Highest value for the edge has r. Kuban. The Kuban and its tributaries are capricious and capricious. A lot of grief and a lot of damage to the economy of the region was caused by the high-water and treacherous river, which overflowed violently during floods and flooded “large areas of the low-lying parts of its valley; causing destruction to populated areas. Since ancient times, the Kuban region was famous for its impassable swamps, floodplains and numerous shallow estuaries. The meaning of the Kuban River changed during the years of socialist construction. Soviet people conquered the wayward river, forced it to serve themselves.

Over the years Soviet power in the lower reaches of the Kuban such large irrigation systems have been created as: Petrovsko-Anastasievskaya with an area of ​​over 33 thousand hectares in the Azov floodplains (Temryukskaya, Chernoerkovskaya, Azov and other rice systems are also being built here), Kubanskaya with an area of ​​over 25 thousand hectares and Maryano-Cheburgolskaya on the massif of the Kuban floodplains, Afipskaya, Kryukovskaya, Fedorovskaya and Varnavinskaya ( total area over 50 thousand hectares) in the Trans-Kubanoki floodplains, the Chibi drainage irrigation system with an area of ​​more than 15 thousand hectares in the Adygea floodplains, opposite the city of Krasnodar. In addition, the construction of a number of other systems is being planned, including the Krasnodar irrigation system in the middle reaches of the Kuban.

Waters of the river The Kubans are used for irrigation and watering of lands not only in the Krasnodar Territory, but also in the Stavropol Territory. The Kuban-Egorlyk and Kuban-Kalaus irrigation systems absorb about 4 billion m 3 of water per year.

The Nevinnomyssk Canal, which supplies water to the Stavropol region, has reduced the flow of the river. Kuban at 75 m 3 /s

In the future, by 1980, almost 9 billion m 3 of water per year will be spent on irrigation needs. By the end of the 10th Five-Year Plan, the area of ​​irrigated land in Krasnodar region will reach 490 thousand hectares. Of these, 255 thousand hectares will be occupied by rice systems. Until 1985, the development of irrigation in the region will occur due to the increasingly complete use of river waters. Kuban. But in the future they will no longer be enough for land reclamation needs and therefore it is planned to implement grandiose project for the transfer of water from the Volga to our region.

In the future, the irrigation area in the Krasnodar Territory will expand significantly.

This will make it possible to create irrigation systems for grain and feed purposes on hundreds of thousands of hectares.

to lower agro-industrial complexes for the production and processing of sugar beets and other industrial crops.

Kuban plays a big role in the water balance of the Azov Sea. It provides about 30% of the river flow into this sea, maintaining favorable conditions for valuable species fish salinity of sea waters. The waters of the Kuban are used to desalinize and create optimal salinity for fish breeding in a number of estuaries. In 1936-1940 Three desalination systems were built in the Kuban delta: Chernoerkovskaya, Kulikovo-Kurchanskaya and Grivenskaya. The Kiziltash estuary is also desalinated to optimal salinity.

Kuban and its tributaries have great value as spawning grounds for such valuable fish as sturgeon, vimba, and shemaya. After the commissioning of the Tshchikskoye and Shapsugskoye reservoirs pp. Belaya, Pshekha, and Afips turned out to be inaccessible to spawning fishermen and shemayas, therefore, during the construction of the Krasnodar reservoir, a fish lift was created in its dam for sturgeons, vybryts and shemayas going to spawn.

The rivers of the Krasnodar Territory are of great importance for fisheries. In the r. The Kuban, its tributaries and reservoirs are home to more than 50 species of fish. Commercial species include stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, carp, catfish, pike perch, vimba, shemaya, perch, pike, rudd, bream, ruffe, crucian carp and some others.

The number of fish species in the Kuban and its tributaries increases from source to mouth. For example, in the Only trout is found in the upper reaches of the White River, in the middle reaches there are 10 species of fish, and at the mouth of the river - 25 species. The rivers of the Azov-Kuban Lowland, especially the Beysug and Chelbas, are also of great fishery importance. About 30 species of fish live in steppe rivers and ponds. The most common species are pike, bream, crucian carp, rudd, ram, pike perch, tench, and stickleback.

In the rivers Black Sea coast There are more than 20 species: trout, podust, minnow, chub, bystryanka, mullet and others. Salmon come to spawn.

In all rivers of the region, the species and quantitative composition of fish increases with approach to the Azov or Black Sea. When talking about the importance of rivers, ponds and reservoirs for fish farming and fishing, we must bear in mind not only the current level of their fishery use, but also development prospects.

The rivers of our region are a breeding ground for valuable commercial fish - sturgeon, pike perch, ram, vimba, shemai, and salmon. Independent commercial significance

The number of rivers is relatively small, but in the future it may increase significantly. In order to increase the volume of fish reproduction in the region, more than 30 years ago, work began on the artificial breeding of the most valuable commercial fish and the reclamation of natural spawning grounds for pike perch and ram. Was created a whole series spawning farms for breeding pike perch and ram. Thus, the Akhtarskoye, Chernoerkovskoye, Zhesterskoye and Beisugskoye farms annually release several billion juvenile rams and hundreds of millions of pike perch into the Sea of ​​Azov.

The Ryazan spawning and breeding farm for the artificial breeding of pike perch, bream, carp and other fish species was created at the Krasnodar reservoir. A number of fish hatcheries for the artificial breeding of sturgeon have also been built, for example, the Achuevsky and Temryuk sturgeon hatcheries at the mouth of the Kuban, the sturgeon hatchery in the village of Grivenskaya on Protoka, and the fish factory at the Krasnodar reservoir.

A special fish-shemai nursery in the Kuban delta near the village of Chernoerkovskaya annually releases up to 15 billion young fish and shemai into the sea.

In 1974, ichthyologists of the Kiziltash mullet fish factory began to grow a besterohybrid of beluga and sterlet in special cages. In 1976, the catching of this commercial fish began.

All this allows us to restore the fish wealth of the Azov Sea and the rivers of our region.

The rivers of the Black Sea coast are of less importance in terms of fisheries. Only the Adler trout farm on the river Mzymta is organized and operated. In the future, it is possible to organize the cultivation of valuable trout fish on a large scale on the rivers of the Black Sea region. In addition, these rivers are of great importance as spawning grounds for salmon fish.

Inland water bodies are increasingly being used in our region for commercial fish farming. Their area is increasing, and fish productivity is increasing as the biological technology of commercial fish farming improves. If in 1967 the total area of ​​reservoirs used for commercial fish farming was about 15 thousand hectares, and fish production was 43 thousand centners, then in the future the total area of ​​such reservoirs in the region can be increased to 180 ™s, hectares, and the output fish increased to 2 million c. In ponds created on the rivers of the region, mainly carp, silver carp and grass carp are grown.

Reservoirs built in the Kuban and its tributaries

In addition to their main purpose of regulating runoff and ensuring irrigation of agricultural land, they are used in the same way as fish breeding and fishing reservoirs, but still to an insufficient extent. However, all of them can be turned into highly productive reservoirs.

It should also be noted that 10 specialized fish farms have been created and operate in the region, which provide the population with fish.

One of the reserves for increasing fish production in the Krasnodar Territory is its cultivation in rice irrigation systems - in checks and irrigation canals. At the same time, herbivorous fish help fight the overgrowth of irrigation canals. The use of irrigation systems for fish farming will make it possible in the future to produce up to 400 thousand quintals of fish per year.

Regarding the importance of rivers, we must not forget that large number River waters are used to supply water to numerous settlements located in their valleys. Water is used for household needs of the population and for the needs of livestock farming and industrial enterprises.

As you know, rivers are of great importance for navigation. But in our region only the river is navigable. Kuban. The Krasnodar reservoir regulated the river's flow and significantly improved the conditions for Kuban navigation. The navigation period has lengthened by one third, and the depths have increased. River vessels run from the city of Ust-Labinsk to the mouth, carrying many thousands of passengers and millions of tons of cargo.

The tributaries of the Kuban Laba and Belaya are used for timber rafting. As noted above, the Kuban and its tributaries, as well as the rivers of the Black Sea coast, have large reserves of hydroelectric power. More than 18 hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of about 100 thousand kWh were built there. However, the potential hydropower resources of the region are still completely underutilized. It is possible to build a number of hydroelectric power stations on our mountain rivers and generate billions of kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

It is also necessary to note the large role of the rivers of the Black Sea coast in the formation of beaches. These rivers are the main supplier of pebble material from which the beaches of the resort area from Novorossiysk to Adler are made. Rivers drive pebbles into the sea, and the sea, with its currents, carries it and deposits it on its banks. The resulting beaches protect the shores of the Black Sea from destruction and are necessary as places for recreation and sea bathing. At one time, unwise removal of gravel from beaches and floodplain areas of river mouths reduced the flow of gravel into the sea, naru

created a balance between the destructive and accumulative activities of the sea, and the beaches began to shrink. Their restoration is expensive for the state. Mining/graveling on beaches and river beds is currently prohibited.

RIVERS SHOULD BE PROTECTED

Rivers are one of the essential elements geographical landscape. Rivers are our wealth. The economic importance of the rivers of our country and, in particular, the Krasnodar Territory is very great. Therefore, rivers and natural waters in general must be protected and their resources used wisely.

On September 20, 1972, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution “On measures to further improve the protection of nature and rational use natural resources" On December 29, 1972, the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution “On strengthening nature protection and improving the use of natural resources.” These regulations also concern the protection natural waters. They are aimed at eliminating existing shortcomings in nature conservation through improved planning national economy, increasing the responsibility of ministries, organizations, enterprises and all citizens of our country for the use of existing legislation on nature protection and reasonable, economic use natural resources.:, The resolution provides for an integrated approach to the use of natural resources, the inclusion of scientifically based nature conservation measures in long-term and annual plans for the development of the national economy.

A striking manifestation of the concern of our party and government for the scientific management of natural resources was also adopted in 1976 by the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR “On measures to prevent pollution of the basins of the Black and Azov Seas.” It plans to implement a set of measures to ensure a complete cessation by 1985 of the discharge of untreated household and industrial waste. waste water to the basins of the Black and Azov Seas.

In order for the rivers of our region to be full-flowing, clean, rich in fish, so that their waters can be used to supply water to settlements and irrigate agricultural lands, so that they do not pollute the Azov and Black Sea, a whole range of water protection measures is required.

When taking care of the high water content of rivers and ensuring that their water regime is more even, we must remember the important role of lei;ob in regulating surface runoff. On the pages of periodicals and at scientific and technical meetings devoted to problems of water use, the question of the water protection role of forests in the Krasnodar Territory has already been raised. There have been cases of unwise deforestation in the water protection zone of the rivers of the Kuban basin. Of course, such actions are unacceptable, and in the light of the latest decisions of the party and government on nature protection, they should not take place. At the same time, systematic production of forest plantations is required where forests in the water protection zone of river basins are sparse or absent.

The issue of the struggle for the cleanliness of rivers remains relevant. So-called nature lovers often throw empty bottles and cans into the river, wrapping leftover food in cellophane. Like it's nothing? What do you think? The river is big, nothing will happen. And pieces of insoluble plastic film, broken bottles, and rusty cans accumulate in the river. Leftover food rots in the water. But hundreds of thousands of tourists pass along the rivers of our region.

But even greater harm is caused to rivers by untreated wastewater from some industrial enterprises, oil fields and sewage water from populated areas. So, for example, in the river. The Kuban and its tributaries discharge over 360 million m3 of wastewater per year, a significant part of which is insufficiently treated or not treated at all. And this amounts to about 3% of the annual flow of Kuban. The figure, frankly speaking, is not small and gives rise to sad reflections.

Why does this happen?

Apparently, the heads of individual departments and enterprises sometimes do not approach matters in a state-by-state manner and, limiting themselves to the interests of “their” production, trying to fulfill “their plan” at any cost, do not care about environmental protection, the cleanliness of water, and commit violations of water legislation. And then untreated or insufficiently purified industrial waters from petroleum products, acids, alkalis, phenols, detergents and other substances enter the rivers, poisoning their waters.

Wastewater has a very harmful effect on the fish population of water bodies. Under the influence of wastewater containing organic matter, there is a change in the gas regime in the reservoir. It negatively affects the life of fish and the inhabitants of water bodies in general. If the oxygen content in water is below 6 mg/l, then this inhibits the breathing of sturgeon, salmon, and whitefish species.

Wastewater containing inorganic substances clogs water bodies with insoluble or poorly soluble substances, such as lime, scale, gypsum, gi£r. you metal oxides and others. """"

At the same time there is a change chemical composition water and its reactions. Fine suspended matter causes disease of the gill apparatus in fish and the respiratory tract of lower invertebrate animals. The latter circumstance undermines the food supply for fish farming.

No less harmful is the effect of petroleum products entering a river or pond. Firstly, they form a film on the surface of the reservoir, disrupting the process of water aeration and creating oxygen deficiency. Secondly, undecomposed oil residues settle to the bottom of the reservoir, causing poisoning of the bottom fauna, and causing the fish to acquire the smell and taste of oil. This phenomenon occurs when oil products are present in the water of reservoirs in an amount of 0.1 mg/l. The effect of naphthenic acids on fish eggs is especially detrimental; it manifests itself already at a concentration of 1:1,000,000.

Many steppe rivers are polluted by wastewater from sugar factories.

The rivers of the flat part of the region are also polluted by herbicides used to control weeds and pesticides used to control pests of agricultural crops. These substances are toxic to the inhabitants of rivers and other bodies of water.

The Kuban River and other steppe rivers of our region carry all these harmful substances into the estuaries, the Azov and Black Seas, polluting them and adversely affecting the ichthyofauna.

Currently, in the Krasnodar Territory, much has already been done to eliminate the causes of pollution of rivers and other water bodies by domestic and industrial wastewater. New treatment facilities have already been built and are being built in cities and at industrial enterprises, for example, in Krasnodar, Maikop, Sochi, Kropotkin, Tikhoretsk, Uet-Labinsk; Ayinsk, Gelendzhik and others populated areas. In the 9th Five-Year Plan, over “” million rubles were allocated for these needs.

Vladimir Ivanovich Borisov

Kuban is a river that flows through the territory of Russia in the region North Caucasus, and its length is 870 kilometers. In the place where the river flows into the Sea of ​​Azov, the Kuban delta is formed with high level moisture and swampiness. The water regime is varied due to the fact that the Kuban flows both in the mountains and on the plain. The condition of the river is influenced not only by natural, but also by anthropogenic factors:

  • shipping;
  • drains from housing and communal services;
  • industrial waste;
  • agro-industry.

River regime problems

One of the environmental problems of Kuban is the problem of water regime. Due to hydrological features and climatic conditions, the water area changes its completeness. During periods of excessive rainfall and moisture, the river overflows, which leads to flooding of populated areas. Due to excessive amounts of water, the vegetation composition of agricultural land changes. In addition, ground flooding occurs. In addition, different regimes of water currents negatively affect fish spawning grounds.

River pollution problem

Reclamation systems help wash away herbicides and pesticides used in agriculture with the Kuban current. They get into the water chemical elements and connections of various industrial facilities:

  • surfactant;
  • iron;
  • phenols;
  • copper;
  • zinc;
  • nitrogen;
  • heavy metals;
  • petroleum products.

State of the water today

Experts define the state of water as polluted and very polluted, and these indicators differ in different areas. As for the oxygen regime, it is quite satisfactory.

Water utility workers investigated water resources Kuban, and it turned out that the norms drinking water they correspond to only 20 settlements. In other cities, water samples do not meet quality standards. This is a problem because the use of poor quality water leads to deterioration in public health.

Pollution of the river with petroleum products is of no small importance. From time to time, information is confirmed that there are oil stains in the reservoir. Substances entering the water worsen the ecology of Kuban.

Conclusion

Thus, the ecological state of the river depends to a large extent on human activities. It is industry and agriculture that are the sources of environmental problems in the water area. It is necessary to reduce wastewater discharges and harmful substances into the water, and then the self-purification of the river will improve. On at the moment the state of the Kuban is not critical, but all changes that occur in the river regime can lead to negative consequences– death of river flora and fauna.

I would like to talk about such a beautiful natural water stream as the Kuban River. Description, photo and detailed characteristics - this is exactly the information that you will find in the article.

The beauty of this region is known far beyond Russia. Here in Soviet times A huge number of world-famous films were shot. This is to blame for the picturesque landscapes that are located along the entire coastline. Being in these places, people experience peace of mind and are charged with positive energy.

Geographical location

In the south of Russia one of the largest water streams in the country flows - the Kuban River. You can find it on the map without special labor. Geographically, it is located in the northern part of the Caucasus Mountains. Starting its movement from the Karachay-Cherkess Territory, the river flows through the territory of three regions: Stavropol, Adygea and Krasnodar.

The total area of ​​the watercourse basin is almost 58,000 km². When the Kuban River (see description below) reaches the shores of Azov, it creates the largest delta in Russia. Its area is more than four thousand square meters.

Kuban River: description of the delta

The Kuban delta is wide, often with wetlands. But meanwhile, it is unique in its own way. The fact is that in the south the delta no longer goes only to the Azov Sea, but also to the Black Sea. Numerous estuaries and lakes, islands, floodplains, channels with overgrown reeds and reeds are located on the delta territory. Local residents know that where the Kuban River is, you can always meet unique representatives of flora and fauna that amaze with their diversity.

Where the modern delta is now located, several thousand years ago there was the largest Gulf of Azov. However, as a result of the activity of the waters of Azov and Kuban, a bay-bar gradually formed in this place. The bay as such dried up, forming a shallow lagoon. And the Kuban River (this is clearly visible on the map of that time) previously flowed into a water stream, which was called Old Kuban. It was he who carried water to the Black Sea basin. However, as a result of landslides (to protect nearby areas from floods), the drainage was blocked. And now most of the water flows only into the Sea of ​​Azov.

Source of the Kuban River: features

Kuban begins its “life” in the place where two mountain streams come together - Uchkulan and Ullukai. The latter is often considered a continuation of Kuban. The glaciers located on the top of Elbrus feed the stream with their meltwater. In this place it is distinguished by a strong and turbulent current. The source of the Kuban River is located at an altitude of almost 1400 m above sea level.

It is worth paying attention to one feature. Many believe that it was from her that the name of the stream came. The modern sound has its roots in and literal translation means "seething stream".

Hydronym

The name Kuban is far from the only one on the river. She has about 300 of them! Other local names of the river are Koban, Guban, Koobkhan and others. In ancient Greek chronicles the name was listed as Hypanis.

Features of water flow

The Kuban River is very interesting in terms of zoning. The description of its flow pattern is quite varied. Due to its length, the river is considered navigable, therefore it is beneficially used for agricultural purposes. The high drop of the flow, more than 1,000 m, allows us to divide it into 4 zones: high-mountain, mountain, foothill and plain. Reaching the Krasnodar region, near the city of Ust-Labinsk, Kuban has a shipping route. The main Verbenskoe Branch flows into the Temryuk Bay. One more thing - Cossack Erik has access to the Azov Sea. From this we can conclude that the Kuban River belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin.

In high mountain regions, the stream has a deep bottom and steep, vertical slopes. The latter are represented by sandstones, shale, and limestone accumulations. Going down to the lower reaches, the banks become low-lying and flatter. Sometimes there are low hills. The channel meanders more and more often, closer to the delta, forming a kind of “horseshoes” - oxbow lakes.

Tributaries

The Kuban is quite full of water, the total number of tributaries (small and large) reaches 14 thousand. The largest rivers flow into it mainly from the left bank.

The largest of them:

  • mountain river Urup.
  • r. Laba is the deepest tributary.
  • r. Belaya is a watercourse with the most powerful flow and has several waterfalls along its path.
  • r. Pshish and Psekups are distinguished by fast currents.
  • Kaverze and Afips.

Adjacent to the right banks of the Kuban are Gorkaya and Dzheguta. Total length The Kuban with its tributaries is 9,500 km.

Water consumption and power type

The average annual flow of Kuban waters into the Sea of ​​Azov is 14 cubic meters. km. In addition, the stream carries more than 4 million tons of salts into the sea. The food supply in Kuban is mixed - the majority, about 65%, is snow and rain, about 20% comes from glaciers and 15% is groundwater.

The flow is uneven. Seasonality affects. At different times of the year throughout the entire territory, runoff indicators can differ greatly from each other. Kuban also has a certain “anomaly”. At different time intervals, the river can carry 1.5 times more water than the average annual norm.

In the cold season, the Kuban freezes, but the ice cover of the river is unstable. It lasts from December to March, after which the icebreaker begins.

Kuban Reservoir

The largest reservoir in the North Caucasus is located on the Kuban River and is called, accordingly, Kuban. Previously, there was Tshikskoye not far from it, but it was flooded several years ago. Now the reservoir is notable only as a place for fishing.

The Kuban stream is also used to generate electricity. 4 hydroelectric power stations were built - Kurshavskaya, Barsuchkovskaya, Sengileevskaya and Zelenchukskaya. Together they form the so-called “Kuban cascade”. The plans included the construction of the Adygea hydroelectric power station, but recent years work was suspended.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of the river is quite diverse. More than a hundred species of fish live in the waters. These are pike perch, silver carp, ram, carp, bream, catfish, goby, perch, rudd and others. Saltwater fish also swim into the low-lying areas of the river. Some of the species are characteristic only of these areas. Plankton is represented by mollusks, worms, crustaceans and other species.

On the waters of the stream there are many such as wild geese and ducks, pelicans, herons, swans, as well as small birds. Rare predatory animals of the Kuban River live in coastal zone. Their bright representative- gray peregrine falcon. Foxes, wild cats, wild boars, and muskrats live in the floodplains.

The river delta is now slightly drained by man for needs agriculture. It also makes it possible to engage in fish farming. In one of these branches, the mullet breeding industry is developing quite successfully.

The river is practically not used for tourism. Except that in mountainous areas rafting is often carried out on ships or rifts. But fishing is common on both banks in almost all areas.

Plants of the Kuban River are represented by the following species: reed, burberry, sedge, etc. They are distributed mainly in the area of ​​the coastline. The surface of the stream's water in some places is strewn with water lilies; at the bottom you can find different types seaweed Such thickets have grown to 40-50 thousand hectares.

The protection of natural communities is the most important component in the interaction between humans and wildlife. In Russia, for example, this issue is given importance national significance. What do people do to protect rivers, lakes, fields, forests and animals around the world? Appropriate measures are being taken, including at the state level.

Nature Conservation Law

The law on the protection and protection of rivers, farmland, etc.) and the use of wildlife was adopted in the Soviet Union in 1980. According to him, all plant and fauna Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and other former Soviet republics are considered state property and national property. This regulation requires humane treatment of flora and fauna.

The corresponding decree on nature protection obliges all people living in the territory covered by the law to strictly comply with all existing requirements and rules in their professional and personal lives, and try to preserve the existing riches of their native land. Special attention should be paid to the protection of natural objects such as rivers. The fact is that currently water bodies around the world are heavily polluted by one or another human activity. For example, wastewater, oil and other chemical wastes are discharged into them.

What are people doing to protect rivers?

Fortunately, humanity has realized the damage it is causing to the environment. Currently, people around the world have begun to implement plans to protect water bodies, particularly rivers. It consists of several stages.

  1. The first stage is to create different treatment facilities. Low-sulfur fuel is used, garbage and other waste is completely destroyed or efficiently processed. People build heights of 300 meters or more. Happening Unfortunately, even the most modern and powerful wastewater treatment plants cannot provide complete protection of water bodies. For example, chimneys, designed to reduce the concentration of harmful substances in certain rivers, spread dust pollution and acid rain over vast distances.
  2. What else are people doing to protect rivers? The second stage is based on the development and application of fundamentally new production. There is a transition to low-waste or completely waste-free processes. For example, many people already know the so-called direct-flow water supply: river - enterprise - river. In the near future, humanity wants to replace it with “dry” technology. At first, this will ensure a partial and then complete cessation of wastewater discharge into rivers and other bodies of water. It is worth noting that this stage can be called the main one, since with its help people will not only reduce it, but also prevent it. Unfortunately, this requires large material costs that are unaffordable for many countries around the world.
  3. The third stage is a well-thought-out and most rational placement of “dirty” industries that adversely affect environment. These include enterprises, for example, in the petrochemical, pulp and paper and metallurgical industries, as well as the production of various building materials and thermal energy.

How else can we solve the problem of river pollution?

If we talk in detail about what people do to protect rivers from pollution, it is impossible not to note another way to solve this problem. It involves reusing raw materials. For example, in developed countries its reserves are in fabulous quantities. The central producers of recyclable materials are the old industrial regions of Europe, the United States of America, Japan and, of course, the European part of our country.

Nature conservation by man

What do people do to protect rivers, forests, fields and animals at the legislative level? To preserve natural communities in Russia, back in Soviet times, so-called reserves and reserves began to be created. As well as other human-protected areas. They partially or completely prohibit any outside interference in certain natural communities. Such measures allow flora and fauna to be in the most favorable conditions.

Having visited the source of the Kuban River twice - on a rafting trip in 2004 and 2008, I still couldn’t manage to visit the mouth of the Kuban, near the Sea of ​​Azov. And so, a journey along the sea coast near Anapa led us to the mouth of the Kuban - 2015!
The length of the Kuban is almost a thousand kilometers: from the foot of gray Elbrus, along the Black Sea coast, and finally, near Taman, the river flows into a vast delta into the Sea of ​​Azov!


And, of course, the Kuban in the upper reaches differs sharply from the deep and quiet Kuban, which flows into the sea with its branches! All rafting tourists know the interesting rapids in the upper reaches of the Kuban, this is the mighty Zhelob, the Aman-Khyt rapids (Bad Place), and the cheerful Kamennomostsky rapids, where the Nomads happily jumped like dummies back in 2004!

All this is Kuban!
And how beautifully the snow cap of the majestic Elbrus rises above the Kuban valley! This is also a must see!
The views of the Kuban River valley in Karachay-Cherkessia are very beautiful, it was not in vain that we set aside a whole day and climbed the surrounding mountains and gorges, there are even separate tales of the Nomads about this!

Duration - 5 - 6 days

You can get to the village of Uchkulan at the source of the Kuban (the confluence of the Ullukam and Uchkulan rivers) by bus Cherkessk - Khurzuk; travel to Cherkessk by local train from Nevinnomyssk.

The Kuban below Uchkulan flows with fast channels in a deep, narrow treeless gorge. There are many rocky rifts and suspension bridges - some hang low over the water.

From the village of Polyana the river valley is even narrower and more picturesque, overgrown with mixed forest. The Kuban here gathers into one channel, the rifts become powerful, rapids appear, pressures appear, or water piles up on large boulders and meter-long swells. In the riverbed and along the banks there are stones with sharp edges. The complex rift is located in front of the Red Bridge across the river above the mouth of the left tributary - Dauta (26th km of the Karachaevsk - Uchkulan highway). 2 km below, near the suspension bridge, there is a rapid that should be explored, especially when kayaking and inflatable boats. Kuban River

14 km above Karachaevsk begins the 1.5-kilometer Aman-Hit canyon (in Karachay - “bad place”) - the most serious obstacle in the Kuban. Aman-Hit is distinguished by an abundance of large boulders and rock fragments in the riverbed, steep discharges, foam pits between stones, and high shafts with a tilting top.

The most difficult section of the canyon is from the kilometer post 36/13 of the highway, where the river leaves little time for maneuver among the huge boulders and the success of the passage is largely determined by the correct entrance to the rapids. A thorough exploration of the entire canyon is necessary.

NATURAL MONUMENTS
On the territory municipality The following specially protected natural areas are located in the Temryuk region:

International significance:
Wetlands of the Akhtaro-Grivensky system of estuaries and a group of estuaries between the Kuban and Protoka rivers (Ramsar sites), located in the floodplain zone of the eastern part of the Temryuk region.

Regional significance:

Natural monuments “Mount Miska” of natural and historical significance (Temryuk); The Yakhno tract for recreational purposes (the bank of the Tsokur estuary); scientific and educational purposes: “Karabetova Gora” (Taman rural settlement), “Akhtanizovskaya Sopka” (Akhtanizovskaya station), Cape Tuzla (the westernmost point of the Krasnodar Territory), Cape Panagia (12 km southwest of Taman station), Cape Zhelezny Rog (10 km south of Taman station); recreational and health purposes: lake Solenoye (Novotamanskoe rural settlement), lake Golubitskoye (station Golubitskaya).

The Taman-Zaporozhye State Game Reserve is located on the Taman Peninsula in the western part of the Temryuk region in the waters of the Taman and Dinsky bays, with a total area of ​​30 thousand hectares.

Local significance:
Natural monument "Micro-reserve "Podmayachny" (eastern border of Akhtanizovsky lands rural settlement) - a place where plants listed in the Red Book grow.

The natural monument “Oak Market” is located on Mount Oak Market in the Starotitorovsky rural settlement.



Starting from the city of Ust-Labinsk, the river is navigable. Previously, in the lower reaches of the Kuban formed a large delta. It has now been partially drained and used for agricultural purposes, and the main branches have been strengthened and regulated. 111 km from the Sea of ​​Azov is separated by the right navigable arm of the Protoka, through which almost half of its waters are discharged into the Sea of ​​Azov near the working village of Achuevo.
Before reaching the sea, about 20 km, the Kuban is separated to the left by the Old Kuban branch, which flows into the Kiziltash estuary adjacent to the Black Sea. It was this branch that was the deepest in the 19th century, that is, we can say that the Kuban previously flowed into the Black Sea. Now the main channel (Petrushin sleeve) flows into the Temryuk Bay of the Sea of ​​Azov near the city of Temryuk by the so-called Verbena branch. Another branch of the Cossack Erik flows into the Bolshoi Akhtanizovsky Estuary, which is also adjacent to the Sea of ​​Azov. Thus, Kuban belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin.

Water resources represented by deep left-bank tributaries of the middle reaches of the Kuban River, such as Afips, Psekups, Belaya, Laba, Pshish and their tributaries and right-bank tributaries, such as Mara, Dzheguta and Gorkaya, form a river network with a length of 9482 km. In total, more than 14,000 large and small tributaries flow into the Kuban.
Tens of thousands of years ago, on the site of the modern Kuban delta there was a huge bay of the Sea of ​​Azov, which stretched from the Taman Peninsula to present-day Primorsko-Akhtarsk and inland all the way to Krasnodar. Gradually, as a result of the activity of the river and the sea, a bay bar was formed, which separated the sea from the bay and turned it into a lagoon, which over time was filled with river sediments and turned into the low-lying Kuban delta with numerous shallow estuaries connecting them with channels and extensive swampy floodplains. Mud volcanoes of the Taman Peninsula also played some role in the formation of the southern part of the ancient Kuban delta.

In the 19th century, half of the flow of the Kuban River was directed through Old Kuban to the Black Sea estuary of Kiziltashsky, and from there to the Black Sea. Then an embankment was made, and the flow through Staraya Kuban stopped. Relatively recently, a desalination canal was built along the route of the dead Black Sea channel, through which the waters of the Kuban again flow into the Kiziltash estuary for the needs of the mullet farm established there. In 1973-1975, the Krasnodar reservoir was filled, which absorbed Tshchikskoye.

- one of the largest deltas in Russia, located at the mouth of the Kuban River. The area of ​​the Kuban delta is about 4,300 km² (1/4 the size of the Volga delta - the largest in Europe). The Kuban delta occupies almost half of the eastern coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, to the basin of which its waters belong. The mouth of the main branch flows into the sea near Temryuk, but the extensive coastline of the delta stretches from the city of Primorsko-Akhtarsk in the north to the village of Nizhneye Dzhemete in the south.
Thus, the Taman Peninsula also falls into the modern Kuban delta, the southern part of which is washed by the waters of the Black Sea, which makes the Kuban delta one of the most unusual deltas in the world. The length of the coastline within the delta is about 280 km, of which about 160 km are on the coast of the Azov Sea and 120 on the Black Sea coast. The modern peak of the Kuban delta begins 116 km up from the mouth along the main channel; near the village of Razdera not far from the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban, where its largest branch, the Protoka, separates from the Kuban to the right, carrying up to 40% of the Kuban water and flowing into the sea near the village of Achuevo.

The modern delta of the Kuban is a swampy coastal lowland with numerous estuaries, lakes, channels, islands and islets, eriks, extensive floodplains overgrown with reeds, reeds and sedges. Located on the border of temperate and subtropical climates, the Kuban delta has a rich flora and fauna. Both temperate and acclimatized subtropical plants (lotus, rice) coexist here.
The delta is fed by the Kuban River, which originates from the glaciers of the Caucasus, including Mount Elbrus. This is the second most important river flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov, after the Don. The length of Kuban is 870 km. The drainage basin area is 57,900 km². Every year, about 13.5 km³ flows into the delta from the catchment fresh water, about 2.5 km³ is retained in swamps and floodplains and is spent on evaporation and seepage. The flow from the delta into the sea is relatively small - about 11.0 km³, and it decreased significantly after the creation of the Krasnodar reservoir.

Previously, the Sea of ​​Azov reached the territory of modern Krasnodar, and the Taman Peninsula was an archipelago of several fairly large islands. Due to the increased content of suspended matter in the water, the ancient bay of the Sea of ​​Azov, as well as the straits between the relict islands, were filled with silt. The activity of small mud volcanoes (salsa) of the Taman Peninsula also played an important role in the formation of the southwestern part of the delta. Many Azov lagoons were filled with products of volcanic eruptions.


FLOW HOSE
The channel is the right branch of the Kuban River from the Fedorovsky hydroelectric complex (Tikhovsky farmstead) to the Sea of ​​Azov (the village of Achuevo).

Separates the Slavyansky district from the Krasnoarmeysky and Primorsko-Akhtarsky districts. Length 140 km. It is navigable along its entire length, but is almost never used in this capacity. Water is actively withdrawn from the river for irrigation of the rice systems of the Slavyansky and Krasnoarmeysky districts, as well as for desalination of flood plains (estuaries).

Previously it was called “Kara-Kuban” (Black Kuban), “Kumli-Kuban”, “Black Channel” and finally just Channel. The Protoka railway station in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban is named after the river.

Settlements on the left bank: the Serbina farm, the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban, the village. Sovkhozny, village. Pribrezhny, village Sadovy, the villages of Baranikovsky, Neshchadimovsky, Vodny, Pogorelovo, Galitsyn, Krasnoarmeysky town, Zaboysky, Derevyankovka, the villages of Golubaya Niva and Achuevo. On the right: the villages of Tikhovsky, Korzhevsky, Turkovsky, Chigrina, Krizhanovsky, Trudobelikovsky, Protichka, Prototsky, the villages of Cheburgolskaya and Grivenskaya.

KIZILTASH LIMAN
Kiziltashsky estuary (from the Turkic kiziltash - red stone) is a large estuary in the delta of the Kuban River, located in the Krasnodar region of Russia. The largest estuary in the Russian south.
The estuary has an irregular rounded shape. Its length from west to east is about 18.5 km, from north to south about 14 km. Area - 137 km². In the north it is connected by a channel to the Tsokur estuary. The Bugaz estuary, with which the Kiziltash estuary is connected by a strait, communicates in the eastern part with the Black Sea. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, it was into this estuary that most of the waters of the Kuban flowed. Gradual siltation led to a shift of the river bed to the north. Later, the fresh watercourse was restored thanks to the clearing of the bed of the Old Kuban. However, the Black Sea waters flow into the estuary, making it salty.

Peloids are mined in the Kiziltash estuary. The bottom of the estuary is filled with soft and plastic silt of a dark color with a strong smell of hydrogen sulfide, so the estuary is a source of healing mud. There is a mullet farm.

COSSACK ERIC
Cossack erik is a river (erik) in the Krasnodar region of Russia, a branch of the Kuban.
Erik was dug up by the Cossacks in XIX century, and I've been digging for 40 years.
Erik separates from the Kuban below the Protoka River and flows into the Akhtanizovsky Estuary. The river accounts for about 25% of the water flow of the Kuban River. The water in the river is muddy; The banks are overgrown with willows and reeds. There are catfish, pike, perch, crucian carp, sabrefish, ram, as well as crayfish, turtles, and snakes.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

SOURCE OF MATERIALS AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads.
Water register of Russia.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
http://www.psekups.ru/
Dinnik N. Ya.,. Kuban, river // Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Cherednichenko L.I. Paleogeography of the Kuban basin // Kuban local historian. — 1992.
Wikipedia website.
http://www.photosight.ru/