River spills (flood) is a natural and repeating year after year process of raising the water level, caused by abundant snow melting in spring (spring flood) or rainfall in the wet season. The “life” of a river is a series of annual cycles, and the spill is an integral part of them. During a river spill, river runoff reaches maximum values during the period of the most active snow melt in the river basin or at the peak of rainfall. Spring flood leads to a large discharge of water, which usually makes up a large part of the total annual river flow. In our country, a river spill due to snowmelt causes more damage than a spill caused by heavy rains in the wet season.
What is the difference between flood and other processes occurring on rivers?
One of the main features of the flood is seasonal regulation. Although the timing of this process may vary, depending on weather conditions, high water is always associated with massive snow melting in spring. It is observed every year, and its scale depends on the amount of accumulated snow, the rate of temperature increase and the characteristics of the river. In the east of Russia, the river spill in spring is weakly expressed, and the main rise in water is observed in the warm season, which is associated with the distribution of precipitation.
A sharp increase in water levels and river spills are possible during floods, but they occur due to heavy rains, the precipitation of which does not so clearly depend on the season. The duration of the flood is much less than the duration of the flood.
In contrast to the flood, the shallowing period of rivers on the ETR is typical for the second half of summer and the first half of autumn. At this time, the water level in the rivers has been steadily reduced for a long time. Such periods in the "life" of the river are called low water or low water.
How do river spills occur
During floods, the rise in water can be significant, which is the reason for the river to flood along the floodplain and flood the lowlands. The water level is rather unstable, and this leads to a frequent change in the width of the flood zone. Despite attempts to build houses away from the river, there are still cases of flooding of residential buildings. With the formation of ice jams, the spill area increases dramatically. This is due to the fact that ice during congestion is an obstacle to the free flow of water, which forces it to flow around the congestion side. On average, the frequency of severe floods is once every several years. Of greatest importance for their occurrence is the high snowfall of the past winter.
When floods under water are approximately 0.3% of the territory of Russia. Spilled water can flood roads, power lines, gas pipelines and other communications. The strongest known flood occurred in 2001 on the Lena River. During the spill, the width of the river increased by many kilometers. At the same time, the city of Lensk was almost completely flooded.
Flood protection
In order for the spring flood of the rivers to render as little damage to the economy as possible, large watercourses are blocked by dams and other types of technical structures. If there is a risk of congestion, ice is set in motion by subversive measures. In the presence of a high threat of flooding of settlements, timely evacuation of the local population is carried out. As mandatory attributes, residents of villages located in risky zones are required to carry inflatable boats, food supplies, communications.
How river spills are predicted
Even before the onset of floods in the river basin, snow cover thicknesses are measured, temperature forecasts are calculated, and so on. All this information is processed and analyzed by weather services, which issue a flood forecast.
Features of fishing during the spring flood of rivers
Many anglers prefer to stay out of the flood spill at home and not go fishing. However, there are opportunities to get a good catch at this time of year. But the fishing conditions during the spring flood of the rivers are significantly different from those in the rest of the year. And you should not immediately be disappointed: perhaps you were just unlucky the first time. And for those who want an unusual experience, it's time to go fishing.
The total mass of fish during a period of high water is the same as in normal rivers. True, she behaves differently at this time than in other periods of the year. This requires the use of non-standard fishing methods. Even in troubled waters typical of floods, fish continue to search for food, albeit with less efficiency than in clear water.
What period of river flood is better to catch
Rising water levels and river spills lead to the ingress of more organic matter into the water, which is fish food. The amount of oxygen dissolved in water also increases. Significantly worsen fishing conditions can only strong spills, when the fish will be very difficult to find. Small spills give fishermen a great chance to catch. The period of rising water should be waited until the phase of its decline. This is due to the fact that an increase in water level is accompanied by a decrease in its temperature, which makes the fish less active. In addition, a large number of suspended solid and colloidal particles contributes to this. As the snowmelt decreases, the water temperature rises slightly, which makes the fish more active. In parallel with this, sedimentation of suspended particles occurs, and the water is slightly purified. The living conditions of the fish are improving dramatically: they are beginning to actively search for food.
The advantages for the angler in the phase of water decline is the ability to get closer to the fish, as well as simplifying the fishing process itself. Less shy fish allows you to not stand on ceremony with the choice of gear and pulling yourself out of the water.
If the current is quite strong, then it is necessary to use heavier equipment. If you go fishing during the rise of water, then you should adhere to places with minimal flow and turbidity. The best option for fishing will be shallow areas, where the current is very weak, and the water warms up better.
What gear to use during the flood period
The choice of suitable gear depends on the size of the reservoir, the presence or absence of vegetation, the availability of the coastal zone, weather conditions and other reasons. When sea fishing it is worth using a leash or Bologna fishing rod with a length of 5-7 meters. Take the inertialess coil, small in size. The diameter of the fishing line will be 0.14–0.18 mm. When choosing a leash, you should focus on a diameter of 0.10-0.12 mm with a length of 25-30 cm.
