In a significant part of the territory of Yakutia, also occupying the north of the Khabarovsk Territory, one of the largest tributaries of the Lena, the Aldan River, flows. According to one version, translated from Tunguska, its name means "fish", according to another it is the Evenki word and translates as "side", that is, a side inflow.
Geography
The river originates from the north side of the Stanovoi Range. It is not far from the border of Yakutia and the Amur region. Flowing along the Aldan Highlands in a narrow stony bed, forms a large number of rifts and rapids. From the place where the tributaries of the Timpton and Uchur flow into Aldan, the river breaks out into the valley, then flows along the intermountain plain. The lower course of the Aldan branches into several branches, forming long channels and many islands. Within the catchment area there are a large number of lakes (more than 50 thousand), the largest of which is considered Big Toko.
That part of the territory of our country where the Aldan River is located is characterized by rather severe climatic conditions. Already in October, water bodies are covered with ice. Aldan is no exception - ice stays on the river for at least seven months, only in May ice freezing begins.
The length of the entire river is 2273 kilometers. In terms of flow, it is one of the largest rivers in Russia. For the Lena River, this is almost the third part. The area of ββthe Aldan River is about 730 thousand square kilometers.
Hydrology
The flood period lasts from May to July. At this time, the water level rises by 10 meters, its consumption is up to 48 thousand cubic meters. m / s Floods still occur between August and September. Winter consumption is small - no more than 4% per annum. The food of the river is mainly rain and snow. The chemical composition of the water is hydrocarbonate-calcium, the presence of dissolved salts in it does not exceed 0.3 g / l.
Tributaries of the Aldan River
Throughout the length of the river there are 275 large and small tributaries, the total length of which is at least 10 kilometers.
The largest is Uchur, its
water flow at the mouth is 1350 cubic meters. m / s This is the right tributary of Aldan with a length of 812 km. Translated from Evenki Uchur means "whirlwind", "loach". Almost along its entire path, the river is almost sandwiched by the mountains, so its channel is too winding.
May is known as another large river in Yakutia - the tributary of Aldan with a catchment of more than 170 square meters. m. In length, Amga stands out among all, flowing almost parallel to Aldan from the upper reaches. Its bottom is dotted with pebbles, and in the upper sections you can see beautiful waterfalls and stone canyons, which is very attractive for tourists and those who like outdoor activities.
Among the other tributaries that feed on the Aldan River, the most famous are Timpton, Notora, Tumara, Barayi, Tompo.
Flora
The river basin is in the taiga zone. The soil cover varies. On the right and left sides of the pool, it has significant differences. So, on the right side on the slopes of the watershed, mountain-loamy and permafrost-podzolic soils prevail on the tops of the ridges. On floodplain terraces, permafrost-taiga soils are most common.
In those places where the Aldan River flows, the vegetation cover has some differences compared with the rest of the Central Yakut plain. Instead of meadow, steppe and bog landscapes, coniferous-deciduous forests dominate. Forest-forming species - pine, spruce, birch, larch and cedar shale. Spruce prevails only in the southern part of the basin. Pine forests occupy small areas on the sloping peaks of the ridges. Also, many rare and endangered plants grow in the Aldan river basin.
In August - September, locals collect a good crop of mushrooms in this area. Among them are dominated by milk mushrooms, russula, boletus.
Fauna
Amphibians are mostly represented by the Siberian frog and viviparous lizard. Of the birds that live in these parts are a dipper, a black crane, a black mallard. As well as wild grouse, kingfisher, jay, bluebird - birds that are almost never found in other areas of Yakutia.
Wild reindeer, musk deer, field vole, and pika live in the southern basin of the river. The cedar dwarfs have a large number of brown bears, and where the river occupies mountainous areas that do not freeze in winter, otters are very common.
A rather large variety of fish is famous for the Aldan River. No wonder Yakutia is a popular region among amateur fishers. The river is very rich in fish - perch, taimen, grayling, Siberian roach, pike, sturgeon.
Economic use
On the territory of the basin of this river there are large mineral deposits, such as coal, gold, mica. Aldan is the most important waterway, ensuring the export of products of mining enterprises, as well as the import of various goods for residents of settlements and enterprises located along the river. The main marinas are the villages of Khandyga, Ust-May, Eldikan and the city of Tommot. For 1600 km Aldan is navigable.
Once these lands were occupied by Dalstroy labor camps. Today, considerable stocks of fish and natural attractions, which the Aldan River is famous for, attract the attention of tourists and fishermen.
The land attracts with its amazing untouched beauty and grandeur. Lakes and gorges falling from the cliffs of streams, rocky shores of a huge river simply captivate the eye.
History
It was established that for the first time a human foot stepped on this earth in about 40 millennium BC. The first people who lived here were engaged in hunting for bison, mammoths, who inhabited the river basin at that time. Then, for unknown reasons, they disappeared, and after 30 thousand years another population appeared in these places, which already hunted reindeer and elk. Currently, about a hundred sites related to the Bronze and Iron Ages have been found along the banks of the Aldan River.
Crossings
The existing bridge crossings in the narrow part of the river are wooden flooring. In shallow water, the passage from one coast to another is often ford. In winter, ferry crosses on ice, and in summer ferry goes.
Moreover, he does not have a strict schedule. The ferry operates only during daylight hours and at full load. In the off-season there is no crossing at all. Today, the construction of a new bridge on the federal highway across the Aldan River is nearing completion, its total length is 970 meters.