An unusual and difficult to pronounce the name of the Volga tributary - the river Kotorosl. For many centuries, the city of Yaroslavl has stood on its shores.
About the rivers Ustye and Veksa
There are two rivers in the Yaroslavl region: Ustye and Veksa. The first begins in the swamps with a small stream. Collecting along its path 153 km long the water of its tributaries, it turns into a winding, shallow (up to two meters), but fast river. The modern definition of the word "mouth" is a section of a stream flowing into the sea, lake, other river, that is, the final path. But in the Old Russian language the source or headwaters were also called that. So, this river has been flowing in the Yaroslavl area since ancient times.
Veksa flows from Lake Nero and runs an independent river only 7 km. She has no tributaries, the flow rate is very small. In Russia, rivers flowing from lakes were often called streams; the Finno-Finnish variant was called vuoksi.
Where rivers connect
Near the village of Nikolo-Perevoz, two rivers connect their waters. Most often in this case, one of them is considered an influx of the other (larger) and gets its name, increasing the main stream. In our case, the new channel became known as the Kotorosl River. Moreover, it is proposed to consider the seven-kilometer Veksa channel as part of Kotorosli, that is, as if it itself originates in the waters of Lake Nero.
New river
From the village of Nikolo-Perevoz, standing simultaneously on three rivers, Kotorosl flows 126 kilometers to the confluence with the Volga. Thanks to its parents, it begins with a fairly wide (30 meters) and calm river. Obviously, the terrain and water of the Veksa quench the typed flow rate of the Ustya. Throughout its entire length, including in the territory of Yaroslavl, the water flow is slow and forms numerous horseshoe-shaped bends. After the confluence of several tributaries, the Kotorosl River expands to 60 meters.
In the XIX century, it was an important transport route connecting Rostov the Great with the Volga and with many other cities and countries. But it was used actively only in the spring, and in the summer, shipping was laden with bridges and dams. In these places, many mills and factories worked. In winter, large vessels got up at the mouth of Kotorosli in anticipation of navigation along the Volga.
The modern river attracts fishermen, tourists and vacationers. On its shores are pensions and rest homes, in the settlements there are places for swimming.
Name history
Modern Kotorosl was formerly called Kotorost. I wonder why? The most popular is this option. "Wandering" in Old Russian means "arguing." And there are plenty of reasons to argue with the two source rivers. What name should be called a new channel, if its length is less than the length of one of the rivers that formed it? But the second river connects the new stream with Lake Nero, on the banks of which Rostov the Great lies. In the dispute, not only a new river was born, but also its name.
