In the European part of the Russian Federation, the famous Volga River flows . It belongs to the basin of the Caspian Sea and flows through the territory of 44 republics and 11 regions. Without a doubt, we can say that this river has a very interesting and rich history. However, in this article we will talk about what it means to Russia. More specifically, consider the economic use of the Volga River. Of course, there is something to talk about.
A bit of general information
The length of the river is 3.53 thousand kilometers. If the calculation is carried out before the construction of reservoirs, the Volga becomes longer by another 160 kilometers. From 1930 to 1980, 8 hydroelectric power plants were built here, but more on that later. The river originates on the Valdai Hills, which is 228 meters above sea level. The Volga flows into the Caspian Sea. We can say that this is the largest river in the world, not flowing into the ocean. In principle, this is not surprising, because even the Volga basin occupies about 1/3 of the area of the European part of the Russian Federation. Today, the economic use of the Volga River is simply of great importance. In principle, it is difficult to imagine the existence of some cities that are built near the banks of this river.
What are rivers used for?
Of course, the Volga alone is of great economic importance to Russia. There is no need to talk about this again. For example, a lot of water is used for domestic needs. Of course, before this water gets to us, it goes through a multi-stage treatment. It is disinfected, mechanical and organic impurities are removed, cleaned, softened and released through city water supplies. But so many rivers are used, not only the Volga. In addition, hydroelectric power plants are being built, which supply electricity to settlements, factories and factories. Reservoirs and much more are also being built. All this suggests that a river such as the Volga is of great economic importance. Now we will deal with this issue in more detail and consider all the interesting and significant points of using the Volga. Believe me, there are a lot of them.
Navigation on the Volga River
As early as the 7th century, the first river passenger traffic appeared. Then trade routes were established on the Volga, so we can say that as a transport line this place has been known for quite some time. In 1800, the first steamboats appeared on the Volga, which sailed to Kazan itself. Around 1846, a “state shipping company” was organized. The number of ships was 16 pieces. All of them transported people from one point to another.
As for the present time, shipping is far from developed throughout the Volga. For example, passenger and cargo ships regularly go from Rzhev to the Kolkhoznik pier, which is more than 580 kilometers. Further - from the "Collective farmer" to the village of Red Barricades, and this is more than 2,500 kilometers. Also, a 40-kilometer stretch in the Volga delta is considered shipping .
River freight
It should be noted that the Volga is the central artery of the Russian Federation. Therefore, the transport line is very well established here, which allows you to significantly save on the transportation of various goods. In principle, we can talk about savings of more than 50%. This is due to the fact that the ship can transport much more, and much faster than the same wheeled vehicles. There are a huge number of transport points on the Volga, from where ships with cargo depart daily. Moreover, the goods here are very different, ranging from food to building materials. As noted above, navigation on the river is well developed, so cargo transportation is also well established. In principle, we can say that in this way the Volga has been used for quite some time. Today it is difficult to imagine some transportation without ships and ferries.
About fishing
This is not about the state, but about the local significance of the river. A large number of fishing bases open on the Volga every year. This gradually increases the economic use of the Volga River. Visitors can enjoy not only the colorful landscape, but also engage in sports such as fishing. But we can safely say that often we buy fish that was caught in this river. In most cases, this is done by private companies that have previously obtained a license to catch certain types of fish. There is a sufficient number of aquatic inhabitants that are popular among the population, for example, herring, bream, crucian carp, pike perch and many others. There are several state-owned companies that capture fish on the Volga. Therefore, we can safely say that the Volga is not only watering, but also feeding the Russian population.
About ferries and bridges
If transportation of cargo by ship is not available, then this does not matter. Today, a huge number of various bridges pass through the Volga. This allows not only to establish river transport, but also to transport a wide variety of goods, the transportation of which by water is prohibited or impossible. There are bridges of various lengths. The shorter ones are located in the Upper River, and the first permanent bridge was the Alexander Railway Bridge, which was opened back in 1880. After that, there was no need for a ferry at this place. A train from this point is a more efficient solution, since the amount of cargo that can be loaded onto it is much larger. It is impossible not to say about the bridge located in Ulyanovsk. It is known as the Presidential Bridge. It is the longest not only on the Volga, but also on the territory of the Russian Federation. The total length of the Presidential Bridge is 5.82 kilometers.
Human use of the river
It should be noted that every year the number of vacationers on the banks of the Volga increases. For this simple reason, many recreation centers are being built, which contributes to the influx of tourists and local residents. Therefore, we can say that the rest on the Volga will soon be even more interesting for people from the nearest large cities who want to relax in nature for at least a day.
The significance of the Volga River also lies in supplying people with water for domestic needs. For example, about 8000 m 3 / s of water is annually spent on Volgograd, which is a record. In addition, cities from Tver, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod and so on are supplied with water from the Volga. All this suggests that for a long time the river has acquired vital importance for the inhabitants of these cities.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Volga is not just a river on which people come to rest. About 40 species of commercial fish are found here. The most significant are bream, roach, pike, sturgeon and many others. A large number of bridges pass across the river; dozens of ships leave from one bank to another every day. You need to understand that it is necessary to maintain the cleanliness of the Volga and try not to pollute the water with waste from factories. Of course, there are hydroelectric power stations on the river that are also harmful, but they also bring benefits - they supply residential areas of cities, factories and factories with electrical energy. From all this we can conclude that the Volga River plays a very important role in the economic activity of the Russian Federation. In principle, today it is difficult to even imagine what would have happened if there had been an ordinary steppe on the site of the river. Well, that’s all there is to say about the economic use of the Volga River.