The Salgir River in Crimea is considered one of the most important waterways of the peninsula. By its length, the watercourse takes first place. The riverbed crosses the capital of Crimea - the city of Simferopol. Let's take a closer look at this water stream.
Hydronym
The word “salgir” has long been associated not with this stream, but with all channels, both temporary and permanent. For example, these are rivers that flow in such settlements as Yalta, Alushta, and others. Also, Crimeans appropriated this name to the channels, which after long rainfall in the form of rain were filled with water.
There are two ways to decipher the word “salgir” as the hydronym of a given river. The first is the Turkic dialect “salgyr” and “salgur”. It is worth noting that this version is used even in several local directories. The second option is the translation from the Circassian language of the lexeme “sal” means “inflow”, and “gear” is the beginning or source of water.
The river has many names - Salgir (main), Salgir baba, Salgir father.
River value
Geographically, the Salgir River is located in the center of the peninsula. Its capital is located on the banks of the watercourse. For Simferopol, the significance of Salgir cannot be underestimated. Locals still remember those times when the river was very clean. Its importance is evidenced by some names of city streets and the central avenue. A fairly popular socio-political publication, which was called “Salgir”, was also published for a long time.
Location
At the junction of the two streams of Kyzylkobinka and the Angara, which are located on the Crimean peninsula, at an altitude of more than 390 meters above the Black Sea, the Salgir River begins. Not far from Simferopol there is a large reservoir. The length of the stream is about 230 km. It consists of more than 450 sources. The total area is almost 4 thousand square meters. km (3750 sq. km - according to some sources, 4010 sq. km - according to others). But where does the river Salgir flow into? It belongs to the basin of the Sea of Azov. It flows into the Sivash Bay, which separates the mainland from the peninsula.
The river covers the slopes of the mountains of Crimea - Demerdzhi, Chatyr-Dag, Karabi-yayla. It flows along the Simferopol - Alushta highway. The largest source - Ayan, is located near the village of Zarechnoye (in the area of the reservoir). It makes up almost all the underground waters of the Chatyr-Dag massif. The river flows into the Small Salgir. A river flows through the entire peninsula to the Sivash Gulf and flows through another large tributary called Biyuk, although earlier, on the contrary, the latter was considered the main channel.
The course of the Salgir River near the source is rapid, as it passes through the mountains, but by the middle it becomes much calmer.
Animal world
Not so long ago, Salgir belongs to high-water flows. However, now in the summer season the riverbed often dries up. And only in the season of heavy rains, it is filled with water, and the watercourse becomes full-flowing. Naturally, this feature was reflected in the fauna of these places. Professor N. A. Golovkinsky at the forum of geologists as early as 1895 expressed himself like this about the animal world of the water stream: “In the 18th century, the Salgir River was so full of water that fish species such as sea trout, sewing and goby were found in it”. Now here you can see only unpretentious representatives. This is perch, roach, crucian carp, but trout has become a very rare guest.
sights
The main attraction and feature of the river is size. The exact place where this river begins and ends is unknown. There are several versions about the length indicator. 232 km on one, 204 km on the other.
Very interesting and mysterious is the Kyzyl-Koba cave, about which mystical legends go. The nature here is unique: there is also a mountain stream with a rapid current, in another place there is a fast waterfall, in the third there is a smooth, calm and peaceful river. Tourists will have something to see.
The picturesque landscapes of the coastline and the Salgir river itself are displayed in many paintings, postcards, and are also described in poems and poems by famous authors. The peoples living in these places have come up with many legends and legends, trying to explain certain events that occur with this watercourse.
Salgir as a source of water
Salgir irrigation system, which includes the Salgir watercourse, provides drinking water to the main city of Crimea - Simferopol. Also, the river, or rather its water, is used for the needs of the CHP. Crimean agricultural enterprises widely use Salgir resources for irrigation.
