Amga River: natural conditions, characteristics, location

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

This river, flowing through Yakutia and sung in many works of local poets, is one of the most beautiful and picturesque in the republic. In its upper reaches there is a state nature reserve called Olekminsky. In terms of its size, it ranks fourth in Russia (8479 sq. km).

The name of the river, which is popular with local residents and is the left tributary of the Aldan, is Amga. It came from the Evenk "amng", which means "gorge" or "fall".

Information about the Amga River in Yakutia is presented in this article.

General Description

The river takes its beginning from the Aldan Highlands and then it flows along the Prilensky plateau. The source is located at an altitude of about 800 meters above sea level. The channel is almost everywhere relatively straight and pebbly. Starting from 1360 kilometers, the river valley is swampy with a large number of lakes. The swampiness slightly decreases below the mouth of the Khokhoi, and after 25 kilometers it disappears altogether.

Further, the Amga River flows in a single channel in the middle of low mountains, slightly covered with forest. Its shores are rocky andsteep.

Geography

The width of the Amga below the Tuora River is 100 meters. The main obstacles for water are small rifts, occasionally alternating with calm deep reaches. Along the banks, along with larch, pine and spruce grow, as well as many berries. Flowing through the taiga for about 182 kilometers, the Amga crosses the AYAM highway. From this place it is possible to raft on motor boats. The Amga River to the village of the same name receives 74 tributaries with a total length of more than 10 km.

Further on, the river valley narrows, the banks on both sides become periodically rocky and steep. Directly opposite the rocks are gently sloping beaches covered with sandstone and pebbles. You can often find springs. Spruce, larch, polar willow and dwarf birch grow here. Lots of berries: blueberries and strawberries. You can meet domestic deer, elk, wolverines, bears, hares and other animals.

1.5 kilometers down from Tyungütte, below the weather station located on the left bank, picturesque pine forests appear. The valley goes to the expansion below the river. Onnes, many small lakes appear here. There are fewer rifts and the current slows down. Herds of horses and herds of cows graze along the banks. Rafting usually ends near the village of Onnes.

Below the village of Amga, the river again flows in a winding channel (width up to 300 meters). The valley is wide in some places, with lakes. Often the river on the right comes up to the high slopes of the valley, from the tops of which magnificent landscapes open up.adjacent area. Birch forests grow in the taiga and there are steppe areas - alases.

Features

The length of the river is 1462 kilometers. The average annual water consumption is 178 cubic meters. meters per day. In total, it has 195 small and large tributaries, with a total length of over 10,000 meters.

There are more than 5,700 lakes and about 2,900 streams in the Amga River basin (photo is presented in the article). The reservoir freezes at the end of October, and the opening occurs in mid-May.

Archaeological finds

According to the testimony of archaeologists, people have lived in these places for about 10 thousand years. Archaeological monuments (more than 30) belonging to a variety of primitive cultures have been discovered here. Among them there are 10 sites with petroglyphs - rock paintings.

Most of the sites were found in the middle reaches of the Amga River, at the mouths of the largest tributaries.

Nature

The flora and fauna of the coastal sections of the river is diverse. Approximately 40 species of mammals and more than 180 species of birds live in the Amga basin. The water in the river is clean and quite fishy. Taimen, grayling, whitefish, lenok, burbot, perch, pike and other fish inhabit the Amga waters.

In order to preserve the pristine nature, as well as endangered and rare species of birds (peregrine falcon, baby curlew, golden eagle, black crane, white-tailed eagle, black stork, wild grouse, osprey, etc.) in the upper reaches of the Amga in 1984, the Olekminsky nature reserve was created, which isthe first in Yakutia and the fourth largest in Russia. The territory of the reserve includes a part of the river, which is located above the mouth of Khatyn.

Amga village

This settlement is connected with Yakutsk by a highway (length - 200 kilometers) and regular air traffic. The village is the administrative center of the Amginsky ulus of Yakutia (Republic of Sakha). Its name comes from the name of the Amga River.

Among the sights of the village, one can note the Museum of the History of the Civil War, which tells about significant historical events that took place in Yakutia. In these places, the remnants of the White Guard troops were defeated. In Sasyl-Sysy, the Red Army soldiers under the command of I. Ya. Strod held for 20 days the defense, known as the “Ice Siege”. Also in 1854, A. I. Goncharov returned through the Amga on the frigate Pallada after a round-the-world trip. Korolenko V. G., who wrote his story “The Dream of Makar” during this period, based on local materials, was serving in these places.

The Amgu River in Primorsky Krai

To avoid any confusion, we should remember in the article about another Russian river with a similar name. This is the Amgu River, which flows through the territory of Primorsky Krai and flows into the Sea of Japan. The village of the same name, belonging to the Terney region, is also located there.

In the upper reaches of this river there are beautiful Amga waterfalls and picturesque canyons. Black Shaman waterfall, which is one of the highest waterfalls in Primorye, is the most famous. The gorge through whichwater flows, called the Devil's Mouth. The wonderful waterfall is surrounded by cliffs of two hundred meters in height, completely hiding the sun. Snow cover lasts in this area until mid-June.

About 18 kilometers from the village, below the waterfalls, there is a recreation center "Warm Key". Its surroundings are a beautiful forest zone, located two hundred meters from Amgu. There is also a natural monument here - the thermal spring "Teply Klyuch" with mineral water, which has an excellent healing effect. The Shandui lakes, the Sikhote-Alinsky nature reserve, Kurortnaya mountain and many, many other amazingly beautiful places are also attractive for tourists.