Moscow abounds in a large number of picturesque reservoirs. The famous Chistye Prudy, the mystical Patriarch's Ponds, small ponds in young residential areas. Ochakovskiye Ponds are a cascade of several reservoirs in the floodplain of the Ochakovka River. They are located at the intersection of Michurinsky Prospekt and Nikulinskaya Street, for which local residents sometimes call them Nikulinsky. Currently, these are the four largest reservoirs, separated by earthen dams.
How to get there?
Ponds are located in the south-west of the capital, in the Ochakovo-Matveevskoye area. You can get there without problems both by public transport and by car:
- from art. metro station "Yugo-Zapadnaya" - bus No. 329, No. 630, to the stop "Nikulinskaya street";
- from art. metro station "Prospekt Vernadskogo" - bus number 497 to the stop "Olympicvillage";
- from art. metro station "Oktyabrskaya" - trolleybus number M4 to the stop "Nikulinskaya street";
- from art. metro station "Kyiv" - trolleybus number 17 to the stop "Olympic village".
Nearby is Ochakovo railway station and Matveevskoye platform.
From the depths of history
The ponds bear their name from the Ochakovka River, which, in turn, is named after the ancient settlement. The history of the village of Ochakovo dates back to the 17th century. Then there were about 10 peasant households, by the end of the 19th century the figure reached 97. Active population growth began with the advent of Soviet power, when the construction of the first industrial enterprises began.
The river that flowed through the area was relatively shallow and no more than two meters wide. The locals brought their cattle there for grazing. In the mid-1950s, the authorities decided to build the Ochakovo-Nikulino road. We caught up with a lot of equipment and workers, the construction of the dam began.
According to the old-timers, one long pond was originally formed. Much later, the construction of Michurinsky Prospekt began, the second dam was formed. This is how the Ochakovskiye Ponds appeared.
General characteristics
The Ochakovka River flows into it only from the north side, or rather part of it. The rest of the river's course flows in parallel through an underground collector. Today, the reservoirs are located in the urban area.
Select fourmain body of water:
- Big Ochakovsky Pond;
- Upper Nikulinsky Pond;
- Medium Nikulinsky Pond;
- Lower Nikulinsky Pond.
They are connected by a picturesque dam, which has become a decoration of the park - a favorite vacation spot for local residents.
Big Ochakov pond: description
This most famous body of water is shaped like an elongated sock. The length between its extreme points is about 700 meters. The area of the reservoir is about 5 hectares. The distance between the banks is 60-70 meters in a narrow place and up to 130 meters in a wide part. One of the banks is reinforced with concrete slabs, which negatively affects the life of ducks.
An asph alt path runs along the entire coast, the pond is surrounded by green spaces. In spring, locals come to admire the blooming water lilies, the abundance of which has been noted in recent years. The cascade on the other side of the avenue consists of three relatively small dams.
Ochakovskiye Ponds: a living oasis for residents of the microdistrict
None of the ponds are recognized as suitable for swimming. There are no changing cabins, toilets, fungi on the banks. The rescue service is not on duty. But despite this, they remain a favorite vacation spot for residents of the area. In hot weather, you can often meet those who want to swim.
The recreation area adjoins the lower ponds - Shkolnikov Park. Despite the name, it is intended for recreation of all age categories. Construction wasconceived back in 2007, but some difficulties arose, and work resumed only in 2014. Ponds occupy a significant part of the park.
The territory has everything you need for recreation: benches, playgrounds, bike paths.
Big Ochakovsky Pond, the reconstruction of which was scheduled for the first half of the year, has changed beyond recognition. Water reservoirs and the coastal area were cleaned, new benches, lanterns, trash bins were installed. Young seedlings of trees are planted along the banks. In the spring and summer, residents will be able to admire the juniper and barberry hedges. Footpaths and bridges across water bodies have been updated.
Problems
Ochakovo-Matveevo is a relatively young and actively developing area. In this regard, a number of problems arise, mainly due to the development of the territory adjacent to the ponds. Activists regularly fight with officials who promised not to deprive residents of the recreational zone.
One of the reasons for the conflict was the construction of another temple almost on the banks of the Great Ochakovsky Pond. Residents have no idea why another church was needed if the Iberian Church is located a kilometer away.
Not so long ago there was a conflict over the construction of a hotel for migrants from Central Asia. Residents defended their point of view and breathed a sigh of relief. As it turned out, they rejoiced early. The hostel will be built in the area of the projected passage.
It remains to be hoped that the authorities will listen to the opinion of ordinaryof people. Indeed, for the elderly and mothers with small children, Ochakovsky Ponds and the adjacent park area are the only nearest place for walking.
