rivers that give rise to the Malaya Northern Dvina, merging three kilometers below Veliky Ustyug. The area through which the river in question flows is wooded and flat.
The watershed is characterized by weak orographic expression. The valleys of the inflowing rivers are deeply carved, while the slopes are strongly dissected by ravines, ravines and gullies. The narrow near-valley strip has the features of a water-eroded type of relief. The existing river network is complemented by a developed hollow-beam structure, due to which there is an increased discharge of rain and melt water.
The speed of the current is directly dependent on the tortuosity of the channel, the level of the waters and the structure of the bed. In different periods, it can vary from 0.29 to 5.54 kilometers per hour.
Features
In summer, there is a strong shallowing of the river, with at least a hundred rifts with rocky beds. That is why ships in the South go only in the spring months. On the site from Nikolsk to the river. Pushma (length - 118 kilometers) has very steep banks. They are mostly composed of loams and dense clays - rocks that are difficult to erode. The south is a river with a rather narrow floodplain. Upon reaching the shipping levelthe floodplain expands from sixty to one hundred and eighty meters.
The shores in the area below Pushma consist of easily eroded rocks, in spring they are usually flooded. After the Lower Rystyug (section of the middle reaches), the valley of the South expands significantly (up to eight kilometers).
Food
Serious influx of rain and melt water causes high spring floods. This period is the main phase of the water regime of the South, it accounts for up to eighty percent of the annual flow. High water, as a rule, begins in mid-April and lasts a month (in the lower part of the river it can continue until the end of June). The rise occurs in about twenty days, and the decline in thirty. At the same time, the maximum intensity of both processes is one and a half meters per day. Up to four peaks of the flood wave are observed due to the non-simultaneous melting of snow cover in different parts of the watershed.
Ice drift can be observed at high water. The thickness of the blocks reaches one meter, while they move not only along the channel, but also along the floodplain. The ice drift lasts from three to five days.
In summer and autumn, the South is fed by groundwater and rainwater. At the same time, due to precipitation, the level of the river can rise by 50-100 centimeters. Sometimes there is even flooding of the river floodplain.
Winter runoff is negligible. This is due to the small reserves of groundwater due to the weak development of the system of water-intensive Quaternary deposits.
Vegetation
A huge partthe area of the basin is occupied by spruce forests with an admixture of fir in the western territories. Due to active felling, the forest cover has significantly decreased. In its lower reaches, the South overflows and forms wide water meadows.
Ichthyofauna
Pikes, minnows, perches, breams, burbots, roach live in the river. As for valuable species, they are represented by taimen and nelma.
Modern Issues
There are many settlements, livestock farms, pastures on the coastal territories that are not equipped with treatment facilities. For this reason, the level of organic pollution of the reservoir in question is very high.
Exploring the river
Active exploration of the territory where the South River is located began in the nineteenth century. Thanks to paleontological excavations, it was possible to compile a detailed description of the fauna of the area.
The first stage of the study of the South is directly related to hydrological work on transport routes and the creation of waterways in this region. The first materials on the hydrology of the South and the inflowing rivers were published in the middle of the 19th century. Subsequently, hydrographic expeditions were organized. In addition, regular water-measuring observations began to be carried out. Throughout the twentieth century, the process of forming a network of hydrological monitoring posts took place. It was due to the needs of hydropower, timber rafting and shipping. Data from three water measuring posts, collected since 1949, made it possible to establish the features of the regime of water level fluctuations, current velocity, turbidity, sediment runoff, floods and ice phenomena. Serious studies of the features of the relief, vegetation, composition of soils and the drainage basin made it possible to achieve the most accurate prediction of the state of the river.
Rest
If you can't afford a trip to the Swiss Alps, don't despair. Local beauties are no less breathtaking. The views of relief hills, rising all over the beautiful shrew of the South, will more than replace foreign landscapes. Thirty-meter slender fir trees of surprisingly regular shape, as well as fir and pine trees with dark green dense crowns, have been firmly standing on clayey limestone soils for many years.
According to the stories of tourists, one of the biggest impressions of rest on the South River leaves during kayaking. The local churches are breathtaking, which suddenly appear either on high hills or in low bends. Unfortunately, about twenty temples are now dilapidated. They are not used for their intended purpose. However, inside most of them you can admire the most beautiful frescoes, highlighting the historical events in honor of which the temples, in fact, were erected.
No less interesting are the old log huts, lavishly decorated with intricate carvings reminiscent of lace.
There are many attractions not far from Nikolsk and nearby settlements. Among them are stone cathedrals, wooden temples, an ensemble of churches of the Archangel Michael and George the Victorious, as well as unique natural monuments - Belomoshnik Bor and Kudrinsky Bor. Opinion about the amazing beauty of this regionhas been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.
Due to the availability of convenient entrances, the South is simply made for fishing. It is noteworthy that the locals got used to catching grayling on the larvae of common Colorado potato beetles. Usually this royal fish is more selective.
Followers of the "quiet hunt" will be incredibly happy with the huge number of mushrooms and berries in the nearby forests.
Recreation centers on the South River provide an opportunity to stay comfortably. "Laguna South" offers rooms from five to forty-two thousand rubles per day for two vacationers. Breakfast included.
Recreation center "Victoria" offers a more budgetary accommodation option. So, a double room will cost 1600 rubles per day. Breakfast is also included.
The base "Susanin" can accommodate a maximum of ten travelers. Payment - 3000 rubles per person. There is an opportunity to ride horses, boat, kayak down the river, take a steam bath and even take a pilgrimage tour of abandoned monasteries and temples.
River Big South. How to get there?
Coastal settlements located in the lower and middle reaches of the South are connected by an extensive network of roads. The largest of them is the R-157 highway. There are not many roads in the upper reaches, and they are of the worst quality.
Conclusion
The South River is a unique body of water with a long history. It will give an unforgettable experience to lovers of kayaking. Adherents of less extreme recreation will not be bored either.
