Tomsk is located in the eastern part of Western Siberia, on the same latitude as Riga, Edinburgh, Tver and the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano. The city is located at the junction of several natural zones at once: endless taiga extends north of it, mixed forests alternate with forest-steppe in the south. In this article we will pay special attention to the hydrography of Tomsk. How many total watercourses are there within the city? And which river in Tomsk is the most important? You will find the answers to these questions below.
Tomsk: rivers and lakes
The surface area of all water bodies is 2, % of the total territory of Tomsk. They serve as sources of water for industrial and domestic needs of the urban population. All rivers of the city of Tomsk carry their waters to Tom. The largest of them:
- The ear
- Kislovka.
- Big and Small Kyrgyzstan.
- Basandayka.
Initially, there were several dozens of rather large lakes on the territory of Tomsk. Almost all of them were filled up and destroyed during the XIX-XX centuries. Only some city lakes escaped from rapid urbanization: Beloe (see photo), Perepet, Zyryanskoe and a number of small nameless reservoirs.
Tomsk rivers have always been rich in fish. Sturgeons, muksuns, nelma and sterlet are found in the local waters. The banks of local rivers and streams are real berry plantations. Near the thickets of lingonberries, blueberries and blueberries grow medicinal plants, and in the forests you can collect a lot of mushrooms.
Tom - the main river in Tomsk
The city of Tomsk appeared on the right bank of the Tomsk River, just 50 kilometers from the place where the latter flows into the Ob. Due to this fact, the terrain in the city is quite uneven - elevations sometimes reach 60-80 meters. The Tomyu River formed a floodplain (up to 50 meters wide) and four floodplain terraces, which are densely dissected by beams and ravines.
The total length of Tomi is 827 kilometers. The speed of the water flow in the channel is low and does not exceed 1 m / s. The depth of the river within the city of Tomsk reaches 2.5 meters.
Constant hydrological observations of Tomyu have been conducted since 1918. The average annual water flow has not changed much since then. But the water level in the channel began to decline from about the middle of the 50s, when gravel was actively mined from Tomi. An ice shell on the river forms in mid-November and lasts from 120 to 200 days (depending on the severity of winter).
Within Tomsk there are two bridges on the Tom River - Kommunalny and Severny (Novy) bridge in the Seversk area.
The legendary river Ushaika
None of the Tomsk rivers has overgrown with as many legends and myths as Ushayka. So, according to the most popular parable, the guy Wushai and the beautiful Tom lived in the city. Once they met and passionately fell in love. However, Toma’s father did not agree to marry his only daughter as a poor young man. Unable to endure parental arbitrariness, Tom drowned in a large river, and heartbroken Wushai soon rushed from a high cliff to a nearby rivulet. Hence the names Tom and Ushayka.
Almost all travelers and scholars who visited Tomsk in the 17th-19th centuries mentioned the small river Ushayka in their works and reports. Here is what, for example, G. Miller wrote in his Description of Tomsk Uyezd for 1734:
“A medium-sized river called Ushayka flows into Tom through the middle of the lower city, above the fortress. It sets in motion two mills near the bridge. Two monasteries are located a little higher - the male St. Alexei and the female St. Nicholas"
The total length of Ushaika is 78 km, of which 22 km falls on the city of Tomsk. The average width of the channel varies from 7 to 30 meters. Depth does not exceed 1.2 meters. Ushayka is born on the slopes of the northern spurs of the Kuznetsk Alatau. Nowadays, the river is not navigable, although 150 years ago it was used to transport various cargoes.
