Ulyanovsk region - a subject of the Russian Federation, located in its European part. It is located in the region of the middle Volga region. The largest European river Volga divides it unevenly into two parts. Administratively, the Ulyanovsk Region is part of the Volga Federal District. The regional center is the city of Ulyanovsk.
Geographic location of the region
The area covers an area of 37,000 square kilometers. This is the 37th indicator among other regions of Russia. Three-quarters of the territory is occupied by the hilly Pre-Volga region, the rest lies on the flat Trans-Volga region. The Ulyanovsk region is divided by the Kuibyshev reservoir created in the mid-fifties of the XX century.
The region is separated from the seas washing the borders of Russia. The distance from the Caspian Sea is 830 km.
The climate is temperate continental. There are three natural zones on its territory, namely: in the Sursky northwestern region there is a European taiga (Kuvayskaya); the main part of the region is hilly forest-steppe; on thesteppes in the south and southeast.
The geographical location of the Ulyanovsk region, its territorial climate, the presence of the navigable Volga River, as well as other natural conditions are very favorable for the population and their economic activities. According to 2017 data, the number is more than one million two hundred thousand people.
All rivers of the Ulyanovsk region are the catchment area of the Caspian Sea and the lower Volga basin.
Relief, features of water resources of the region
The relief of the Ulyanovsk region began its history 25 million years ago, when its territory began to rise above sea level. Currently, the average heights on the surface are about 180 m. The highest height is 353 m.
The region's water resources are significant, there are 2033 rivers and streams, the total length of which is more than 10,000 km.
There are 1223 lakes, 230 ponds, about 800 springs on the territory of the region. Almost the entire flow of rivers, the volume of which is more than 240 cubic kilometers, goes to the Volga.
The largest river in the Ulyanovsk region is the Volga. Other relatively large rivers are the Sura, the Big Cheremshan, the Small Cheremshan, the Maina, the Sviyaga. They are tributaries of the main water artery of the European part of Russia - the Volga.
The rivers of the Ulyanovsk region in the bulk (more than 75%) are up to 5 km long. Food is mixed, the following phases of water supply are typical: flood in spring; low water in summer and winter; autumn and summer rain floods.
Flood of riversUlyanovsk region lasts almost a month. The volume of runoff during this period is approximately 30 - 90% per annum. The low water level of the Ulyanovsk rivers (low water) is observed from May to June. At this time, they are fed mainly by groundwater. Their abundance directly depends on various tectonic and hydrological factors and is uneven.
Ice on the rivers and lakes of the Ulyanovsk region is established at different times. In the southern regions, it is fixed by the end of November. In the northern parts it is the beginning of November. The rivers break up mainly in early April. Spring ice drift is short-lived, about 5 days.
There are significant reserves of groundwater in the region. As well as healing, mineral. In this regard, the underground rivers of the Ulyanovsk district (Ulyanovsk region) are especially distinguished, from which mineral water is extracted to the surface, sold under the Volzhanka brand (Undory village).
Volga River
Included in the region of Tatarstan. It flows through the Ulyanovsk region for almost 150 km. At the beginning of the path, on the right bank, are the Undorovskie mountains. A little further downstream is the regional city - Ulyanovsk. The Ulyanovsk Bridge stretched across the Volga in this place, connecting the left and right parts of the regional center, located on both banks. After this bridge, the river widens dramatically and downstream reaches a width of more than 2.5 km.
After that, to the very borders of the Ulyanovsk region, the Volga River is accompanied by the picturesque Kremensky, Senchileevsky and Sviyazhsky mountains.
Sura River
This is a right tributaryVolga. It is considered one of the most picturesque rivers of the Volga region. She is very well known in the history of the region. Ancient Kama and Mordovian tribes lived here at different times, which gave it its modern name, formed from “rau” (river) and Mordovian “shur”.
This water artery flows through almost all areas of the Volga Upland, its total length is 841 km. It starts near the village of Surskiye Peaks, Ulyanovsk Region, at an altitude of 301 m.
Sviyaga River
Flows from the eastern slope of the Volga Upland. In the Kuzovatovsky district of the Ulyanovsk region, three sources give rise to it. It flows parallel to the Volga. The length of the Sviyaga is 375 km. It has a winding course. Its width is from 4 to 35 meters. This is a shallow water artery, from 0.3 m to 1.5 m, in pits up to 5 m. It flows into the Kuibyshev reservoir.
Maina River
The river is also considered very beautiful. In places of contact between the Ulyanovsk region and Tatarstan, there are many archaeological sites of ancient Bulgaria on its banks. The Maina is 62 km long. Flowing through the territory of the region, it flows into the Kuibyshev reservoir near the village of Staraya Maina.
Big Cheremshan River
Passes through the territory of three subjects of the Russian Federation (Tatarstan, Samara and Ulyanovsk regions). Length - 336 km. This is a left tributary of the Volga. She ends her journey in the Kuibyshev reservoir. The food of Bolshoi Cheremshan is exclusively snowy. The historical mouth is flooded by the Kuibyshev reservoir.
Maly Cheremshan River
The tributary of the Bolshoi Cheremshan. Herlength - 213 km, of which 192 km are in Tatarstan. According to the joint decision, Maly Cheremshan in Tatarstan and the Ulyanovsk region is declared as a regional natural monument.
Lakes and swamps of the region
Ulyanovsk region is rich in lakes. Their origin is varied, mainly karst, artificial, floodplain and suffia-karst reservoirs. The largest lakes are Kryazh and Beloe (Belolebyazhye).
The latter is the largest regional lake, covering an area of more than two square kilometers. It is located in the upper reaches of the Gushcha River, which, in turn, is the left tributary of the Sviyaga River.
The Ulyanovsk region has swamps and wetlands. They occupy about 0.3% of the territory, which is 107 square kilometers.
The area of swamps, wetlands, lakes and reservoirs of artificial origin is not constant. It seriously depends on natural conditions, which include - water regime, waterlogging, climate change, as well as anthropogenic factors (watering, regulation of runoff, drainage, etc.).
State of water resources
One of the main indicators of the state of water in the Ulyanovsk region is its mineralization. The average for most rivers is between 150 and 500 mg per litre.
The water sources of the region have the third and fourth class of pollution, which indicates their low quality.
Water protection specialists note that the mostthere are significant excesses of phenol in the rivers Sviyaga, Sura, Bolshoy Cheremshan, Volga. Almost all rivers have exceeded the parameters for the content of organochlorine compounds and oil products.
A particularly unfavorable situation has developed in the Kuibyshev reservoir. Since its inception, its silt layer has accumulated a significant amount of harmful substances. Moreover, the state of the water and the change in the water regime in the Volga caused the replacement of valuable fish species with low-value ones. And the fish itself has become a source of carcinogens.
Red river village, Ulyanovsk region, Staromainsky district
Within the Melekes diocese there is a well-known local landmark - the village of Red River. It stands on the banks of the river of the same name. Not far from the large settlement of Staraya Maina. This settlement (Red River, Ulyanovsk region, Staromaisky district) is visited by most of the "wild" tourists to get impressions of the Russian hinterland.
The settlement appeared in the 17th century. The founders were Mordovian settlers. The name comes from the river on the banks of which it is located. In the middle of the 17th century, Russian families began to move in with the locals, occupying land on the left bank of the Red River.
The main occupations of the locals were agriculture and cattle breeding. The village was also famous for the fact that sledges, firewood, skids, wheels, barrels and tubs were produced here.
Local attraction of the village of Krasnaya Reka, Ulyanovsk region - the ruined temple of the IntercessionHoly Mother of God. It was built in a wooden form back in 1773 with the money of local parishioners. At the beginning of the 19th century, with the same dedication, a large stone temple was erected instead of a wooden structure.
The Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God belonged to the Kazan diocese from the moment of its consecration. After the Simbirsk diocese was formed in the first half of the 19th century, it began to belong to it.
In 1930 the temple was closed. His big bell, which weighed more than 150 pounds, was thrown from a 36-meter bell tower. At the same time, he crashed. Subsequently, the local economy warehouse was located in the temple building. At a later time, it was included in the district distillery. As a result of all these troubles, the temple was seriously damaged.
Grass and bushes grew on the dome and somewhere inside. The interior decoration and wall paintings have not been preserved.
Since the beginning of 2010, local believers and parishioners of the Melekes diocese began to restore the temple.
