The numerous tributaries of the Kuban River form a river network with a total length of 9482 kilometers. Originating from Mount Elbrus and flowing through the territory of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories, this river carries its waters to the Sea of Azov.
Main tributaries
A total of about 14 thousand large and small rivers flow into the Kuban. Left-bank tributaries, of which there are the largest number, flow mainly from the slopes of the mountains of the Western Caucasus. The most significant of them are the river Belaya, Laba, Urup and Pshish.
The right tributaries of the Kuban River are less numerous and small. Among them, it is worth noting such rivers as Dzheguta, Mara and Gorkaya.
Laba
This is a high-water tributary of the Kuban, formed by the confluence of the Bolshaya and Malaya Laba rivers. They originate from the northern side of the Main Range of the Greater Caucasus. The Laba River, together with these sources, has a total length of 347 km and a basin area of 12,500 km². Its width closer to the mouth is almost 200 m. It flows into the Kuban near the village of Khatukai, locatedin the Krasnogvardeisky district of Adygea.
In the upper reaches, like all other main tributaries of the Kuban River, this turbulent mountain river quickly carries its waters through deep gorges and narrow canyons. Then, on a flat area, where many tributaries flow into the Laba, the river becomes calm. The food of the river is mixed - rain, snow and glacial. At the end of December, as a rule, Laba freezes, freeing itself from ice only by March.
The river is very popular with tourists. Tours, fishing and rafting are held in these unique places.
White
This is the next largest left tributary of the Kuban River, considered the largest water artery in the region. The length of the Belaya River is 273 km. Its ancient name "Shkhaguashche" in translation from the Adyghe sounds like "goddess of the mountains." The legend says that later the river began to be called "Bela", gradually the name began to sound like "White".
Of the three and a half thousand tributaries flowing into this river, the most serious are Kish, Dakh and Pshekha. The source of the Belaya River is located on the Fisht glaciers. For many tens of kilometers, the river flows through narrow and deep gorges. During the period of snowmelt and heavy rains, it turns into a high-water mountain stream, which attracts fans of extreme rafting.
In the middle reaches of the Belaya River there are many picturesque canyons, which are famous for almost all the main tributaries of the Kuban River. The channel in these places narrows to five andeven up to three meters, flowing between sheer cliffs and accompanied by waterfalls and cascades. Not far from the village of Kamennomostsky is the most famous Khadzhokh Canyon, which attracts many tourists. Behind the Khadzhokh gorge, the valley of ammonites begins - another attraction of the Belaya River.
Urup
The left tributary of the Kuban (the Urup River), which flows into the area of the city of Armavir, has a length of 231 km. It originates from the slopes of the mountain of the same name, from a height of 3232 m above sea level. In the upper reaches it is separated from the Laba River by a sharp ridge. Like other tributaries of the Kuban River, the Urup in its upper reaches is a typical mountain river, narrow and deep, with steep slopes. Gradually turning into a flat one, in the lower reaches it carries its waters along a gently sloping valley calmly and majestically. The width of the river in this place is up to 3 km. Food is dominated by rain. In summer, during the high water, when the snow melts on the peaks of the Front Range, and there is also a lot of precipitation in the form of heavy rains, the highest water level in the river is observed. By winter, the Urup becomes quite shallow, in some places the river can be forded.
The valley of this river is characterized by high fertility, which has become the reason for its dense settlement. Along it there are a large number of villages and villages (Mednogorsky, Urup, Convenient, Otradnaya, Voskresenskoye, Advanced, Soviet, Beskorbnaya, etc.).
The Urup River is not rich in tributaries. Of the most significant, it should be noted Big and Small Tegen, Dzheltmes. For about 60 km from the mouthtributaries are completely absent.
Pshish
Not far from the village of Altubinal in the Krasnodar Territory, another tributary of the Kuban with the unusual name Pshish originates. Further, the river follows the Apsheronsky, Belorechensky and Teuchezhsky districts and flows into the Krasnodar reservoir. More than 50 tributaries, both right and left, have Pshish. The largest of them are Gunayka, Kura, Khadazhka, Tsitsa, Tsetse, Filtuk, Big and Small Pshish.
In the upper course, the river makes its way between mountain ranges, consisting of clay and calcareous rocks. Then it descends to the foothills of the Greater Caucasus, flowing through the territory of the forest-steppe. Its entire length is 270 km.
Pshish has similar flow characteristics with other tributaries of the Kuban. In the upper reaches, rifts and deep reaches alternate, the speed of the water flow is quite high. In the lower part, the valley widens and the current becomes more calm and moderate.
Mixed food. Along with snow and rain, groundwater replenishment of the river is also of great importance. In line with it, a lot of underground springs are knocked out.
Rich fish stocks, the possibility of rafting on the river and favorable conditions for recreation attract a huge number of tourists to these places.
Afips
This river has a much shorter length than other tributaries of the Kuban River, whose names are listed above. Starting from Mount Afips in the direction of the north, it travels only 96 km.
This is a shallow river, relatively deep places are found in its course, butthere are few of them. Afips feeds mainly on groundwater and precipitation. In winter, the river freezes, but not for long - freezing lasts no more than a month. The highest water level is observed in spring, the minimum - from July to September.
The main tributaries of the Afips are the Shebsh and Ubin rivers, the valley of which in the upper reaches is a narrow gorge and gradually expands downstream. During a flood, the water level in the tributaries rises, and they become almost impassable.
The Afips river basin is famous for its mineral springs. The most popular is Zaporozhye, located in the valley of the Ubin tributary. There are 14 outlets of Essentuki-type mineral waters.
All rivers of the Krasnodar Territory are of great importance for fisheries. It is difficult to talk about which tributaries near the Kuban River are especially rich in fish. Stellate sturgeon, carp, catfish, pike perch, sturgeon and other commercial fish species live almost everywhere.
