Fresh lakes of the Kuban. Surface water resources of the Krasnodar Territory: problems of development

Lake Abrau, photo: website

The first lake I want to talk about is Lake Abrau. It is located near Novorossiysk, only 14 km. You can get there by minibus. The lake is quite large and moderately clean. Tourists often set up tents on its banks and swim in the cool waters. You can rent a catamaran or boat for sailing on the lake. By the way, we saw beautiful swans here. Perhaps this is the most popular and accessible lake for all tourists. On our website there are quite a few articles about our small hikes to Lake Abrau.

Lake Kardyvach, photo: ronya.livejournal.com

The second lake that comes to mind is the most beautiful Lake Kardyvach. Unfortunately, I haven’t been there yet, but I really want to go. What I know about the lake: it is located on the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve at an altitude of almost 2000 meters, 44 km from Krasnaya Polyana. On the sides of the lake there are high mountain peaks. By the way, the Mzymta River flows out of the lake, which is considered the longest river that flows into the Black Sea.

Salt lake in Taman, photo: website

Third - salt lake in Taman. Located near the village of Veselovka. We were there, the lake is really interesting - the main attraction of those places. Unfortunately, you cannot swim in it in the summer; it is so salty that you can walk on it and even drive cars! I wonder what the lake looks like at other times of the year? If anyone knows, please share in the comments. By the way, there is healing mud here, many people smear themselves with it and walk around like that, and then wash it off into the sea. Not far from this lake the annual rock festival “Kubana” is held.

Khan Lake, photo: Andrey Lyubchenko

Quarter - Khan Lake. It is located in the Yeisk region between the villages of Yasenskaya and Kopanskaya, 60 km from Yeisk. The lake is shallow and salty. They say it is on the verge of extinction and often dries up. The main wealth of the lake is healing mud, which treats a lot of diseases, for example, heart, skin diseases, etc. Now the lake has received the status of a natural monument. There are many birds found here: pelicans, cormorants, etc. It is definitely worth a visit.

They belong to the basins of the Black and Azov Seas. If you look at the map, you can see that the Krasnodar river system includes more than 13 thousand rivers and small streams. The river valleys of the Kuban are rich in all kinds of living creatures. Very often they fish here and hunt for other water-dwelling game.

The catches are always rich, but in addition to fishing, this area is famous for its clean water. Based on this, in the warm season, many come here to relax and swim. Local rivers have a winding path and the presence of gorges. Therefore, in this area you can see lovers of rafting and thrills. Competitions and other exciting events are often held.

Mountain lakes of Kuban

The most interesting and picturesque are the mountain rivers of the Krasnodar Territory; they attract a huge number of tourists to this region. Judging by their structure, we can say that glacial lakes predominate in this area, which are divided into cirque and moraine lakes. Tar lakes resemble a regular circle in shape. They are located in the upper part of the mountains. They were formed due to the filling of mountain depressions with water. But moraine lakes are distinguished by their shape; they appeared as a result of thawing of ice, which gave them such a bizarre shape. Such lakes are small in depth, only up to ten meters. The same cannot be said about carids; they, in turn, can reach depths of up to 50 meters. And in some cases, even deeper tarns have been recorded.

Lakes of avalanche origin in the Krasnodar region

In addition to glacial lakes, you can find reservoirs whose formations were directly affected by an avalanche. They are located at the foot of the mountains, making this area much easier for tourists to get to. Such lakes are not large. Their depth varies from 5 to 25 meters. On the opposite side of the avalanche, you can observe a characteristic crescent-shaped soil rampart. He always outlines the lake. The height of such a shaft also varies from 1 to 10 meters, it all depends on the very depth of the lake. Snow avalanches occur constantly in some reservoirs, so you need to be especially careful here. An example of such a lake is Acipsta. It is located in one of the tributaries of the Malaya Laba River, namely in one of the deepest valleys, which is located in the middle of the Kocherga and Alous ridges.

The largest mountain reservoirs

But, despite the different characteristic features of the lakes, they also have common features. As a rule, mountain rivers and lakes of the Krasnodar Territory are not large in size. It is almost impossible to find a lake larger than 10 hectares. But still, even this rule has exceptions:

Oz. Kardyvach - an area of ​​more than 15 hectares.
- Blueoko.
- Hidden lakes.
- Imereti Lakes.

Eya River

Mountain lakes and springs are not all the reservoirs for which the Krasnodar region is famous. The rivers here are some of the most majestic and fast-flowing. For example, the Eya River is rightfully considered one of the longest and deepest for the Azov-Kuban lowland.

There is no longer river than this, unless, of course, you take into account the Kuban River. It began in one picturesque area called Novopokrovsky. This is a small town in the Krasnodar region. The Eya River was formed as a result of the confluence of two more rivers, which are called Upornaya and Karasun. The river is fed by precipitation and a huge number of springs that occur along its path. The confluence of two rivers occurs near the village of Novopokrovskaya. The Karasun River flows directly under the bridge from the south, but from the north side you can observe the flow of the Upornaya River. In the village itself, the waters of the Sukhaya Balka join It. And then the rivers continue their path along the Kuban lowland. Thanks to such a large amount of food, the river is full and has fresh water. The Eya also has a huge number of tributaries, thanks to which entire cascades of small ponds have formed. In terms of its scale, it is capable of collecting all the tributaries from both sides. One of these tributaries are the Kavalerka and the Kugo-Eya. In addition to tributaries, other rivers flow into the Eya, for example, Sosyka, Veselaya and many others.

Flora and fauna

In addition to studying the river map, it is interesting to get acquainted with the flora and fauna. The river valley is quite interesting. The Eya River (Krasnodar Territory) has gentle banks, so very often they have recreation areas. Eya also has several of its own estuaries, which look like thickets of plants such as reeds and reeds. Thanks to the low banks, the river is characterized by a fairly slow flow, which is its advantage.

As previously mentioned, the river has huge thickets of plants. It is this place that has become a haven for many animals, especially birds, which build their nests here. Some bird species come to this area to survive the winter. Seagulls and swans live on the river. herons, cranes and many others. In addition to birds, there are other aquatic inhabitants, for example, otters and minks.

The river is also popular among people who are addicted to fishing. The banks are convenient for setting up your camp, there is always fish, the catches are wonderful. And the main thing is that you can have a good catch regardless of the time of year.

A large number of ponds gives people the opportunity not only to catch fish for personal consumption, but also to set up small-scale production.
The river suffers greatly from the huge number of fish, because the flow becomes slower and the springs become clogged. The state is thinking about this issue and creating certain programs.

Kuban - a majestic river

The Kuban River (Krasnodar Territory) is the largest river in all of Russia. Its length is 870 km. Kuban originates at the confluence of the Ullukam and Uchkulan rivers, which flow from Elbrus. The basin of the Kuban River is about 60 thousand square meters. km. It flows into the Sea of ​​Azov. Most of the Kuban flows through the Krasnodar region. The rivers of these places had numerous names. Kuban is no exception. But today the name of the river comes from the word “koban” of Balkar origin, which means “stormy stream” or “full-flowing river.” The Kuban has more than a thousand tributaries. With them, its length reaches 9500 km. The mouth of the river is highly branched, has many small estuaries and huge areas flooded with swamps.

High in the mountains, Kuban has clear waters. The flat areas with a clay bottom are muddy. Kuban is a capricious river. She especially shows her power in the mountains. All the way to Cherkessk, the river rushes at a furious speed, leaving behind steep banks of sandstone, limestone and shale.

Branches and tributaries of the Kuban

On the way to the sea, the Kuban mixes with the most full-flowing branch - the Staraya Kuban, which flows into the Black Sea estuary. From this we can conclude that the river previously belonged to the Black Sea basin. The largest branch of modern Kuban is Petrushin, which flows into the Sea of ​​Azov.

In summer the river floods to its fullest. The reason for this is the melting of snow at the foot of Elbrus. Ice on the river does not last long, three weeks maximum. Kuban is home to about a hundred species of fish and a huge amount of plankton.

In some places the river forms small reservoirs. For example, near Krasnodar there is a large lake called Staraya Kuban, where trout, catfish and other valuable fish are bred. In the center of the lake on the island there is a park with attractions, a boat station and a beach. It’s not for nothing that thousands of tourists flock to the Krasnodar region every year. The rivers, lakes, sea and nature of this region are the best way to promote complete relaxation and recovery.

Belaya River

The amazingly beautiful Belaya River (Krasnodar Territory) got its name from the color of its waters. Belaya is one of the largest tributaries of the Kuban. The river covers a huge area of ​​mountains. Several sources, merging together, rush into the valley and flow near the village of Khamyshkov. Here the Bela River forms a kind of funnel, nicknamed the “cauldron” by the local population. Here the water bubbles, like in a real cauldron.

Rich story

There are many legends and stories associated with the Belaya River. For example, there is a place where, according to legend, Imam Mohammed punished the disobedient by throwing them from the mountain into a seething stream. This place is still called “Mom’s Judgment Seat”. Today, not far from it there is a village surrounded by picturesque nature and dense forests. All this beauty is available to the eyes of those who decide to come to the Krasnodar region. The rivers here are wayward. Each of them is like a separate personality, with its own character.

The Krasnodar region is famous not only for its sea coast, but also for its freshwater lakes. Some of these lakes are so small and inaccessible due to their location high in the mountains that only a select few local residents know about their clear water and picturesque beauty. Read about the most beautiful, big and small, unusual, famous and not so famous in our review.

The most picturesque lake in the region

Lake Kardyvach is one of the most picturesque. This mountain lake is a unique monument of ancient nature, one of the most beautiful and amazing lakes in the Western Caucasus!

Lake Kardyvach is located at the foot of the southern slope of the Main Caucasus Range at an altitude of 1838 meters above sea level, 44 kilometers from the village of Krasnaya Polyana in the territory of the city of Sochi and the Caucasus State Natural Biosphere Reserve.

Almost the entire year, except for the five warmest months, Lake Kardyvach is hidden under a thick layer of ice. But in the summer, when everything around is in bloom, especially in July and August, it is of considerable interest to lovers of outdoor activities.

In summer, the air temperature barely rises above +20 °C, and the water does not warm up above +12 °C. This is partly why the lake is almost lifeless: there are no fish in it, only small crustaceans and simple microorganisms.

Lake Kardyvach is called Mirror Lake, because in complete calm its smooth, even surface resembles a huge mirror. The color of the lake changes depending on the time of year. In spring the water is almost green, in autumn it is blue. Often the color of the water changes depending on the weather, making the surroundings even more picturesque. At any time of the year, the water of the lake is so clear that even in the deepest places you can see the bottom with piles of boulders. Along the shores of the lake grows a rare fir-birch forest, distorted by avalanches and snow.

The easiest way to get to Lake Kardyvach is from the village of Esto-Sadok, where minibuses go from. Continue on foot through the reserve's cordon and Engelman's Glades. Due to the absence of difficult technical sections and a small climb, the hike to Lake Kardyvach can be considered ideal for three- and four-day hiking trips, even for people with no hiking experience. You will need a pass to the reserve and permission from the border guards, which is done within a month.

Another option is a transfer by SUV from Krasnaya Polyana to Engelmanov Polyana. The road is not easy, in just 20 km the rise is about 700 m. At an altitude of 1200 m, at the barrier of the reserve cordon on the Engelman Glades, the hiking begins: to the lake - 18 km along a good path along the right bank of the Mzymta. Considering the ascent from 1200 to 1800 m, the journey takes about 6 hours. There are also options for the route through the Pslukh kardon and the Aishkha pass, or through the Grushevy ridge, which also leads to the Engelman clearing, famous for the Narzan springs.

The largest lake in the region

If Kardyvach is the most picturesque mountain lake in the region, then the largest freshwater body of water, more than three kilometers long, six hundred thirty meters wide and about ten meters deep, is Lake Abrau. You can get to the lake by regular bus Novorossiysk -: the final stop “Central estate of the Abrau-Durso state farm-factory”, almost next to the lake.

The name “Abrau” is translated from the Abkhaz language as “failure” - according to one version of scientists, this is how the reservoir was formed. Another version says that the lake is the remnant of the sea that once existed here. There is a third version: the lake appeared during the Great Flood. Each of the versions has the right to exist, and experts studying the history of Abrau have not yet come to a consensus. Perhaps, after visiting Abrau, you will have your own theory about the origin of the name of the lake?

The lake is fraught with many mysteries. For example, where does the water that comes from the bottom of the reservoir go? Or a mysterious white stripe that appears on the surface of the water - as if it is illuminated by something from the depths of the lake. The reason for the appearance of this path cannot be solved to this day.

The water in the reservoir has an azure-emerald color with a slightly cloudy tint - due to the presence of limestone at the bottom. Here you can find crabs, crayfish and a variety of freshwater fish - crucian carp, carp, ram, bream, trout, silver carp, etc. This is a very fertile place for fishing lovers.

Since the lake was recognized as a unique natural monument back in 1979, the use of motor boats is prohibited here, only boats with oars and catamarans. Tourists who love a relaxing holiday come to Abrau - walk along the shore, ride catamarans, go fishing, sunbathe on the warm sand and, of course, swim, because the water in the lake warms up perfectly.

Next to “Abrau” there is a small lake covered with blooming lotuses - a surprisingly picturesque and romantic place! Tourists can also visit the local sparkling wine factory and stroll through the interesting art park.

Vacationers who come to Lake Abrau are sure to book a walk along the reservoir. For these purposes, a rowing boat is rented; one trip lasts half an hour. There is no accompanying person; tourists row on their own. Also in the vicinity of the lake there are many interesting objects, such as a monument to Utesov, a stone sundial, wooden stork chicks, a gazebo made of barrels, and a huge wicker nest. On the territory of the reservoir there are picturesque forests with a huge number of mushrooms and berries.

Lakes with unusual shapes

Psenodakh is a unique natural reservoir in the shape of a crescent, located on the Lago-Naki plateau in the upper reaches of the Belaya River, at an altitude of more than 1900 meters above sea level. Due to the fact that Lake Psenodakh is karst, it periodically dries out completely and then fills up again. The deepest part of the lake is a funnel with a diameter of approximately 16 meters, the depth of which is about three meters. In other places the lake is shallow and its depth does not exceed a meter.

From Circassian psenodakh is translated as “beautiful well”. And this name characterizes it very well: its waters are as calm and still as water in a well.

The reservoir is fed by streams flowing into it, without natural flow. The most interesting event is when the water begins to drain rapidly, but it does not happen that often. To see this miracle of nature with your own eyes, you need to walk the path that runs from Mount Pshekha-Su. The walking distance will take about an hour. There is another route, but it is longer: from the Lagonaki checkpoint, where you will have to go by car, and from there walk approximately 17 km.

The clearest water and alpine nature of these places attract fans of an active lifestyle from all over the country. Recently, tourists have been prohibited from camping on the shore of the lake, and they will have to look at the lake from a distance of 400 meters. But this is being done so that the beauty of these places will delight our children and grandchildren in the future.

Lake Boomerang located just above Lake Oblivion. If you look at the Azmych valley from the edge of the cliff that ends the northern shore of Lake Morozovaya, you can also see the lower lakes, standing out for their brilliance among the subalpine meadows and birch crooked forests. One of the lakes, known among travelers as Lake Boomerang, lies near the waterfall, among a depression in the terminal moraine, at an altitude of 1987 above sea level. It got its name because of its shape.

Mountain lakes named after scientific travelers

The Atsetuk Lakes are ten bodies of unique beauty. The lakes are located in rocky amphitheaters on the northern slope of the Atsetuk-Agepstinsky ridge, at the sources of the Azmych, Tikhaya (left sources of the Mzymta River) and Mzymta rivers, the waters of which flow south to the Lashipse River and to Lake Bolshaya Ritsa. The most famous lakes are named after such pioneer explorers of the Caucasus as N.M. Albov, A.L. Reingard and E.I. Morozova-Popova, who visited these lakes at the end of the last and beginning of this century.

The lakes are rarely visited by tourists due to the inaccessibility of these places and the lack of a trail to them. There is no official route from the Caucasian Nature Reserve to this beautiful place. The Atsetuk lakes have long been known; in Soviet times, a planned route from to. Currently, the path to these lakes coincides with the route of tourist groups to the Atsetuk Pass. Since the state border passes near the Atsetuk Lakes, to visit them you must obtain a border pass, in addition to the reserve and national park. It is issued within a month.

Picturesque Lake Albova is located in the upper reaches of the right source of the Tikhaya River, behind a rocky bridge extending north from the main Atsetuk ridge, at the bottom of an ancient glacial ice car at an altitude of 2077 m. The lake is named after the famous Russian scientist, botanist, traveler N. M. Albov, who during his botanical research, the first scientist to visit the Atsetuk Lakes was in 1893.

The lake has an oval shape and stretches from west to east. The water in the lake is striking in its blue, regardless of the weather.

At an altitude of 2056 m above sea level, there is the largest tarn lake among all the Atsetuk lakes, named in honor of the young and very talented geographer-assistant of the Higher Women's Courses in Odessa, Evgenia Morozova-Popova, who died untimely at the age of 28 in the accident of the steamship Mercury, which sank near Odessa on June 25, 1916. She led three expeditions to the Caucasus, organized by the Caucasian Mountain Club, explored Lake Bolshaya Ritsa and Kardyvach, and made their bathymetric survey.

Lake Evgenia Morozova is the largest among all lakes in the Mzymta basin. Several small streams flow into the lake and a river flows out, calm at first, and then rushes down like a waterfall. The ten-meter depth gives the water an intense blue color even in cloudy and windy weather, and in calm weather the surface of the lake reflects the peaks of the Kardyvach mountain cluster: Loyub, Akaragvarta, Tsyndyshkha. From here you can see a beautiful view of the peaks of the Kardyvach mountain cluster and the valley of the Azmych River. From here you can see below the two lower lakes among subalpine meadows and birch forests.

Not far from Lake Evgenia Morozova there is a third lake. From the saddle there is a panoramic view of the entire stepped “circus” under the rock wall, where on the lower step there is Lake Rheingard. Lake Reingarda is smaller than Lake Morozovaya in size and has a more complex shape.

The lake is named after the professor of Kharkov University, geomorphologist, geologist, famous explorer of the Caucasus A.L. Reingard, who visited the upper reaches of the Mzymta in 1911-1913. Its peculiarity is a trunk-shaped cape, composed of fragmentary material and stretching for 40 meters from east to west.

On the northern side the banks are gentle, overgrown with rhododendron. The lake has no visible drainage. The water gurgles somewhere under the stones and, closer to the cliff, breaks out in a stormy river flow, falling down into the Azmich valley, an impressive-looking waterfall. On the western side, a huge chaos of stones is piled above the lake, along which a stream flows into the lake. The southern banks also have a small gently sloping shelf, above which rises a wall of sheep's foreheads with a river flow breaking down from above.

The path to Lake Reingarda is laid from Lake Evgenia Morozova. From the bridge between lakes Reingard and Morozova, a beautiful panorama of the Main Caucasus Range opens up.

Lake Albova-Lozhnoye clearly visible from the path leading from Lake Reingarda to the “circus” of Lake Albova under the rocks of the Atsetuka ridge. Those traveling in these places for the first time may mistake this body of water for Lake Albova, since it also lies in the upper reaches of the river’s source. Quiet at an altitude of 2060 meters above sea level, and in the center of it a large stone also rises in the form of an island. However, this lake is much smaller in size than Lake Albova, its area is only 500 square meters.

Lake Albova Verkhneye is located in the upper stage of the “circus” of the upper river. Quiet at an altitude of 2130 meters above sea level and 200 meters south of the main lake Albova. The lake is covered with snow and ice almost all the time and opens only towards the end of September - beginning of October.

In the Krasnodar region there are other amazingly beautiful lakes, such as Dzitakskie, Khmelevskie and Lake Tsypka.

Khmelevskie Lakes- a scattering of four large and several small lakes, located in the forest zone of the Sochi National Park on the leveled surface of the Achishkho ridge, 4 km from the village of Krasnaya Polyana. Their height above sea level is about one and a half kilometers, and their scattering area is approximately 70 hectares.

The territory of the Khmelevskie Lakes is under protection. Not only the hunting of animals is prohibited here, but also the collection of plants. It’s worth visiting them for the stunning nature, untouched by civilization.

Picturesque lake Tsypka is located in the Krasnodar Territory, in the upper reaches of the Tsypka River, the right tributary of the Tuapse River. The Tsypka River flows next to the Tsypka railway platform.

On the way to the lake there are small waterfalls and a cave, a clean and fresh spring where you can replenish your water supply. It’s easier and faster to go back along the ridge; there’s a portage road winding through here. The total length of this route is 11 km.

You can get to Lake Tsypka from the village of Tsypka in 2.5 hours, moving upstream of the stream. Along the stream towards the gorge, the most picturesque part of the valley begins, where the mountains give way to rocky outcroppings. The first spectacular waterfall will be found very close to the village of Tsypka - on the right tributary of Sukhaya Balka.

Get to Dzitak lakes possible from Krasnaya Polyana. Here you need to take the lift to Pikhtovaya Polyana, walk along the dirt road of the Pseashkho ridge to the cordon of the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve, where, after paying the entrance fee, we climb the path to the Pseashkho pass. The Pseashkha Pass is a valley type, the trail here is so flat that you may not even notice the passage of the pass. From the Pseashkha pass the trail goes through alpine meadows along the left bank of the river. Urushten and after 3 km of smooth descent leads to the lakes of the Dzitaku valley.

We examined only a small part of the lakes in. According to various sources, their number exceeds three hundred! They are scattered in a variety of places: in the valleys through which steppe rivers flow; along the coastlines of the Black and Azov seas; in the lower reaches of the main river of the region - the Kuban; among the majestic and high Caucasus Mountains, almost on the territory of the region.

The amazing Lake Kardavych is located in a natural basin and is surrounded on all sides by the mountain slopes of Tsyndyshkha, Loyub, Kuteheku.

The lake is of moraine origin, formed due to the movement of ancient glaciers. It has an ellipsoidal shape, and the size is 500 meters in length and about 300 in width. The water in the lake is cold at any time of the year; even on the hottest day its temperature does not rise above 10 C.

The longest river in Russia, the Mzymta, flows into the Black Sea and originates from Kardyvach.

Anyone who has ever visited the lake, breathing in the purest mountain air, receives only the most wonderful and unforgettable impressions at this place. Beautiful meadows grow around Kardyvach, pink clouds float past, and rhododendrons growing everywhere will not leave anyone indifferent.

The most remarkable thing is that the lake is completely fishless. This is connected with the Emerald Waterfall, located downstream. Not a single mountain trout can cross its water flow.

Salt Lake

Salt Lake is small in size, it is located on the southern coast of the Taman Peninsula, in the Temryuk district of the Krasnodar Territory. It is considered one of the saltiest in the region. The lake attracts tourists who want to wallow in the mud for medicinal purposes. In the summer, due to drying out, black mud swamps form around the lake, which are full of people. In places where the mud dries out, white salt crystals form on it.

The lake is located next to the Black Sea, they are separated by the Anapa embankment. Probably water entered the lake from the sea, and over time, marine mineral substances became concentrated in it.

Lake Abrau

Lake Abrau is located in the quiet and cozy village of Abrau-Durso with a population of about 4,000 people, reminiscent of little Switzerland. The village is famous for its winemaking and viticulture.

The main attraction of the village is the large Lake Abrau, the origin of which is still not exactly clear. Some believe that the lake was formed from an ancient fresh sea, but most versions agree that the lake arose from a sinkhole.

The lake lies at an altitude of 84 meters and is surrounded by mountains with rounded peaks and gentle slopes. In the 50s, life was in full swing on the lake: reeds grew along its shores, where birds made nests, muskrats lived there, and fish spawned. But later the lake was cultivated, and after human intervention it began to silt up. Now the depth of the lake reaches 10 meters, although more recently it reached 35 meters.

Snake Lake

Snake Lake is a freshwater lake in the vicinity of the village of Bolshoi Utrish. The lake is connected to the Black Sea, but is a unique natural monument. Today there is a yacht club and a parking lot here.

The total area of ​​the lake exceeds 20 hectares, and the depth in some places exceeds 7 meters. The shores of the lake are surrounded on one side by a small juniper grove, and on the other by cliffs directly approaching the ridges of the Caucasus Mountains.

Historically, Snake Lake was a secluded freshwater body of water, separated from the sea by a narrow isthmus. The lake was home to a huge number of snakes, which is why it got its name. Subsequently, the isthmus was razed, and the lake was connected to sea waters.

Lakes of the Krasnodar Territory Lakes of the Kuban Steppe estuaries and lakes This group includes estuaries that are not hydrologically connected to the sea: Kosataya Balka and the Ponursky estuary in the lower reaches of the Ponura, Lebyazhiy in the lower reaches of Beisug, the salty estuaries Sladky and Gorky in the lower reaches of the Chelbas River, etc. These are small sizes and shallow bodies of water. Steppe lakes include the small bitter-salty Ubezhinsky lakes Bolshoye and Maloye. They are located 20 km east of Armavir, in the basins between the ridges of the Stavropol plateau. The lakes are rich in Glauber's salt and have healing properties. Lake Khanskoye Lake Khanskoye is located 55 km from the city of Yeysk. Its greatest length is about 17 km, its width is 8 km, and its water area is 80 sq. km. Khan Lake contains highly mineralized, bitter-salty sea-type water. It is dominated by chlorine, sodium and sulfate ions. Khan Lake is also known for its healing mud in the form of black silt with an oily tint and a strong smell of hydrogen sulfide. Lake Abrau Lake Abrau is located 14 km west of Novorossiysk, at an altitude of 84 m above sea level. The length of this closed lake is 3.1 km, the average width is 0.63 km, and the water area is 1.6 square meters. km, and the greatest depth is 10.5 meters. The lake is fed mainly by precipitation (about 700 mm per year). In summer the lake warms up to 27 degrees. The ichthyofauna is represented by 5 species: sausage, rudd, carp, perch and minnow. Lake Ryaboye Lake Ryaboye is located between the Malaya Laba and Urup rivers, in the region of mid-altitude mountains. Dimensions of the lake: length 50 m, width 30 m, depth 1.2 m. The lake is flowing. It feeds on precipitation. , Lake Kardyvach Lake Kardyvach is located in the Mzymta forest, 44 km from Krasnaya Polyana. The reservoir and its surroundings are very picturesque. Length 500 m, width 300 m. Water surface area 15 hectares. The depth in the middle part reaches 23 m. In summer, the water warms up to 12 degrees. The following rivers flow into the lake: Lagernaya, Sineokaya and Verkhnyaya Mzymta. The Mzymta River flows out of the lake. Lake Kardyvach is of glacial-moraine origin and there is no fish in it. The staff of the reserve made an attempt to introduce trout into the lake, but the fish moved down the Mzymta. Higher up the Vrekhnyaya Mzymta there is another lake, Maly (Upper) Kardyvach, with clear and very cold water. The area of ​​its mirror is only 2 hectares, the water temperature in summer will not exceed 11 degrees, and the depth of the Upper Kardyvach is 8 meters. Karst Lake Cheshe is located in a huge karst sinkhole in the southern part of the Montenegro plateau, 250 meters from its western scarp, at an altitude of about 1600 m. Length 68 m, width 39 m. Coastline length 173.2 m. Surface area 2930 sq. m., water volume 2442 cubic meters. m. Lake Cheshe is fed by springs. Not a single stream flows into or out of the lake. This is a karst lake. Lake Psenodakh Lake Psenodakh is located at the bottom of a large glacial cirque separating the Oshten and Pshekha-Su massifs, at an altitude of 1938 m above sea level. The lake has the shape of a crescent. Length 165 m, width 72.5 m, coastline length 492 m. Mirror area 9000 sq. m. This is a karst lake. Black Sea. Characteristics of the Black Sea. Water in the Black Sea. History of the development of the Black Sea. (Characteristics of the Black Sea, composition of water in the Black Sea, the Black Sea and Ancient Greece, rivers flowing into the Black Sea, bays of the Black Sea, recreation on the Black Sea, flora and fauna of the Black Sea) The Black Sea is located in the middle latitudes, approximately between 41 and 47 degrees north latitude and 28 and 42 degrees east longitude. The northern shores belong to Ukraine, the eastern to Russia, Georgia and Abkhazia, the southern to Turkey, and the western to Romania and Bulgaria. For almost 400 km, the Black Sea washes the Krasnodar region, beneficially influencing its climate. Through the Bosphorus, Dardanelles and the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Black Sea waters merge with the Mediterranean, and through the Kerch Strait with the Sea of ​​Azov. The Black Sea has been known to mankind since ancient times! Over the course of thousands of years and centuries, it has changed several names. The first Greek navigators called it Pont Aksinsky, that is, inhospitable. However, later the ancient Greeks changed their opinion and began to call it Pontus Aksinsky, that is, the hospitable sea. In Rus', in the old days, the Black Sea was called the Pontic Sea, as well as the Russian Sea. Scientists explain the modern name in different ways. Some - the Turks called Karadeniz (as a football player of FC "Rubin"), that is, the inhospitable "Black" sea, because all the conquerors who came to its shores received a decisive rebuff from the tribes that inhabited it. According to another hypothesis, the name is associated with storms and the fact that the water in it darkens during a storm. And there is a third version, which is connected with the fact that metal objects lowered to great depths of the Black Sea turn black under the influence of hydrogen sulfide. The ancient Greeks sailed along the Black Sea shores and saw settlements of the Scythians and Taurians here. , and in the east - the Colchians. After the names of these tribes, the Greeks called the Black Sea coast of Kavakaz Colchis, the Crimea - Tauris, and the Northern Black Sea region Scythia. Holidays on the Black Sea Bays of the Black Sea There are few bays in the Black Sea, the largest of which are Odessa, Karkinitsky, Kalamitsky, Feodosia, Taman and Sinop. The most convenient bays for receiving ships are Tsemesskaya and Gelendzhikskaya. The Black Sea is poor in islands, the largest being Zmeiny (0.17 sq. km). The most significant of the peninsulas are Crimean, Kerch and Taman. Characteristics of the Black Sea The total area of ​​the Black Sea is 413,488 sq. km. Water volume 537,000 cubic meters. km. The sea is a deep, oblong-shaped depression with a fairly flat bottom and steep slopes (from 6 to 20 degrees). The greatest depth is 2245 m, the average is 1271 m. The Danube, Dniester, Southern Bug, Dnieper, Rioni, Chorokh flow into the Black Sea, and over 80 small rivers flow into the Krasnodar Territory. Half of the river flow comes from the Danube. The annual runoff from land into the Black Sea is 400 cubic meters. km, the same amount evaporates from the surface of the sea. The Black Sea receives 175 cubic meters per year. km of salty Mediterranean water and 66 cu. km of Azov water of low salinity. Most of all, the Black Sea water contains sodium chloride (77.8% of the total salt content), magnesium chloride (10.9%), calcium sulfate (3.6%). In addition, the Black Sea water contains about 60 more chemical elements: iodine, bromine, silver, radium etc. The Black Sea is the warmest in our country. The temperature in the Black Sea in winter in the open part is + 6..7 degrees Celsius, in the southern part + 8..10, in the northwestern part it often drops to -1 and ice fast ice forms there. In summer, the water temperature averages +24 degrees; near Sochi it can warm up to +28 degrees Celsius. At a depth of 50-70 meters the temperature is stable at +6-7 degrees. Surface currents in the Black Sea are weak, their speed usually does not exceed 0.5 m/s. The main causes of surface currents are river runoff and wind. The ebb and flow of the tides in the Black and Azov Seas are very weak. Their amplitude is 3-10 cm. Secular changes in sea level - an increase of 20-50 cm per hundred years. During storms in the Black Sea, waves up to 10 m high and 150 m long develop. Usually the wave sizes are much smaller. The force of the waves hitting the shore is enormous. In the Sochi area it reaches 20 tons per 1 sq. m. The flora of the Black Sea is quite rich and diverse. In coastal waters there are thickets of brown algae - cystoria. On sandy and muddy shallows there are entire underwater fields of sea grass - zoster. Deeper there are extensive thickets of red algae - phyllophora. The fauna of the Black Sea is very diverse, but due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide it is concentrated mainly in the upper 200-meter layer of water. There are sharks in the Black Sea - katrans, but they are harmless. Of the large mammals in the Black Sea, there are many dolphins - bottlenose dolphins and gray dolphins; they often swim close to the shore and swim among vacationers. Black Sea climate >> Holidays on the Black Sea can be chosen according to your taste - you can, like 30 years ago, with grandmothers on folding beds, or in expensive hotels. Almost all cities and towns on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory are built up with private hotels. Their prices are cheaper than flying to Turkey. The summer season on the Black Sea begins in mid-May and ends at the end of October. In Sochi, in some years you can swim until mid-November. Ancient Greece and the Black Sea The Black Sea in ancient times During the era of the Great Greek colonization, many cities were built on the Black Sea coast, which by the beginning of the 5th century BC. turned into economically stable policies, closely associated with the city-states of Aegean Greece. The largest of them were Heraclea Pontic and Sinope on the southern coast (modern Turkey), Apollonia and Istria - on the western (modern Bulgaria and Romania, respectively), Olbia, Feodosia, Panticapaeum and Phanagoria - on the northern (modern - the first two Ukraine , Phanagoria - Russia, Krasnodar region), Dioscurias and Fasis on the eastern coast of the Black Sea (modern Russia and Georgia (or Abkhazia)). Sea of ​​Azov. Description and characteristics. In ancient times, the Greeks called the Sea of ​​Azov the Meotian swamp - for its shallow water and summer “blooming”, and the Slavs in the old days - the Sourozh Sea. The area of ​​the Sea of ​​Azov, excluding Sivash, is 37,800 square meters. km. Its greatest length, from the Arbat Spit to the mouth of the Don, is 360 km; The width from Temryuk to the Belosarayskaya spit is 175 km. The greatest depth does not exceed 13.5 m, the average depth is 8 m, the volume is 320 cubic meters. km. The Sea of ​​Azov forms several bays, of which the largest are Taganrog, Temryuk and the very isolated Sivash, which is more accurately considered an estuary. There are no large islands in the Sea of ​​Azov. In fact, the Sea of ​​Azov is an internal sea of ​​Russia and Ukraine. Large ports on the Sea of ​​Azov are Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog and Melitopol. The total length of the Azov Sea coastline is 2686 km, within the Krasnodar Territory about 500 km. The Sea of ​​Azov is connected to the Black Sea by the Kerch Strait, the width of which is from 4 to 15 km, the length is 41 km. Depth 4 m. In ancient times, the Kerch Strait was called the Cimmerian Bosporus (“bosporus” translated into Russian as “bull ford”). Nowadays, a special channel has been dug for ships with greater draft. The largest rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov are the Kuban and Don. The Kuban River carries 12 billion cubic meters into the Sea of ​​Azov annually. meters of water. Atmospheric precipitation over the Sea of ​​Azov falls about 15.5 cubic meters. km annually. 66 cubic meters goes through the Kerch Strait into the Black Sea. km and comes to 41 cubic meters. km of water. Since the influx of fresh water prevails over its consumption, the salinity in the Sea of ​​Azov is low. A characteristic feature of the Sea of ​​Azov is the presence of large amounts of ammonia. The average annual water temperature in the Sea of ​​Azov is +12 degrees. In summer, the water temperature can reach +30 degrees. In winter, the sea is covered with ice. Holidays on the Sea of ​​Azov are rather calm and cozy with children - the shallow sea is conducive to this. Azov estuaries of the Krasnodar Territory The bulk of the estuaries in the Krasnodar Territory are located in the area of ​​​​the ancient Kuban delta. Yeisk Estuary Yeisk Estuary is located in the northwestern part of the Krasnodar Territory, near the city of Yeisk. This is one of the largest estuaries - the second largest in terms of surface area. Its length is 24 km, its greatest width is 12 km. Mirror area 240 sq. km. From the east, the Eya River flows into the estuary, the estuary of which it actually is. From the west, the estuary is connected by a wide (up to 3.5 km) arm to the Taganrog Bay. The estuary is shallow - the depths here prevail from 0.5 to 1.5 meters, and only closer to the sea the depth increases to 3-3.5 m. The bottom of the estuary is flat and covered with silt. The southern and northern shores are steep and loamy; The western and eastern shores are flat and composed of sand and silt. The water level in the estuary depends mainly on the water level in the Sea of ​​Azov. In winter, the estuary usually freezes. The maximum temperature in summer is +32. The average salinity of the Yeisk estuary is 7-9%. The Yeisk Estuary is a valuable fishing ground. Very good fishing! Beysugsky Estuary The Beysugsky Estuary is located in the northwestern part of the Krasnodar Territory, on the northeastern coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, 15 km from the city of Primorsko-Akhtarsk. It is the mouth of the Beisug River flooded by the sea. It is separated from the Sea of ​​Azov by the relatively narrow Yasenskaya Spit (12 km). This is the largest estuary in Kuban. Length 30 km, width in the middle part up to 12 km, average depth 1.7 m, water area is 272 sq. km, water volume 400 million cubic meters. Two relatively large steppe rivers flow into the Beisug estuary - Beisug and Chelbas, pouring 230 million cubic meters into it annually. meters. The water in the estuary warms up quickly and cools down quickly. In summer it usually warms up to 23 degrees. The surface vegetation in the estuary is poorly developed. The Beysug estuary is very rich in ichthyofauna - there are up to 30 species of fish. There are gobies, sprat, anchovy, pike perch, ram, pike, rudd, etc. Azov-Kuban estuaries This is a vast group of hundreds of reservoirs located in the area of ​​​​the modern Kuban delta. The Kuban estuaries are united into systems: Akhtarsko-Grivenskaya, Central, Cheburgolskaya and Akhtanizovskaya. The total area of ​​all Kuban estuaries is over 120 thousand hectares. The areas of individual estuaries are very different and range from one to several thousand hectares. Estuaries are usually shallow - depth from 0.5 to 2.5 m. In summer, the water in estuaries can warm up to +35 (!) degrees. The Kuban estuaries are gradually silting and becoming shallow. This occurs due to the dying vegetation in them and the solid runoff of the Kuban. Among the Azov-Kuban estuaries there are fresh, brackish and salt water bodies. Black Sea-Azov estuaries Black Sea-Azov estuaries, or Kiziltash (about 280 sq. km.) are located on the Taman Peninsula, between the Taman Bay and the city of Anapa. The largest estuaries of this group are Kiziltashsky, Vityazevsky, Bugazsky and Tsokur. These are lagoon reservoirs of the ancient Kuban delta. Currently, the estuaries are separated from the Black Sea by the Anapa bay-bar. But a direct connection with the sea, through an artificial branch, is the Bugazsky estuary and through it the Kiziltashsky estuary, which in terms of area is the third large estuary of the Kuban (137 sq. km.). Trans-Kuban estuaries Trans-Kuban estuaries - area over 20 square meters. km. located on the left bank lower reaches of the Kuban in the Trans-Kubansky floodplains, between the Razdersky junction and the top of the Black Sea section of the delta. They stretched in a chain for almost 60 km. The largest are Kurkuy, Kolobatsky, Gniloy.