In which country is the Dvina River called the Daugava? Western Dvina

Geographical encyclopedia

I in Latvia Daugava, a river in Eastern Europe, flows on the territory of Russia, Belarus, Latvia. 1020 km, basin area 87.9 thousand km2. Begins on the Valdai Hills, flows into the Gulf of Riga Baltic Sea, forming a delta... encyclopedic Dictionary

City (since 1937) in Russian Federation, Tver region, on the river. Zap. Dvina Railroad station. 11.4 thousand inhabitants (1992). Wood processing plant, flax plant...

- (Latvian Daugava), a river in Russia, Belarus and Latvia. Length 1020 km. Its sources are on the Valdai Hills and flows into the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. Main tributaries: Disna, Drissa, Aiviekste, Ogre. Navigable in some areas. On the Western... ... Modern encyclopedia

- (in Latvia Daugava Daugava), a river in the East. Europe. It flows through the territory of the Russian Federation, Belarus, and Latvia. 1020 km, basin area 87.9 thousand km². It starts at Valdai Vozd, flows into the Riga Hall. Baltic Sea, forming a delta... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Exist., number of synonyms: 3 city (2765) Daugava (2) river (2073) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin... Synonym dictionary

Western Dvina- WESTERN DVINA, a river, originates in the lake. Dvintse, Ostashkov. uez., Tver. lips., on the slopes of Central Russia. elevation, not far from the sources of the Volga and Dnieper and flows into Riga. Bay near the village of Ust-Dvinsk. Length 938 ver. Z. D. enters Berezin. water... Military encyclopedia

Western Dvina- 1) city, district center, Tver region. Originated as a village. at Art. Western Dvina (opened in 1901); name by location on the river Western Dvina. Since 1937 the city. Probably, regardless of the considered name Dun, Dina in the middle and upper reaches of the river... ... Toponymic dictionary

1. WESTERN DVINA (in Latvia Daugava, Daugava), a river in Eastern Europe, flows through Russia, Belarus, and Latvia. 1020 km, pl. basin 87.9 thousand km2. It begins on the Valdai Hills, flows into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea, ... ... Russian history

I Western Dvina River in the RSFSR, BSSR and Latvian SSR (within the latter it is called the Daugava). Length 1020 km, basin area 87,900 km2. It originates on the Valdai Hills, west of the sources of the Volga, flows into the Gulf of Riga... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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The Daugava is not just a river carrying its waters across Latvia, it is the most important life artery of the entire country. Fishermen, farmers and artisans have long settled on the banks of this river. Powerful knights built real castles, and servants of God built temples.

And in our time it participates in human life. Ships sail along the Daugava River in Latvia; the power of the river is converted into electricity. At all times, this natural reservoir has inspired painters and poets, and today it attracts the attention of tourists all over the world.

Description

The river is interesting not only for its amazing beauty, but also because it carries its waters across the territories of several countries. It originates on the Valdai Hills, in the Tver region of Russia. Its length across Russian territory is 325 kilometers. Further it flows through Belarus (327 km). It should be noted that here and in Russia it is called the Western Dvina.

It flows through Latvia from southeast to northwest, and its length is 368 km. The first settlement located on the river bank is Kraslava, and the final one is Riga. The mouth of the Daugava is the Gulf of Riga.

The total length of the Daugava River is 1020 km, the valley is 6 km wide. The greatest width is near the bay (1.5 kilometers), and the minimum is noted in Latgale (197 meters). The depth of the river is within 0.5-9 meters.

The main channel of the Daugava lies on a plain with big amount low-lying places. Due to this circumstance, every spring the river overflows heavily, flooding nearby cities.

Attractions

The Daugava River is stunningly beautiful. Along its entire length across the territory of Latvia there are many attractions and picturesque settlements. The most famous of them are the following:

1. In the Kraslava region, in Latgale, the river makes 8 sharp bends to Daugavpils, which creates a unique beauty, viewed from observation platforms and natural hills national park"Bends of the Daugava".
2. Along the river in a northern direction, on the left bank, the Daugava shelters the city of Ilukste with the natural park Poima Dviete. Every spring, it is flooded for 24 km, but this does not stop travelers from coming here. There is a picturesque valley, beautiful forests and meadows, and you can also see wonderful plants and rare birds.
3. On the right bank of the Daugava, where the river flows. Dubna, the wonderful city of Lebanon is located. And then at a distance of about 30 km. The wonderful city of Jekabpils stands on both banks, both parts of which are connected by a bridge across the river.
4. Between the towns of Aizkraukle and Jaunelgava lies the magnificent picturesque park "Daugava Valley".
5. Where the Ogre River flows into the river, in the delta of which the city of the same name is located, there is natural Park. In the past it was a large settlement. It houses the Museum of the History of the Daugava.

The capital of Latvia is also located on the river. It is located on both banks of the Daugava. There are four large road bridges across the river within the city boundaries. From Andrejsala (peninsula), located in Old Riga, originates from the port of Riga, stretching all the way to the Gulf of Riga.

Kayak and boat rafting along the Daugava takes place every year. Amateurs and athletes from all over the world come here. Tourists enjoy picturesque views of the river banks while traveling on pleasure yachts, motor ships and river trams. The serenity and silence of these places captivates at first sight and remains in the hearts of travelers for a lifetime.

A little history

As noted above, the Daugava River in Russia is called the Western Dvina. The writer N.M. Karamzin, like many historians, identified Eridanus (a river god in ancient Greek mythology) with the Western Dvina. Amber (“tears of Heliad”) was found at the mouth of the Western Dvina.

Throughout history, the Western Dvina had 14 names: Dina, Tanair, Vina, Turun, Dune, Rodan, Eridan, etc. In the 15th century, the Flemish knight Gilbert de Lannoa noted that the Dvina was called Samegalzara (Zemgall water) by the Semigallians.

In ancient times, along this reservoir there was a route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” The name “Dvina” was first mentioned by Nestor (monk-chronicler). According to V. A. Zhuchkevich, the Dvina is of Finnish origin with the meaning “quiet, calm.” And the Latvian name “Daugava”, apparently, was formed from the ancient Baltic words: daug - “abundantly, much” and ava - “water”.

Geologically, the settlement of the Western Dvina River basin began in the Mesolithic era.

Largest cities and tributaries

The largest tributaries of the Daugava River (Western Dvina):

• in Russia - Mezha, Veles and Torop;
• in Belarus - Usvyacha, Luchosa, Kasplya, Ulla, Polota, Obol, Ushacha, Drissa, Disna, Saryanka;
• in Latvia - Ogre, Aiviekste and Dubna.

Cities located on the banks of Andriapol, Velizh, Polotsk, Vitebsk, Novopolotsk, Beshenkovichi, Disna, Druya, Verkhnedvinsk, Kraslava, Livani, Daugavpils, Jekabpils, Aizkraukle, Ogre, Plavinas, Jaunelgava, Lielvarde, Ikskile, Kegums, Salaspils and Riga.

Finally

A video was recently posted online that caused surprise and some horror among many. It depicts a rather powerful whirlpool in Latvia on the Daugava River. It became a sensation. In just a few days, more than 1.8 million people viewed it on YouTube. The video, which was filmed by Janis Astićs in the spring, shows that the whirlpool carries deep into the river, everything that falls into its flow is tree branches and even quite large pieces of snow and ice.

According to the stories of the frightened local residents, it even happened that the whirlpool sucked into itself various loads, floating along the river, and even the wreckage of sunken ships.

The whirlpool of the Daugava River has been frightening local residents and others for the last few years. Today it is considered one of the most amazing and incomprehensible phenomena.

I usually don’t retype texts that aren’t my own, but I found this interesting description of the Western Dvina River, also known as the Daugava, flowing into the Baltic Sea in the Riga area, which is useful to have on hand - there are also links to historical studies of the river bed, some data on its width and depth in different places, something that is often necessary for conversation. And to “revive” the dry text, I added three dozen photographs of the river different years and different places. There are photos that I took on film in the last century :-), there are also digital photos recent years. And in the title of the post I wanted to put this romanticized painting by a local artist:

1.5. Description of the river from source to mouth

The first description of the Western Dvina - Daugava by sections was undertaken in the 18th century. In 1701, a description of the river from its source to the city of Polotsk was completed at the behest of Peter the Great by steward Maxim Tsyzarev. Later, projects were drawn up for local improvement of the river or for the establishment of a direct waterway between the Baltic, Caspian and Black Seas. In 1783-1785 engineer Trosson carried out surveys of the Western Dvina from the city of Surazh to the mouth of Luchosa (near Vitebsk), drew up plans of the river on a scale of 200 fathoms in 1 inch and a longitudinal profile. In 1809, General de Witte drew up a plan of the river from source to mouth on a scale of 100 fathoms in 1 inch, with depths indicated along the fairway. In 1812, Major General Ivashevich drew up plans for the rapids part of the Daugava for 140 miles. In 1826, engineer-captain Volkov carried out detailed surveys of the river over 140 miles from the source from Lake Okhvat. In 1827, engineer-captain Zagoskin studied the Daugava in the area from the city of Jekabpils to the island of Dole (above Riga). Among the data he received was a table showing the location of the rapids, the drop and the speed of the current on them. In 1857-1861. Surveys were carried out between Disna and Riga under the leadership of engineer-Lieutenant Colonel Iovets.

Daugava embankment in Riga in 2006

From 1886 to 1888, the Daugava from Vitebsk to Mazumprava (above Riga) - a distance of 561 versts - was studied by the Western Dvina Party under the command of engineer N.F. Shelyuta. The purpose of the research was related to the project of connecting the Black and Baltic seas. The upper section of the river was studied to determine the feeding conditions of the river. Detailed plans of the river were drawn up on a scale of 50 fathoms by 0.01 fathoms, as well as a longitudinal profile of the river. These plans are the last filming of the Daugava over such a long distance. Only in certain areas near some cities, especially near Riga, more detailed surveys were later carried out.

Stone Bridge (Akmens Tilts) in Riga, 2008*

Let's follow the flow of the Western Dvina - Daugava from its source to its mouth.

The river begins among the forests and swamps of the Valdai Upland near the village of Koryakino. Near the source of the Western Dvina are the sources of the Volga (14 km) and the Dnieper (140 km), giving water to the Caspian and Black Seas. At the very upper reaches of the Western Dvina, a small stream passes through Lake Dvinets, located at an altitude of 220 m above the average level of the Baltic Sea. After less than 10 km, a river with a width of 5-6 m flows into the upper end of Lake Okhvat (length - 20 km, width - about 1.3 km, mirror area - 13.6 km2, drainage area - 586 km2). It should be noted that in terms of water content, the Western Dvina in this section is inferior to many other rivers flowing into Lake Okhvat, for example, Volkota (61 km), Netesma (36 km).

Since we don’t yet have photographs of the river outside Latvia, I will give a few photos from Riga. Cable-stayed bridge, 2007

Flowing from Lake Okhvat, the Western Dvina already has a width of up to 40 and a depth of 1-2 m. The channel is replete with islands. Shores for the most part wooded. Velocities at the source of the river are about 0.4-0.9 m/s. In spring, current speeds here are more significant, as water rushes out of the lake under greater pressure. Reach areas alternate with small rapids. At a distance of 2-3 km from Lake Okhvat there are the first rapids: Krasny Kamen and Medved, then the third rapid follows - Baran, then Ostrovki, etc. At the rapids, the river bottom is composed of limestone, which in some places is covered with a layer of sand; Sometimes blue clay is exposed at the bottom of the river. In these places, the river banks abound with numerous springs.

Panorama of Riga, 2006*

Some sections of the Western Dvina are winding, but the valley to the river. White is not wide. In spring, the water rises by 1.8-2.3 m. Near the mouth of the Verezhunitsa there are the Verezhunsky rapids, and the river bed in this place is so winding that it makes rafting impossible. Therefore, at one time a excavation was made here. Below the excavation, the Verezhunsky rapids stretch for 1.5 km; they consist of three braids separated by clear reaches. The width of the river at the rapids is 30-40 m. Below the Verezhunsky rapids, the depth is 0.5-1.8 m, the flow speed is 0.8-1.4 m/s (at the rapids the speed is about 2 m/s). Toward the mouth of the Velesa the banks become lower. Here the Western Dvina has a width of 35-40 m, and below the confluence of the Velesa it already reaches 55 m. Along with the width, the depth also increases, it reaches 1.8-2.2 m, and the flow speed is 0.7 m/s. The width of the river bed continues to gradually increase and in some places at the fords reaches 80 m.

Further, the river passes through two small lakes: Luka and Kalakutskoye, which are, in essence, river floods that do not disappear in the summer. The current here is insignificant, and many areas are overgrown with reeds. The shores are hilly, composed of moraine deposits with significant accumulations of boulders. In this area, a characteristic feature of the right bank of the Western Dvina is a large number of large and small lakes located directly next to the river and connected to it by small rivers and channels. Some lakes lie on the path of tributaries of the Western Dvina, for example, Toropa, with which more than 35 lakes communicate.

View in Riga from the Stone Bridge, 2008*

In the area of ​​the mouth of the Luzhesyanka (above Vitebsk), dolomites appear in the riverbed, forming a series of rapids, the largest of which are Krestov, Yastreb, Medvedsk, Tyakova, Verkhovsk, Bervin, etc. The width of the river in this section is already approaching 100 m, the depth is predominantly 1 .2-2.0, at the rapids - 0.3-0.5 m.

Near Vitebsk and below, rapids and sandy shoals are even more common. Here the river flows through an ancient valley. From Vitebsk to the confluence of the Ulla, you can count 33 rapids. In this area, the width of the river valley is about 800 m, the slopes are steep with narrow strips of terraces. The highest current speeds - up to 1.2 m/s - are observed on the Vyazhitsa and Konek rapids. To improve navigation in rapid areas, buoys were built and dredging was carried out, resulting in depths that allowed maintaining a fairway for ships with a draft of 0.6 m.

The Daugava embankment in Riga near the Sun Stone building (Saules Akmens) in 2008*

Below the Vitebsk rapids, the Western Dvina valley expands to 1.5-1.8 km, and in the Beshenkovichi area, turning in a northwestern direction, the river enters the Polotsk lowland. Here, in the riverbed up to Polotsk, there are separate sandbanks; its width on average is 100-150 m, in some places - about 200, depth - mainly up to 3, in the shallows - 0.8-1.0 m.

Apart from some local dredging and other measures to improve timber rafting and navigation in the area of ​​the Vitebsk rapids and the installation of groynes, we can say that the Western Dvina from its source generally retains its natural state.

Sunset over the Daugava in Riga, 2008*

In the section from Polotsk to Disna the river has no rapids. Below they appear again. The Disnyansky rapids have the following names: Nachsky, Blizne, Rozboynik, Nikolskaya Gol, Minvo and Dog Hole.

In the area from the mouth of Ulla to Daugavpils, the width of the river is on average 100-150 m, in some places - 200-300, the depth is mainly up to 3 m, in rapids areas - about 0.8 m. Above the village of Piedruja there are several islands in the river, and the width of the channel here it reaches 700 m. Below the confluence of the Druya, the channel of the Western Dvina again narrows to 100-150 m.

On the territory of Latvia, the river first flows between the Latgale and Augšzeme uplands, using an ancient valley that was once formed by glacier meltwater.

But starting from these places, the flow of the river can be illustrated with our photos!

The width of the valley is about 1 km. The river formed several terraces in it, especially well preserved on the concave side of the bends. The site is characterized by significant bank collapses with many springs, small tributaries and streams. There are several shallows and rapids in the channel, for example, the Indrica, Krovatka and Zaklidnya shallows and the long Kraslava rapids formed by boulders. They also have several sand islands. Below Kraslava there are rapids Dvorishte, Ostera, Kaplavas, Alshanskas.

Daugava in the Indritsa area, 2000

On the approach to Daugavpils, the river makes five bends, three large bends below the village of Jaunborne stand out especially. The largest rapids in this area are Krivets. Below Daugavpils, the Daugava flows through the East Latvian Lowland. The character of the river changes dramatically. The banks become flat and low, the floodplain, especially the left bank, expands. In some places in the valleys of the Ilukste and Dviete rivers it reaches a width of 5-6 km. The river bed is sandy. There are sandbanks and islands, for example, opposite the village of Vaikulany. Above the mouth of the Dviete, the Berezovka shoal formed, and below - the island of Glaudanu. These shoals usually cause ice jams to form, resulting in large areas of flooding. The next islands where ice jams often form are Molugols, below the villages of Nitsgale and Jersika, and Plonju, below the village of Dunava.

Further, the sandy bed and banks disappear and gray dolomites are exposed, forming rapids. In some places there are islands in the river. For example, between the cities of Livani and Jekabpils you can count 10 islands, the largest of which is Abelu. In the Jekabpils area there are several inhabited islands in the river, connected by bridges to the banks. Saka Island is approximately 6 km long and 3 km wide. There are about 60 farms on it. The main channel of the Daugava runs along the right side of this island, the left channel - the Saka - passes less than 1/5 of the water flow.

At Jekabpils an exclusively rapid section of the riverbed begins. The Zvanitai threshold is located directly within the city limits. Below the city along the island of Saka are the Pirkazhu rapids, which, occupying a stretch of more than 3 km, consist of individual rapids: Širinas, Guskas, Pečinyas, Greiza, Kanepaites, Ozolnicas, Udupa, Stirniņas. The section ends with the Razbainieku shoal.

Daugava in Stukmani, 2000

If the average drop from Daugavpils to Livana is only 5 cm/km, and near Jekabpils it increases to 25 cm/km, then in the three-kilometer rapids section near Jekabpils the drop reaches 2 m/km.

Water rushes violently down the dolomite steps at a speed of 1.5-2.0 m/s. At these thresholds, at the normal level of the reservoir of the Plavinska HPP, the retaining level becomes pinched out. The pinch-out boundary is located approximately 163.5 km from the mouth. At this level, the Razbainieku shoal and the Stirniņas and Udupa rapids are already backed up, and pinching occurs in the area of ​​the Ozolnicas and Kanepaites rapids; at the same time, the upper part of the Pirkazhu rapids - the Greiza, Pecinyas, Guskas and Širinas rapids - remain outside the influence of backwaters.

Daugava in the Koknese region, 1999

From the rapids of Pirkazhu to the site of the Plavinska hydroelectric power station, at a distance of 56.5 km, the drop of the river in its natural state reached 40 m, on average 0.7 m/km. This large drop is due to geological structure beds.

Daugava near Selpils, 2000

In order to cross the Seli swell, the Daugava to the Staburags rock had to pass through the ancient valley of the waters of the East Latvian Lowland basin, which flowed into Lake Lielupe basin. Here the river cut deeply into the ancient valley. The shores, formed by dolomite rocks, rise to a height of up to 30 m.

This section was one of the most beautiful on the river. Beautiful views opened up from the cliffs of Olinkalns and Avotinkalns, from the ruins of Selpils, Altene and Koknese castles. The Liepavots spring, the Staburags and Krauklja rocks, the Krustalitsis bend, etc. were covered in historical memory and legends. The high banks were cut by deep erosional ravines, which formed impressive canyons and beautiful waterfalls on the tributaries (Perse River). In this area, the Daugava has several terraces, on the carbonate soils of which many interesting and rare plants grew.

Daugava in Altena, 2000

The width of the river in the area now occupied by the Plavina Reservoir ranged from 135-280 m, the depth at the rapids reached about 1, between them - 3-6 m; The current speeds on the rapids were 1.0-2.0, on the reaches, especially in the lower section, about 0.2-0.5 m/s.

Before the reservoir of the Plavinska HPP was filled, there were a number of rapids in the riverbed, mainly in the upper part. The famous rapids were below the railway bridge, on the Jelgava - Krustpils road, where above the mouth of the river. Aiviekste began the 2.5-kilometer rapids section of Priedulais with a total drop of 5 m and with individual particularly fast sections, well mastered by raftsmen. They also gave names to the rapids. Priedulais consisted of rapids Lielgailu - Oli, Chuchia, rapids Greiza, Sten, Kukainiu - Oli, Latsis, Zala.

Directly below the mouth of Aiviekste in the Daugava channel, in a small area, a huge pool up to 8 m deep, the so-called Pagars, formed. Behind it, the depth of the river sharply decreased, and opposite the town of Plavinas there was one of the most grandiose rapids - the Roughe step rapids, or Plavinas Rumba with the Velna (Devil's) whirlpool and the Naras (Mermaid) rock.

Beyond Plavinyas began the rapids section of Bebruleya with separate rapids: Brodnya, Pechinya, Vilka, Dambis, Street. The Bebruleya section was followed by separate rapids and rapids: Vedzere, Sobachinya, Olinkrats, Aldiņu narrows, Kapu shoal. In this section, the drop was 10 m. Further, downstream, large rapids were Stuchkas-Grube, Lazdas-Galva, below the Staburags rock - Augshas-Puslis and Leyas-Puslis, the Aizelkshnu rapids, at the mouth of the river. Perse - the Perseus and Zvirbulya rapids, even lower - Radalka.

Daugava in Lielvārde, 2008

This is what the river looked like before the construction of the Plavinas hydroelectric power station. Now, from the Pirkazhu rapids to the hydroelectric dam, the ancient valley is filled with the waters of a reservoir with a calm surface, the normal level of which is 72 m above sea level. The high rocky shores have disappeared.

The place where the Perse River flows into the Daugava near Koknese, 2005

The depth has increased sharply: at Pļaviņas it is now about 10 m, near the Olinkalns cliff, which has now turned into small island, - about 20, at the Staburags rock, almost flooded - about 30, at the ruins of Koknese castle - almost 38 and at the hydroelectric dam - 42 m.

View of the ruins of Koknese Castle, 2008

Downstream, the width of the reservoir gradually increases. The Daugava in this area had high banks (up to 30 m), so flooding of large areas did not occur. The width of the reservoir varies in the upper reaches within 300-500 m, in the middle section - 400-800 m, in the lower reaches - about 1 km and only directly above the hydroelectric dam reaches 2 km.

River bank in Lielvārde, 2001

The depth and width of the reservoir varies somewhat over time due to the drawdown of the reservoir. Under intense conditions of power generation, the discharge occurs up to the mark of 70 m, i.e. 2 m. In such cases, in the area where the reservoir level pinches out, all the rapids of the Pirkazhu rapids come out of the backwater, and the fall along Saka Island becomes natural.

In the spring, before the ice drift, in order to prevent flooding of the town of Plavinas, it is necessary to carry out pre-flood drainage of the reservoir to the level of 67 m. Of course, in such cases, the depth of the reservoir decreases by 5 m, in some places its width decreases somewhat, and in the area where the reservoir level pinches out, the Priedulais rapids are exposed.

Below the Plavinas hydroelectric power station there is the next reservoir of the Daugava cascade - Kegumskoe (length - 42 km). Before the formation of the reservoir in this area, the river bed was constrained by relatively high dolomite banks, especially in the lower part. In the upper part, individual small rapids alternated with stretch areas. Here, above the town of Jaunelhava near the ruins of the Aizkraukle castle, there was the Chuibinyas rapids, above the village of Jumprava - the Winkelmanu rapids and below - the Kazhumates rapids.

Daugava near Aizkraukle Castle, 1999

The main decline was concentrated on the Kegums rapids, on which the hydroelectric power station was built. There were several in this area large islands. One of them, Ozolu, below Jaunelgava, survived even after the reservoir was filled. But the once inhabited islands of Lielvardes and Rembates, 5 km above the dam, are located several meters under water. New Island formed at Jumprava.

Daugava beyond Jaunelgava, 2008

Due to the high banks and the fact that the level at the Kegums hydroelectric power station dam was raised only by 16 m, big lake not formed. Water has filled the valley cut into the dolomite, and the width of the reservoir, especially in its upper part, is only slightly greater than the natural width of the river. Thus, in the Jaunelgava - Jumprava section, the width of the reservoir is 250-450 m, below Jumprava it increases to 700-900 and near the dam it reaches 1500 m. The depth gradually increases from 8 m at Jaunelgava to 17 m at the dam.

Daugava in Ikskile, 1999

Below the hydroelectric station, the Daugava continues its path along the Central Latvian slope. The river bed here also cuts into dolomites, but the banks are much lower than in the previous section.

Before the reservoir of the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station was filled, there were sections of rapids in the river even lower, for example the Ogres and Slankaines rapids near the town of Ogre; Berkavas rapids near the village of Ikshkile; Aidukrace, Vedmeru-Kauls and Gluma-Kratse, or Reznas-Kauls, above the island of Dole.

The bed of the Daugava near the village of Ikskile during the release of water at the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station, 2008

The island of Dole divided the Daugava into two branches: Galvena - and Sausa-Daugava (left branch). The largest rapids in the Galvena-Daugava branch were Martyņa-Kauls, Livirgas, Lidakas-Kauls, Pendera-Kauls, Rumba, Nozums, Akyu-Kauls, in the Sausa-Daugava branch - Damba-Krane, Berzamentes-Kauls, Impes-Kauls, Kines- Kauls, Sterkelyu-Kauls, Kishu-Kauls, Doles-Augshkauls and Doles-Lejaskauls.

In the section of the river below the Kegums hydroelectric power station there were several inhabited islands: Ogres, Ikskiles, Macitaja, Dole, Martinya, Andreja, etc. The largest of them is Dole Island (length - 8.5, width - 2.4 km).

Dole Island and medieval settlements and castles in the near course of the Daugava. Photo from the Daugava Museum on the island. Dole, 2000

Before the flooding, in the area from the Kegums hydroelectric power station to the lower tip of Dole Island, the width of the river was already significantly greater than in the overlying area. On average it was approximately 400, and at the upper end of Dole Island it reached 700 m or more. The depth at the rapids was less than 1 m, and between them - 3 m or more. The fall along Dole Island exceeded 1 m/km.

Despite the fact that the dam of the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station increased the water level of its reservoir (length - 34 km) by approximately the same amount (16 m) as the dam of the Kegums Hydroelectric Power Station, the surface area of ​​the reservoir of the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station is 42.2 km2, i.e. 17.3 km2 is larger than the Kegums hydroelectric power station (length - 41 km). Already a few kilometers below the Kegums hydroelectric power station, near the mouth of the river. Lachupe, the width of the reservoir exceeds 2 km, then narrows in the area of ​​​​the town of Ogre to 0.5, but lower, near the village of Ikskile, in some places it reaches 2.5 km. Above Dole Island the reservoir is about 1 km wide, and above the dam the flooded upper part of Dole Island is about 4 km wide.

Dam of the island of St. Maynard in Ikskile, 2008

Since quite large areas of the banks were flooded, the depth of the reservoir is not the same. Along the former fairway of the river, it ranges from a few meters at the downstream of the Kegums hydroelectric power station to 17 m at the dam of the Riga hydroelectric power station. In those places where the width of the reservoir is large, the depth on the flooded floodplain and terraces is in some places insignificant.

Along the banks of the reservoir, quite large areas are protected from flooding by dams (the areas of Ogre, Ikskile, directly above the dam, etc.). If we compare all the reservoirs of the Daugava cascade by average width (the quotient of dividing the surface area by the length of the reservoir), it turns out that the Kegums and Plavins reservoirs have almost the same width - 607 and 612 m, respectively, and the reservoir of the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station is twice as large - 1241 m. Dam The Riga hydroelectric power station crosses Dole Island in the middle; below the Galvena and Sausa Daugava branches remained untouched.

View from Ikskile towards Salaspils at the moment of the release of the river waters at the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station, 2008

Below the island of Dole, the last section of the Daugava begins - the port of Riga. Here, on the coastal slopes, Devonian deposits - dolomites - are no longer found. The river flows through a sandy coastal lowland and is bounded by granite embankments.

Lead waters of the Daugava... View of the Port of Riga from under the Cable-stayed Bridge in 2007*

Before the construction of the port of Riga, when the banks were not strengthened, the channel changed its position several times. Old sections of the channel and branch have been preserved in some places. Back in 1967, when a powerful ice jam formed near the village of Salaspils, the waters of the river flowed along the old branch, which began between the islands of Martinu and Andreya, into Lake Jugla.

Martinsala Island is now here, under the waters of the Daugava, photo from 2008*

Now the small river Pikyurga flows into Lake Jugla along this old channel. Some of these old branches form islands in the area of ​​the port of Riga, for example, Zvirgzdu, Libiesu, Zaku, Lucavas, Kipsala, Kundzinsala, etc.

The island of Zakusala and the branches of the Daugava, 2006*

Remains of the old branches are preserved in Riga in the Pardaugava area near Arcadia Park, and on the right bank in the area of ​​the former hippodrome, as well as in the lower reaches (Vecdaugava), where a large fishing port was built.

View from the television tower on the island. Zaku towards the Old Town of Riga, 2006*

At the Kvadrat plant the river becomes wider and deeper. The width in the area to the Riga bridges is about 600 m, below, at cement plant, decreases to 450, and even lower, near the Daugavgriva, it increases again to 700 m. The depth to the bridge area is about 6-7, and below, before it flows into the sea, it is up to 12-15 m.

Some photos of Riga bridges:

Daugava near the Island Bridge, 2008*

Fragments of Zheleznodorozhny and Kamenny Bridges, 2008*

Cable-stayed bridge, 2005*

Information about the depths and difficult places for navigation on the Daugava is given in the research materials of 1886-1888. West Dvina inventory party under the command of engineer N.F. Shelyuta. They note that the upper and middle sections of the river are most suitable for navigation, but even here there are many obstacles to navigation. For the first 150 versts, shoals and sandbanks serve as obstacles to navigation, then rocks begin, of which there are especially many near the village of Krest. Near the village of Sekach, a stone ridge blocks almost the entire river; near the village of Rubi, 20 versts above Vitebsk, there are also many obstacles to navigation. From Vitebsk to the mouth of Ulla there are many shoals and stones; near the town of Disna there are rapids; near the town of Kraslavki (Kraslava) there are rapids, below there are shallows. Between Livenhof (Plavinas) and Jakobstadt (Jekabpils) - 16 rapids and 5 fences; from Friedrichstadt (Jaunelhava) to the island of Dalena (Dole) there are 9 rapids, near the island of Dalena there is the Bolvanets rapid. The 8 rapids of Kokenhusen (Koknese) are considered the largest; the drop on them reaches 1.35 fathoms per mile.

Steamboats on winter lay-up in the Gulf of Agenskalns, 2005*

A complete list of obstacles to navigation on the Daugava is given in Appendix 1.

In the party materials, the general picture of the river’s longitudinal profile is presented as follows. From Vitebsk to Polotsk, over 145 versts along the highway, the longitudinal profile is a smooth straight line with small fractures, of which the largest is located below Beshenkovichi. The average slope of this entire section, related to the highway, is 0.00011, while the highest local slope of 5 versts below Beshenkovichi is 0.00018. Between the 145th and 180th versts the slopes are very insignificant: on average 0.000049; between the 180th and 185th versts (near the town of Disna) there is a rapids place - the Disnyanskie rapids with slopes from 0.0003 to 0.0006. From Disna to the city of Druya, for about 60 versts, there is a smooth surface line of water with a slope of 0.00005-0.00006.

From Druya ​​to the village of Stary Zamok (245-315th verst), the surface profile of the river is a very uneven line with a fall of 539 fathoms throughout this 70-verst section, and the slopes vary from 0.00045 (Krivets threshold) to 0.00003. From the 315th to the 399th verst, the longitudinal profile looks like a very smooth line with slopes of 0.00002-0.00004 and not higher than 0.00007. From the 399th verst to the mouth there is again a rapids section with slopes:

rapids Dubok and Klavki - 0.0004-0.00055; threshold Glinovets - 0.00156; rapids Skovoroda, Kosaya Golovka, Pechina and Mozolovy - 0.00166-0.0011; rapids Green Ruba and Tikhaya Ruba - 0.0022; Brodish threshold - 0.003; threshold Thinking - 0.0015; threshold Gusar - 0.00128; Keggum threshold - 0.00212; rapids Booblet and Skull - 0.00123. In other rapids the slopes are smaller and are usually 0.0004-0.0006.

It should be noted that since the 19th century. Toponymy underwent rather dramatic changes, the names of rapids, shoals, fences, as well as settlements along the river changed; This especially applies to the territory of Latvia. Some objects, mainly in the names of populated places, have disappeared, while many have reappeared. For example, according to N.F. Shelyuta, on the rapids section between Yakobstadt and the village of Adminan (419-424th versts) the rapids were named in turn: Vorozhya, Koleno, Gusak, Frying Pan; on the same section the fences had the following names: Oblique Head , Pechiny, Bekova Tin, Mozolova, Belyan and individual Vorobyi stones. Currently, the rapids area between the town of Jekabpils and the Admineni farm has common name the Pirkazhu rapids, which consist of the rapids Šariņas, Guskas, Pecinas, Greiza, Kanepaites, Ozolnicas, Udupa, Stirniņas and the Razbainieku shallows. As you can see, only the names of the rapids Guskas and Pecinyas have been preserved from the previous names in a slightly modified form, the rest are called differently.

The same thing with the rapids between 433 and 434 versts. Previously, they were called Popuski, Pike Head, Blednivets, Bear's Head, Green Ruba. Now this section has the common name of the Priedulais rapids. Some rapids are called Lielgailiu-Oli, Greiza, Siena, Kukainiu-Oli, Latsis, Zala. The Pike Head is called Chuchia, the Bear Head is Latsis, and the Green Ruba is Zala.

Similar changes are found in the names of other thresholds. In Fig. 1.10 shows the longitudinal profile of the Western Dvina - Daugava in current state, i.e., taking into account the constructed cascade of hydroelectric power stations. Appendix 2 provides a list of all tributaries of the Daugava and a description of the main ones.

Description of the Western Dvina River from source to mouth\\Western Dvina-Daugava. River and time. L.S. Anosova and others; under general ed. V.F.Loginov, G.Ya.Segal. - Minsk: Belarus. science, 2006. - 270 p.

• Cities: Riga, Daugavpils, Vitebsk, Polotsk, Ogre, Jekabpils;
• Pool area: 87,900 km²;
• Length: 1,020 km;
• Water consumption: 678 m³/s;
• Mouth: Gulf of Riga;
• Source: Valdai Upland;
• Bridges: Cable-stayed bridge, Riga railway bridge.

The Daugava is not just a river flowing through the territory, it is a real life artery of an entire people. Fishermen, artisans and farmers have long settled on the banks of the Daugava. On both banks, powerful knights built castles, and servants of God built temples.

To this day, like many hundreds of years ago, the Daugava is involved in human life. Ships move along the river, and the river's power is transformed into electricity. This reservoir has always been admired and inspired by poets and painters, and now it attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world with its picturesque view.

Daugava, river – description

The Daugava River is interesting not only for its beauty, but also because it flows through the territory of several countries:

1. The source of the river is in the Tver region on the Valdai Hills of Russia. Its length in Russia is 325 km.
2. Then it flows through Belarus at a distance of 327 km. Here and in Russia it bears the name Western Dvina.
3. On the territory of Latvia, the Daugava flows from southeast to northwest and has a length of 368 km. Its first Latvian populated area becomes , the final point is , and the mouth of the river is .

The total length of the Daugava is 1020 km, the width of the valley is 6 km. The maximum width of the river near the bay is 1.5 km, the minimum width is 197 m in Latgale, and the depth of the Daugava ranges from 0.5-9 m. Its main channel lies on a plain with many low-lying places. Because of this, every spring the Daugava overflows heavily, flooding entire cities.

Attractions near the Daugava

The Daugava is stunning with its beauty and originality. Along its entire length, Latvia is home to many picturesque settlements and attractions, the most famous of which include the following:

1. In Latgale, in the region and before, the river makes eight sharp bends, which creates indescribable beauty that can be seen from the hills and observation platforms of the national natural park Bends of the Daugava.
2. Further, the river flows in a northerly direction, sheltering on its left bank another natural park - the Dviete Floodplain. Every spring, this park is flooded for almost 24 km, but this does not prevent it from welcoming guests who come here to study rare birds and plants, or simply stroll through the picturesque valley, forests and meadows.
3. Then, from the right bank, where the Dubna River flows into the Daugava, there is a city. Then the river goes northwest. About three dozen kilometers later, with a bridge across the river, stands Jekabpils.
4. After another 17 km, where the Daugava meanders again, stands with its Plavina reservoir. 40 km from the city, the Plavinska hydroelectric power station blocks the river.
5. Between Aizkraukle and Jaunelgava, at the junction of two important Latvian regions - Vidzeme and Zemgale, stretches a magnificent park - the Daugava Valley.
6. Further along the river there is another reservoir called Kegumskoye. After it, on the right bank there is a small town. A few kilometers later, the river is again blocked by a dam - the Kegums hydroelectric power station.
7. A few tens of kilometers from the hydroelectric power station, the Ogre River flows into the Daugava from the right bank, and in this delta there is a city. After the city, already on the Riga Reservoir, stands, and behind it and. The reservoir abuts a huge dam – the Riga Hydroelectric Power Station. Here, on the river island Dole, there is a natural park, in the past - a large fortification, on the territory of which there is a museum of the history of the Daugava.

Daugava, Riga

Every year, athletes from all over the world raft along the Daugava in boats and kayaks. On pleasure yachts, river buses and motor ships, people enjoy the views of this picturesque river. The silence and serenity of these places will captivate you at first sight and will forever remain in the heart of the traveler.

: Russia, and. Length 1020 km, basin area 87.9 thousand km2. It originates on the Valdai Hills, and then flows through Lake Okhvat (a series of large reaches connected by channels) and flows into the Gulf of Riga, forming a delta. The river is very winding, the banks are mostly high. Along the banks of the Western Dvina, rivers predominate, alternating with fields. There are shoals, riffles, and rapids in the riverbed. In the lower reaches the river splits into branches. The average water flow is 678 m2/s. Within the Smolensk region, the river flows along a slightly undulating, partially swampy plain. The main tributaries are Mezha, Kasplya, Ushacha (left), Drissa, Aiviekste (right).

The Western Dvina originates from small lake Dvina or Dvinets, lying at an altitude of 250 meters above sea level, among the forests of the Tver region, about 15 km from the sources. About 15 km downstream the Dvina flows through Lake Okhvat. The general direction of the flow of the Western Dvina is from east to west in an arcuate direction, to the south - in a curved direction. After leaving Lake Okhvat, the Dvina goes south until the Mezhi River flows into it, then it heads southwest and, after a sharp turn, reaches its southernmost point.

Before flowing into Lake Okhvat, the Western Dvina flows for 16 km in the form of a stream, and at the exit from the lake its width reaches 20 m. Near Vitebsk, the width of the river increases to 100 meters. During the flood, in many places the width of the Dvina reaches 1500 meters. The valleys adjacent to the Western Dvina are flooded with it only in a few places during the spring flood. Spring floods occur from mid-April to mid-May, and sometimes cover part of the month of June.

In the Tver and Smolensk regions along the banks of the Western Dvina there are outcrops of layers, mountain limestones overlying sands and sandstones. In the eastern part, the banks of the Western Dvina consist of sediment. Further, it has the character of a meadow, thanks to the low sandy shores. There are limestone boulders. Even lower, the banks rise and take on a forest character. Further, the area becomes more and more sandy and, finally, not reaching 10-13 km from Vitebsk, bedrock (dolomite with layers of blue clay) appears, especially in the riverbed, with superbly preserved fossils.

Somewhat lower, the bedrock layers in the riverbed form bends that create dangerous rapids. The river bed becomes deeper, the coastal layers lie in ledges and are so high above the water that they are beyond its influence. The river bottom, consisting of the same layers, is eroded and forms ledges; Huge granite boulders come across. Between Vitebsk, Polotsk and Disna, sediments with high banks of red clay are again observed. Near Dvinsk, the Western Dvina becomes deeper and becomes exposed White sand, and then the banks go down. In connection with the nature and formation of the banks of the Dvina, there are also features of its channel. The Dvina in many places separates branches that go around the islands from Dvinsk to Riga. Such sleeves are formed several times. Above Riga are observed sharp turns, thresholds.

The tributaries of the Western Dvina are numerous, but not large and do not have any special significance in themselves. Of these, only the Mezha River reaches a greater length (259 km). The basin area is 9,080 km2, the average water flow at the mouth is 61 m2/sec. It, like the Western Dvina, originates on the Valdai Hills. The other most significant tributary of the Western Dvina, the Veles, also flows from there. The length of this river is 114 km, the basin area is 1420 km2. The remaining tributaries are even shorter and insignificant.

The Western Dvina, despite its short length, is largest river flowing into . Its current is fast and the water is clean, but there are few fish in the river, due to its shallow water.

About 4 km2 are concentrated in the lake systems of the Western Dvina basin fresh water. The banks of the river are covered mainly by mixed forests. The upper reaches of the basin are represented by forests dominated by spruce; in the middle reaches, birch, alder and aspen are more common. In the Polotsk lowland there are magnificent pine forests.

The river valley was formed relatively recently, about 13-12 thousand years ago, and therefore looks unformed. On the territory of Belarus, the width of the Western Dvina channel varies from 100 to 300 m. Rapids and rifts are often found in this area. In some places, the river valley is narrow, canyon-like, and the depth increases to 50 m. After entering the Baltic Plain, the Western Dvina becomes full-flowing. The width of the river bed reaches 800 m, and the valley expands to 5-6 km.

The Western Dvina is a typical river. The river is fed mainly by melting accumulated during the winter. The Western Dvina is characterized by spring floods. Flood usually occurs over the course of only two months - most often it begins at the end of March, and at the beginning of June a decline in water is already noted. The rest of the year is determined by rainwater. During rainy periods in summer and autumn, minor floods are also possible. In winter, water consumption and level decrease significantly, since the basis of nutrition is made up of. In the spring, the channel of the Western Dvina becomes clogged with ice floes and forms. At the same time, the river level also rises sharply, flooding large areas of the valley.