The Kama River is the main tributary of the Volga. Description, characteristics, map, photo, video of the Kama River

Kama- the river of the basin, the largest tributary. It flows through the territory of the Udmurt Republic, Kirov region, Perm region, republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan. (Udmurt name Kam - river, current; Tatar Chulman)

The Kama River is located in the central part of the Verkhnekamsk Upland near the village of Kuliga, Kezsky District, Udmurt Republic. The Kama River is located just below the confluence of the Vyatka River near the village of Grakhan in the Mamadyshsky District of the Republic of Tatarstan, here the Kama flows into the Kama Bay of the Kuibyshev (Samara) reservoir.

The length of the Kama River is 1805 kilometers, it occupies the 6th place in Europe in length, the catchment area is 507,000 km 2. The total drop of the Kama River from the source to the mouth is 247 meters, the slope is 0.14 m / km.


“Along the Kame River…” on Yandex.Fotkah

Settlements.

The Kama River flows through the territory of five subjects Russian Federation: Kirov region, Perm region, Udmurt republics, Bashkortostan and Tatarstan. The largest settlements located on the banks of the Kama are the cities of Solikamsk, Perm, Krasnokamsk, Sarapul, Naberezhnye Chelny, Yelabuga, Nizhnekamsk.

Driveways.

The Kama River is accessible almost throughout its entire length, starting from its source near the village of Kuliga, Kezsky District, Udmurt Republic.

The Kama is navigable for 966 kilometers from the mouth to the village of Kerchevsky in the Cherdynsky district of the Perm Territory, and for another 600 kilometers into high water. Major ports and marinas on the Kama: Chistopol. Naberezhnye Chelny, Kambarka, Sarapul, Tchaikovsky, Krasnokamsk, Perm, Levshino, Berezniki, Solikamsk.

The railway passes through Naberezhnye Chelny, Sarapul, Votkinsk, Perm, Tchaikovsky, Krasnokamsk, Berezniki, Solikamsk.

main tributaries.

There are more than seventy-three thousand rivers in the Kama basin. About 95 percent of them are less than 10 kilometers long.

The largest left tributaries of the Kama are the Southern Keltma (172 km), Vishera (415 km), Chusovaya (592 km), Belaya (1430), Ik (571 km), Lupya (135 km), Porysh (131 km), Veslyanka ( 266 km), Pilva (214 km), Yayva (304 km), Kosma (283 km), Bui (228 km).

The largest left tributaries of the Kama are Kosa (267 km), Urolka (140 km), Inva (257 km), Obva (247 km), Siva (206 km), Izh (259 km), Toyma (121 km), Vyatka ( 1314 km).

Relief and soils.

The Kama River carries its waters mainly between the highlands of the High Trans-Volga region along a wide valley, which narrows in places.

Soils in the Kama basin in the upper and middle reaches are soddy-podzolic, soddy-podzolic ferruginous, podzolic, illuvial-humus-ferruginous and ferruginous. In the lower reaches, the soils are gray forest. The parent rocks are clayey, loamy, sandy and sandy loamy.

Vegetation.

In the upper and middle reaches on the territory of the Kama River basin, vegetation is represented by dark coniferous grass-shrub south-taiga Cis-Ural spruce-cedar-fir forests, pine middle- and south-taiga northern European forests, dark coniferous shrubs green moss mid-taiga Cis-Ural spruce-fir-cedar forests.

In the middle and lower reaches of the Kama River, the territory of its basin is covered with broad-leaved-dark-coniferous Volga spruce-fir forests with pedunculate oak and linden forests, and broad-leaved Eastern European oak forests. On South meadow steppes and steppe meadows (forest-steppe) trans-Volga with oak forests.

In numerous bays and backwaters of the Kama River, aquatic vegetation is well developed.

hydrological regime.

The Kama River is fed mainly by snowmelt, as well as groundwater and rain. In March-June, more than 62% of the annual runoff passes during a clearly defined spring, more than 28% falls in the summer-autumn period with rain floods, and about 9% in winter with a stable low water. AT southern regions basin share melt water reaches 80% in the runoff, and 60–65% in the upper reaches. 25-35% of the annual runoff on average is formed by groundwater.

In the upper reaches of the Kama, the amplitude of water level fluctuations reaches 8 meters, in the lower reaches - 7 meters. The average water flow at the Kamskaya HPP is 1.63 thousand m³/sec, at the Votkinsk HPP about 1.75 thousand m³/sec, at the mouth about 3.5 thousand m³/sec, the highest is about 27.5 thousand m³/sec .

On the Kama occurs from the beginning of November in the upper reaches and the end of November in the lower reaches until April. In spring it lasts from 2-3 to 10-20 days. During freezing, abundant formation occurs.

In the upper reaches of the river Kama is unstable and winding, on the floodplain there are many oxbow lakes. After the confluence of the Vishera, the Kama becomes a deep river. After the mouth of the Urolka River, the Kama reservoir begins, then after it comes the Votkinsk reservoir. In the lower reaches of the Kama, there is a valley up to 15 kilometers wide, the width of the river reaches 450‒1200 meters. In some places the river splits into branches.

Below the mouth of the Vishera, the right bank is low and predominantly meadow, the left almost everywhere becomes elevated and sometimes steep. There are many islands in this section of the Kama in the riverbed, in places there are rifts and shoals. After the Belaya flows into the Kama, the right bank becomes high, and the left one becomes low.

Water quality.

Currently, the Kama River is quite heavily polluted by industrial wastewater.

According to the data of the Kama Basin Water Administration for 2011, the quality of water in many parts of the Kama River (the cities of Berezniki, Perm, Krasnokamsk, Chaikovsky) does not meet the standards for fishery water bodies.

The most common pollutants include oil products, ammonium nitrogen, phenols, manganese, iron, copper compounds, organic substances that are difficult to oxidize (according to COD), their concentrations in surface waters consistently exceed the maximum allowable concentrations for fishery water bodies, most often in the range of 1 up to 5 MPC/h.

The presence of iron and manganese compounds in the waters of the Kama River is associated with the local hydrochemical background and the influence of anthropogenic factors. On the territory of the Perm Territory, the concentrations of total iron, manganese and hardly oxidizable organic matter(according to COD) in all sections of the state network, as a rule, is higher than MPC.

In the Kirov region near the village of Afanasyevo in the waters of the Kama River, characteristic pollutants were found to be difficult to oxidize organic substances in terms of COD, the frequency of their concentrations above the MPC was 86%, oil products - 71% and iron - 57%. Unstable contamination with nitrite and ammonium nitrogen.

The average annual concentrations of oil products, iron and organic substances in terms of COD are 1.5-1.6 times higher than the MPC.

The highest concentrations of pollutants: formaldehyde - 2.0 MPC, oil products - 2.6 MPC, difficult to oxidize organic substances in terms of COD - 2.3 MPC, total iron - 3.0 MPC.

In the Perm Territory, near the village of Tyulktno, the average annual concentrations for manganese are 8 MPC and for iron - 7 MPC. In 2011, the average annual level of pollution of the Kama River by phenols increased from 1 to 2 MPC, copper compounds and oil products did not exceed the MPC. The value of the specific combinatorial water pollution index (UKWPI) was 2.73, which characterizes the water of the Kama River near Tyulkino as “polluted”, quality class 3, category “a”.

Ichthyofauna.

The ichthyofauna of the Kama River is represented by the following types of fish: sterlet, sturgeon, pike, carp, bream, pike perch, crucian carp, asp, catfish, silver bream, chub, bleak, ide, perch, burbot, ruff. In the upper reaches and tributaries of the Kama River there are also taimen and grayling.

Economic value.

Three reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations have been created on the Kama River.

From the mouth of the Urolka River, 996 kilometers from the mouth of the Kama, the Kama reservoir begins with the Kama hydroelectric power station near Perm, its area is 1810 km 2. Below Kamskoye immediately goes the Votkinsk reservoir with the Votkinsk hydroelectric power station in the city of Chaikovsk, its area is 1120 km 2. After the Votkinsk reservoir, the Nizhnekamsk reservoir begins with the Nizhnekamsk hydroelectric power station near Naberezhnye Chelny, its area is 1080 km 2.

The creation of reservoirs has significantly improved the navigable capabilities of the Kama River. It is navigable to the village of Kerchevsky for 966 kilometers. AT Soviet times here was the world's largest mechanized timber raid.

The main ports and marinas on the Kama: Chistopol. Naberezhnye Chelny, Kambarka, Sarapul, Tchaikovsky, Krasnokamsk, Perm, Levshino, Berezniki, Solikamsk.

By waterways, the Kama connects with the Volga rivers, Yandex.Fotkah

Regular cruise and passenger flights to Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Astrakhan, Rostov-on-Don, Ufa and others start from Perm. There are also weekend cruises to Tchaikovsky.

The significant length of the Kama River provides many options for have a nice rest. The upper reaches of the river are the most interesting for outdoor activities and rafting. You can go upstream on boats, motor boats, water cannons, scooters.

Many different recreation centers, fishing farms, camp sites and dispensaries have been built along the banks of the Kama.

The development of the Kama and its coast has its own history. On the banks of this river different years many significant historical events took place. Rest on the Kama gives you the opportunity to visit various historical places.

The Kama Cup sailing regatta is held annually in the summer on the Kama River.

Reference Information.

Name: Kama

Length: 1805 km

Basin area: 507 thousand km²

Pool: Caspian Sea

River Basin: Volga

Water consumption: 3500 m³/sec. (near the mouth)

Slope: 0.14‰

Source: Kuliga village, Kezsky district, Udmurt Republic

Altitude above sea level: 300 m

Coordinates:

Latitude: 58°11′42.5″N

Longitude: 53°45′15.5″E

Mouth: Kamsky Bay of the Kuibyshev (Samara) reservoir, Grakhan village, Mamadyshsky district, Republic of Tatarstan

Height above sea level: 53 m

Coordinates:

Latitude: 55°34′43.97″N

Longitude: 51°30′2.85″E

The Kama River flows through the European part of Russia and is the left and largest tributary of the Volga. Its length is 1805 km. The basin area is 507 thousand square meters. km. The source of the river is located on the Verkhnekamsk Upland at an altitude of 330 meters above sea level.. This is Udmurtia, the village of Kuliga. It is within its territory that the springs spring from the earth, which give life to the great Ural river. And your long haul she ends up at the Kuibyshev reservoir on the Volga.

From the source, the water flow moves to the northwest, and after 125 km it turns to the northeast. In this direction, it flows to the village of Loino, Verkhnekamsky district, Kirov region. This is about 200 km. And after that, the river makes a sharp turn to the south and carries its waters through the territory of the Perm Territory. At first, the water flow does not impress. It is narrow and curvy. It overflows and becomes a high-water river after the confluence of the Pilva River, which carries its waters from the Komi Republic and has a length of 214 km.

Downstream, the Vishera River flows into the Kama. This, like the Pilva, is a left tributary. It originates on the border of Komi and the Sverdlovsk region. The length of its waterway is 415 km. At the mouth of the Vishera, it spills up to 900 meters wide and makes the mighty Ural river even more full-flowing. Further, the left bank becomes elevated and steep, while the right bank remains low.

Kama river

reservoirs

There are 3 large reservoirs on the river. The first of them - Kama. It originates from the confluence of the Urolka River. This is a small river stream 140 km long. It is a right tributary. The very same dam of the Kama hydroelectric power station, which forms a reservoir, is located in the city of Perm. The length of the Kama reservoir reaches 350 km. Its width is 14 km, and the greatest depth is 30 meters.

Next comes the turn Votkinsk reservoir. It is formed by the dam of the Votkinskaya hydroelectric power station. It is located in the city of Tchaikovsky. This is an administrative and regional center with a population of about 100 thousand people. The length of the Votkinsk reservoir reaches 365 km. The width is 9 km, and maximum depth equals 29 meters.

The next and last reservoir is called Nizhnekamsk. It is formed by the Nizhnekamsk hydroelectric power station, located near the city of Naberezhnye Chelny. Its length is 185 km. The width is 20 km, and the maximum depth reaches 22 meters. In May 2010, an accident occurred at the HPP. As a result of the explosion in the engine room, 2 people were killed and another 10 people were injured. It did not affect the operation of the hydroelectric power plant in any way.

Before the creation of the HPP cascade, the flow rate in the mighty Ural river was 1.5 times higher than now. Reservoirs have changed the color of the water. She got darker. It is usually compared with the Volga water, which is much lighter.

Kama River on the map

Mouth of the Kama

Before the Kuibyshev reservoir was created on the Volga, the Kama River at its confluence initially flowed parallel to the great Russian river. It was separated from it by a rocky ridge, the length of which reached 12 km. Today, there is no Kama estuary as such. In this place, the waters of the Kuibyshev reservoir splash. At the reunion of two mighty rivers, it reaches its greatest width, which is almost 40 km.

Only after the confluence of the right tributary of the Vyatka, separate branches are observed, into which the Ural river will break up. But then they are absorbed by the waters of the reservoir. Thus, one can speak only about the lower reaches of the river, and not about its mouth, which in former times exceeded the Volga in width. And in general, it should be noted that the Kama is full-flowing. But it is not she who flows into the Caspian Sea, but the Volga. That's how it happened historically. Boat haulers, peasant uprisings are connected with the Volga. Therefore, the Ural river faded into the background, and the green street was given to a narrower and less full-flowing river.

Hydrological regime

Food near the river snow, rain and underground. High water in March-June. It includes 60% of the annual flow. Freeze usually begins in the first ten days of November. The river is covered with ice until April. Spring ice drift lasts 2 weeks.

Shipping

The river is navigable from the mouth to Solikamsk. The official shipping route is considered to the village of Kerchevo. It is located 60 km upstream from Solikamsk. It used to be the world's largest forest raid. It ceased operations in 1995. From Perm by water you can get to Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan. The Kama River is famous for its picturesque banks. It attracts many tourists who want to join the wild nature. But the primordial environment today is heavily polluted by industrial effluents.

To "discover" a word is not only to penetrate into its meaning, but at the same time to comprehend the world of one's ancient brother. "Kama" is a non-Russian word. But whose? What is the meaning of it? Here's what the researchers write. The name of the word "Kama" in its origin comes from the tribes that lived in the Kama region in ancient times. The Komi-Zyryans call the Kama "Kama-Yas" - "bright river", the Udmurts - "Bujim-Kama" - "long, big river", the Chuvash - "Jord-Adyl", the Cheremis - "Chelman-Vis", the Tatars - " Cholman-idel" and so on.

Geographical information about Kama

Kama is a river in the European part of Russia, the left and largest tributary of the Volga River.

It ranks 6th in terms of length in Europe. Its length is 1805 km, the basin area is 507 thousand km². It originates in the central part of the Verkhnekamsk Upland from four springs near the former village of Karpushata, now part of the village of Kuliga, Kezsky district of the Udmurt Republic. Through the territory of the Perm region, it flows into eastbound and then turns south. More than half of its path Kama flows through our region. It flows mainly between the highlands of the High Trans-Volga region along a wide, sometimes narrowing valley. In the upper reaches (from the source to the mouth of the Pilva River), the channel is unstable and winding, on the floodplain of the old river. After the confluence of the river Vishera becomes a deep river; the banks change: the right one remains low and is predominantly meadow in nature, the left almost everywhere becomes elevated and in some places steep. There are many islands in this area, there are shoals and rifts. Below the confluence of the Belaya River at the Kama, the right bank becomes high and the left bank low.

In the lower reaches, the Kama flows in a wide (up to 15 km) valley, the width of the channel is 450–1200 m; split into sleeves. Below the mouth of the Vyatka River, the river flows into the Kama Bay of the Kuibyshev Reservoir (the backwater from which sometimes reaches the mouth of the Belaya River).

There are 73,718 rivers in the Kama river basin, of which 94.5% are small rivers less than 10 km long. The main tributaries on the left are the Southern Keltma, Vishera with Kolva, Chusovaya with Sylva, Belaya with Ufa, Ik, Zay; on the right - Spit, Obva, Vyatka. All the right tributaries of the Kama (Kosa, Urolka, Kondas, Inva, Obva) and part of the left ones (Veslyana, Lunya, Leman, South Keltma) are flat rivers flowing from the north. Mountainous, cold and swift rivers originate in the Ural Mountains and flow into the Kama River on the left (Vishera, Yaiva, Kosva, Chusovaya and a number of their tributaries).

3 reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations have been created on the river: from the mouth of the Urolka River (996 km from the mouth of the Kama) the Kama reservoir (Kamskaya hydroelectric power station) begins, immediately below it - the Votkinsk reservoir (Votkinskaya hydroelectric power station), behind it - the Nizhnekamsk reservoir (Nizhnekamsk hydroelectric power station).

Food is mainly snow, as well as underground and rain; more than 62.6% of the annual runoff passes during the spring flood (March - June), 28.3% in summer and autumn, and 9.1% in winter. The range of level fluctuations is up to 8 m in the upper reaches and 7 m in the lower reaches. The average consumption at the Kamskaya HPP is 1630 cubic meters. m / s, at the Votkinsk hydroelectric power station about 1750 cubic meters. m / s, at the mouth about 3500 cubic meters. m / s, the largest is about 27,500 cubic meters. m/sec. Freezing is accompanied by abundant formation of in-water ice and ice drift from 10 to 20 days. Freeze from the beginning of November in the upper reaches and the end of November in the lower reaches until April. Spring ice drift from 2–3 to 10–15 days. The creation of reservoirs has improved navigation conditions. Kama is navigable to the village of Kerchevsky (966 km) - the largest rafting raid, and to high water - for another 600 km. The navigable depths on the lower Kama are supported by dredging.

The main ports and marinas: Solikamsk, Berezniki, Levshino, Perm, Krasnokamsk, Chaikovsky, Sarapul, Kambarka, Naberezhnye Chelny, Chistopol. There are regular passenger flights from Perm to Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan and Ufa. The picturesque banks of the Kama attract a large number of tourists.

Sterlet, sturgeon, bream, carp, crucian carp, asp, silver bream, ide, chub, bleak, zander, perch, ruff, pike, burbot, catfish, etc. live in the river. Taimen and grayling are found in the upper reaches (and in some places in tributaries). Aquatic vegetation is well developed, especially in numerous bays and backwaters.

Origin of the word "Kama"

In many languages ​​of the world there is a word "Kama". For every nation, it has its own meaning. It is known for certain that "Kama" is a non-Russian word. Let's try to analyze different points view of the origin given word and connection with the name of a major European river.

The origin of the name Kama is lost in the same unimaginable depths of human history, when peoples and their languages ​​were one. Kama - in a number of Finno-Ugric languages ​​\u200b\u200bmeans "river". With the same meaning, but in a slightly different vocalization - Kem, a number of hydronyms and toponyms are known on the territory of Eurasia. For example, there is a river called Kem in Karelia and Eastern Siberia. The Kema River flows into the reserved Beloozero in the Vologda region. But with exactly the same "river" meaning, this root base is used by the Chinese and Mongols. Tuvans and Khakasses also call the Yenisei - Kem. In Altai, Ak-Kem (“White Water”) is a tributary of the Katun, and in the vicinity of the sacred mountain Belukha there is a whole complex with the same name: two lakes, a melting glacier, a pass ...

Similar hydronyms are found in Central Asia and Europe. At the same time, linguists argue that the root "kem" is of Indo-European origin. In this case, the name of the Ural Kama not only accidentally coincides with the name of the ancient Indian god of love Kama (after whom the Kamasutra treatise is named), but also probably has common source origin. It is impossible not to remember about Kamchatka ...

Moving mentally in the footsteps of the ancient Indo-Europeans to Europe, we also find similar toponyms here: Cambridge (“City on the River”, and this river is called Whom) - in England; Kemper (from the old Breton name meaning "Confluence of the rivers") - in France; Ķemeri is an ancient settlement (and now a well-known resort) on the site of a healing spring in Latvia. It is no coincidence, apparently, that one of the self-names of the ancient Egyptians - Kemi - is associated with the flood of the Nile. But that's not all. It is known that in the old days a shaman in Russia was called a kam. The word was borrowed from the Polovtsy, who professed shamanism. Hence the word kamlanie, which has survived to this day, is a ritual action of a shaman. Perhaps the ancient Aryan god of love Kama was once a shaman?

About the origin of the names of many geographical objects, mankind has made up myths, fairy tales, legends. The legend of the Komi-Permyak people is interesting.

About the origin of the main waterway of the Perm Territory - the Kama River, the legend says that once it rained all summer, and there was not a single sunny day. The rivers all overflowed, their banks collapsed, and the earth became liquid. People, animals and beasts were saved on high mountains. Only Kama-bogatyr (the mythological hero of the Komi-Permian) people could move around the area flooded with water. He went around all the surroundings and found that the course of the rivers was blocked by a mountain that had collapsed from erosion. The hero lassoed a huge stone, dragged it through the dam, plowed the ground like a plow. A new channel was formed, water poured into it and a new river appeared - the mighty Kama, named after the hero.

The word “Kama” is also found in the ancient Indian language and means “love”. In ancient times there were huge connections Prikamye with Iran and India. Maybe the word "Kama" was brought from there.

Kama, the most significant river in the Urals, the left tributary of the Volga. It was first mentioned in Russian chronicles in 1220. There are many explanations, and among them, for example, Kama is from the ancient Russian “kama” - “stone”.

From the Zyrian-Permyak language it is translated as “fallen strongly”, that is, “water having a strong fall” (originally Kamva). But the Kama River is flat. Therefore, this assumption can be considered absurd.

No better is the assumption that Kama from the Udmurt “kam” means “long”, “long”, if only because in Udmurt “long”, “long” is not “kam”, but “kema”.

In the middle of the 19th century, it was believed that Kama was of the same origin as Kommu - the Komi Country. This version was later repeated by many, but Professor V.I. Lytkin proved that the word "Komi" is related to the Mansi "khum", "godfather", that is, "man" and has nothing to do with the hydronym Kama.

There are several other ways to explain this word. Kama, like the Volga, the Turkic peoples call Idel - "river", and, since the names big rivers often mean simply “River”, it may be that this meaning is hidden in the toponym Kama. Then the name Kama is very ancient and is associated with some unknown language. The name of the Kama River also has the following interpretations: “Kama” is derived from the Udmurt word “kam”, which means “water”. According to another version, the name Kama is based on the Ob-Ugric (Khanty) "kam" - "transparent", "pure", that is, Kama - "Clean".

The reasoning of academician N. Marr is close in meaning. He suggested that the river was called ancient tribe that inhabited its shores. And in translation into Russian, Kama is “white, bright, long and big river”.

Translated from the Bulgarian "Kama" means "love". But such an interpretation is hardly connected with the name of the river.

Such discussion cannot be ignored. Kamy (German, singular Kamm, literally - crest) - hills and ridges in the areas of distribution of anthropogenic continental glaciation. They are found singly and in groups, mainly in the north-west of the European part of Russia (Karelia, the Baltic states, the Leningrad region). The height is from 2–5 to 20–30 m. They are composed of sands with lenses and interlayers of clays with inclusions of individual boulders and their accumulations. The enveloping layering is characteristic, approximately repeating the contour of the transverse profile of the Kama, from above they are often covered with loams, often with boulders. The question of the origin of Kama is not entirely clear. According to one of the most common hypotheses, the Kams arose as a result of the accumulating activity of flows that circulated on the surface, inside and in the near-bottom part of large blocks of dead ice during the period of glacier degradation. Glaciers have played an important role in soil formation and the formation of the relief of the Perm Territory. Therefore, the origin of the word "Kama" from the German "Kama" is quite plausible.

The Kama River is the main tributary of the Volga, which carries the largest volume of water into it from all the watercourses included in it. It is considered the main river of the Western Urals, rightfully belongs to the largest of the water streams flowing through the territory of the Russian Federation. It passes through the cities of Perm, Solikamsk, etc. Hydrologists have an ambiguous opinion on the issues of the championship of the Volga and Kama. Some experts argue that the Ural water flow appeared much earlier than the Central Russian one, and this is confirmed by geological studies.

There is also evidence that the Kama basin is wider than the Volga, and there are more tributaries. Based on these facts, some scientific hydrologists are inclined to assert that the Volga is more likely a tributary of the Kama than vice versa. However, the geographical development of the largest Volga tributary began much later, so the leadership in this matter was given to the Volga. The name of the river comes from the Udmurt word "kam", that is, "big" and is rooted in the Finno-Ugric dialects.

The nature of the current is moderate, even slow, as it flows mostly through flat terrain. The length is 1805 km. This is without taking into account the reservoirs created already in Soviet period. If we take them into account, then the total length will be over 2000 km. Square water basin is 507,000 km/sq. This figure is also among the largest in Europe.

In the Udmurt Republic, near the village of Kuliga, there is the source of the Kama. A stream flows here, formed from four underground springs. This is the source of the Kama, from where one of the greatest Russian rivers originates. Its course ends at the place where it flows into the Volga.

Her path is quite difficult. From its beginning it flows to the northwest, after 125 km it makes a turn to the northeast, this is another 200 km of the way. Then it makes another significant turn already to the south, towards the Perm Territory, where it flows through the flat terrain.

At first, a narrow and winding channel, slow current, a small amount of water is not particularly impressive. But already after the Pilva tributary flowing from the Komi flows into the Kama, it turns into a full-flowing river. And there is something. This watercourse has a length of 214 km and is a real full-fledged river with many of its own tributaries.

Downstream, the main water flow is supplemented by another tributary of the Kama - the Vishera, originating from the borders of the Komi Republic. Its length is 415 km, and at the mouth it reaches a width of 900 m. Thanks to it, the Kama becomes even fuller. Regarding the significance of Vishera, some meticulous hydrologists also have complaints about the current Russian cartography. This is due to the fact that in terms of its full flow, the Vishera, at the confluence, significantly exceeds the Kama, which, according to existing geographical rules, classifies the Vishera as the main stream, and the Kama as an auxiliary one, in fact making the latter a tributary of the Vishera.

The Kama River on the Map of Russia

On the map of the Kama River, its progress in the Russian Federation is traced. It passes through the Kirov region, Perm region, Bashkiria, Tatarstan, Udmurtia. On the map of Russia, the Kama ends its journey in the Kama Bay, from where it goes to the Kuibyshev reservoir.

Hydrology

The river, in addition to its tributaries, is fed by precipitation, rain, melting snow and bottom sources. The flood comes from early spring and continues until early summer. It is covered with ice from November to early April. The melting and movement of ice lasts 14-15 days. The water level fluctuates during this period by 7-8 m, which leads in some coastal areas to floods, floods and the expansion of the banks of the floodplain up to several kilometers. However, a significant addition of water during this period has a positive effect on the work of floating wood in the upper reaches.

tributaries

A lot has already been said about the main, largest tributaries. In total, there are 73,718 water flows, 95% of them are small 10-20 km tributaries.

The most significant, related to the right tributaries of the Kama:

• Obva.
• Yinva.
• Lysva.

The leftists - Lunya and Veslana carry their waters from the plain. Most of the left tributaries of the Kama originate from the Ural mountains, these are cold fast streams:

• Chusovaya.
• Kosva.
• Vishera.

This number of streams feeding the river makes it one of the largest inland waterways Russia. Separately, the Vishera River should be noted - in its fullness, the left tributary of the Kama significantly exceeds it, which, according to the existing hydrological rules, classifies it as the main water flow, and the Kama as an auxiliary one, that is, in fact, it is a tributary of the Vishera.

Geography

In its upper reaches, it flows around the Verkhnekamsk Upland and flows among mixed forests, swamps and fields. There are few settlements, mostly villages and villages. There are no industrial enterprises. This fact has a positive effect on the ecological state of the area. In this part, you can go down only by rafting means.

Larger settlements appear downstream, respectively, the ecological situation begins to change for the worse. It is no secret that wherever a person appears, nature begins to lose its purity and environmental friendliness. Forest-steppe areas with predominantly deciduous tree species begin to predominate in the landscape.

By its length of 1805 km, the Kama occupies the sixth position among the major European rivers. It flows mostly through Perm region over flat terrain. Its path passes mainly among the High Volga Uplands. The entry of Vishera into it makes it more full-flowing, the coastal landscape and types of vegetation change.

The right bank remains flat with meadows covered with lush vegetation, while the left bank is predominantly elevated, with cliffs. This segment is characterized by the presence of many rifts. From the place where the Belaya River flows in, the banks change their characteristics dramatically, the right side becomes steep, and the left side, on the contrary, is more gentle.

The Lower Kama flows along a fifteen-kilometer flat area, in this area the widest place of the Kama River is noted, sometimes reaching 450 - 1200 m, the main stream is divided into many branches.

Even during the existence of the USSR, three large reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations were built. This is Kamskoye with the hydroelectric power station of the same name, located 996 km from the mouth of the Kama, then Votkinskoye, then Nizhnekamskoye and the hydroelectric power station of the same name follow.

The construction of these hydraulic structures has significantly increased the level of opportunities for navigation. You can go upstream for 1000 km to the village. Kerchevsky, and in the period " big water» The waterway is extended by 600 km. In addition, in the lower section of the river, the bottom deepens, which also contributes to the development of navigation.

The source of the Kama is located near the Udmurt village of Kuliga and is formed from four springs that form a stream, from which, in fact, the largest water stream of the Urals is born. In its upper part, it has a winding channel with numerous oxbows in the floodplain. It gains the greatest strength after the confluence of the Vishera. However, in this matter there is controversial issue regarding which of the rivers is the main one and which is the tributary. There is an opinion that the Kama is not a tributary of the Vishera, and, in general, the main Russian river should be the Vishera. The supporting facts and evidence have been set out earlier.

Mouth of the Kama

Before the creation of the Kuibyshev reservoir, both rivers, the Kama and the Volga, were separated from each other by a twelve-kilometer stone ridge. Today, here, at the place where two rivers merge, the width of the reservoir reaches 40 km.

The mouth of the Kama used to be much wider than the Volga. It should be noted that the river itself is much more full-flowing than the Volga, but, nevertheless, it is not the Kama that flows into the Caspian Sea, therefore the title of great does not belong to her. Moreover, almost all known historical events, taking place in Russia, peasant uprisings, barge haulers, are connected precisely with the Volga.

Ecology

The ecological situation in this region, like in most of the rivers of Russia, is rather complex and ambiguous. In the upper reaches, which is sparsely populated, the water is clear. Starting from the mouth of the Vishera, where cities and factories are located, environmental problems appear.

Waste from enterprises and human life pollute the river. In addition, the tributaries flowing into it are themselves quite littered. Data from studies of water taken by hydrologists in the Perm region showed a level of river pollution of about 100 kb / m per day. Moreover, the amount of waste is only increasing, while the level of purification remains unchanged, that is, none.

Thanks to such a barbaric attitude towards the ecological state of the largest Russian river, it has become one of the most environmentally unfavorable in Russia, and its condition is approaching catastrophic, really life threatening of people. The most threatening situation has developed in the industrial areas of Solikamsk, Berezniki, Perm, where an increased content of phenols, oil products and heavy metal compounds is noted in the water.

Despite such a threatening ecological state of the river, fish are still found in it, among which are such valuable commercial species as sterlet, sturgeon and many others. AT clear waters Taimen is found in the upper reaches. There are a lot of plants in the bays, of which there are many.

Alloy

The forest is rafted in the upper section of the river. Starting places are determined depending on the fullness. According to the rules established over the years, it is customary to produce rafting upstream as much as possible, since in the lower part the channel is given over to regular navigation.

Traditionally, it is considered a tributary of the Volga. However, according to the results of hydrological studies, scientists came to an unequivocal conclusion - when two streams are combined, the Volga becomes a continuation of the Kama until it flows into the Caspian. The main proof of this fact is the 40% larger volume of Kama water in the area where the rivers join.

An equally interesting fact is that Kama itself is a continuation of Vishera for the same reasons as in the case of the Volga. Vishera is taiga river originating on the western slopes of the Ural mountains. Official hydrology recognized as a tributary of the Kama. However, the level of its full-flowing significantly exceeds the indicators of the Kama, based on this, according to all accepted rules, it is the main river. But, due to the fact that the Kama River is already marked on the maps as the main one, cartographic changes will not happen soon.

On the Kama, in Tatarstan, the longest bridge in Russia was built. Its length is 13,967 m. This includes 1,608 m directly across the Kama, plus 549.9 and 69.8 m, respectively, through the Arkharovka and Kurlyanka rivers.

Fishing places

The river itself, along with all its tributaries, is a fertile place for lovers of fishing. And you can fish by all permitted means. On the bait and nets you can catch carp, sterlet, crucian carp, pike perch, ruffs, perches. Sturgeons are also found here.

For lovers of comfort and fishing rods, recreation centers, dispensaries, and fishing farms have been built on the coast. Due ecological state rivers the best place for recreation with a fishing rod there will be its upper reaches.

Fishing enthusiasts conditionally divide the Kama into three sections:

1. From the source to the mouth of Veslyana - this is the Upper, where the current does not manifest itself in full force. Bleak, roach, chub, pike are well caught here. With the onset of cold weather, you can catch burbot. Connoisseurs say that grayling and taimen are caught in the upper reaches. From the mouth of the Veslyana to the Kama reservoir - the middle section. The river widens here, gets deeper, what in the best way affects the number of fish. The greatest depth in this part of the river reaches 30 m, according to the depth map of the Kama.
2. Average. Incoming streams make it even more full-flowing. Here, pike perch, white-eye, carp, sterlet, and nelma are added to other fish species. The channel becomes wider, and the bottom is deeper. But the current is getting slower.
3. The lower section goes from the Kama reservoir to the Kuibyshev reservoir. Of great interest is fishing on artificial reservoirs, which are in abundance here, as well as the fish itself. It is possible to catch only in the seasons determined by the fishery supervision and only with a bait. Fishing with nets on the river, especially in reservoirs, is prohibited.
   The Kama River on the map of Russia.

Kama river- the main tributary of the Volga, and one of the most major rivers European part of Russia. There is even an opinion that it is not the Kama that flows into the Volga, but vice versa. Since the channel of the Kama arose earlier, its basin is larger, and the number of tributaries is also greater. But in geography, tradition means a lot, and the Russians began to explore the Kama from the Volga basin, which is why it is believed that the Volga is more reliable.

Group Chaif, song "Kama River":

Characteristics of the Kama River.

Map:

River length: 1805 km. Before the construction of the three dams, it was more than 2 thousand km.

Watershed area: 507,000 sq. km.

Where does it run: Kama originates in the village of Kuliga, Udmurt Republic, from four streams. The height of the source is 331 meters above sea level. AT upstream the river flows along a winding channel, forming numerous oxbow lakes in the floodplain. full flowing river becomes only after Vishera flows into it. Here it is worth mentioning one more controversial point, in fact, it should be considered that it is not Vishera that flows into Kama, but vice versa. Therefore, judging strictly by science, the Vishera was supposed to become the main river of Russia, and not the Volga and not the Kama. But history cannot be changed, so it is better to leave everything as it is.

In the lower reaches, the river spills over a wide valley, forming branches. Here the width of the channel is 450-1200 m. Below the mouth of the Vyatka River, the Kama flows into the Volga, or rather into the Kama Bay, the Kuibyshev reservoir. Here, in the floodplain of the river, there is such a beautiful place as Tanaevsky floodplain meadows.

Tributaries: 73,718 rivers flow into the Kama, most of them (94.5%) are small rivulets up to 10 km long. All right tributaries (Kosa, Urolka, Kondas, Inva, Lysva, Obva) and some of the left ones (Veslyana, Lunya, Leman, Southern Keltma) are flat rivers. mountain rivers flow from the Ural Mountains and flow into the Kama on the left side. These are Vishera, Yaiva, Kosva, Chusovaya (especially good) ...

River mode

The river is mostly fed by snow, but there is also rain and underground. During the spring flood (from March to June), 62.6% of the annual flow passes through the river. Water level fluctuations of 7-8 meters.

Freezing: The river is covered with ice in November (the beginning of November in the upper reaches and the end of November in the lower reaches), the ice stays until April.

Economic use

Three reservoirs have been created on the river, these are: Kamskoye, Nizhnekamskoye and Votkinskoye reservoirs.

Below Solikamsk, a large number of factories were built on the banks of the river. Therefore, the ecological situation in the middle reaches and below leaves much to be desired.

In general, industry on the Kama River has a rich and long history, even the name of the city of Solikamsk suggests that salt was mined here.

See more in the video film: "Ridge of Russia: Perm Territory"

Cities on the Kama: Solikamsk, Berezniki, Perm, Krasnokamsk, Chaikovsky, Neftekamsk, Naberezhnye Chelny, Nizhnekamsk, Chistopol and others.

Biological resources, inhabitants: the main types of fish in the river are carp, asp, crucian carp, sturgeon, bream, sterlet, pike perch, perch, ruff, burbot, catfish, pike and others.

Rest on the Kama can be varied. Fans of outdoor activities and rafting will prefer the upper reaches of the river. For those who prefer a more peaceful holiday, a large number of recreation centers, fishing farms, and dispensaries have been built. As a place for fishing, Kama is also of interest, but because of environmental situation it is better to limit yourself to the upper reaches.

Video: "Walking along the Kama River, in the water area of ​​the city of Perm HD"

Video: “Winter. Kama. Slavic fishing.