Belgorod region is one of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation located in the south-west of the European territory of Russia. The distance to Moscow is 500-700 km. The region borders on Ukraine. The administrative center is the city of Belgorod. The largest cities of the region: Belgorod, Stary Oskol and Gubkin.
The total area of the territory is 27.1 thousand square meters. km The distance from north to south is 190 km, and from west to east - 270 km. The river network is relatively dense, but the water content of the rivers is low.
Geographic features
Belgorod Oblast is part of the Central Black Earth Region, but it belongs to the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation. It borders with the Voronezh region in the east, with the Kursk region in the north and north-west, with the Sumy region of Ukraine in the west and with Kharkov and Lugansk regions in the south.
The climate is temperate, with relatively mild winters and long summers. The average annual temperature is from +5.4 to +6.8 degrees.
The vegetation corresponds to the forest-steppe. There are meadow steppes and forest areas. The forest cover in the region is 8.6%. In total, there are 1284 plant species.
Hydrography
The water content in the Belgorod region is low. Various water bodies cover about 1% of the total territory. In total there are over 480 rivers and streams. The total length of the rivers is 5 thousand km.
And which rivers in the Belgorod region are the largest? The largest are: Psel, Seversky Donets, Vorskla, Vorsklitsa, Oskol, Valuy, Black Kalitva, Silent Pine. And there are also 1, 100 ponds and 4 reservoirs.
Features of the rivers of the Belgorod region
The density of the river network in the region is significant, but the rivers themselves are rather shallow. In total, 480 different watercourses flow through its territory. Most of the rivers are 10–100 km long. Rivers with a longer channel are rare. These are Seversky Donets, Oskol, Vorskla and Silent Pine. Almost all of them (with the exception of the Oskol River) have sources located in the region. And they begin on the southern slope of the Central Russian Upland. Accordingly, the upper and middle parts of the flow of these watercourses are located within the region.
All rivers of the Belgorod region are divided into those that flow into the Don, and with it into the Sea of Azov (90 rivers), and those that are tributaries of the Dnieper and flow into the Black Sea (39 rivers).
The sources of the majority are springs located in beams, ravines, hollows. The nature of the rivers is flat, the flow is slow. The valleys are wide. On their slopes there are floodplain terraces, which are well traced in the relief.
The upper reaches of many watercourses are represented by a branched beam. Almost all rivers are not dry, even during a drought. However, small rivers can dry out.
The slopes facing south and east are steeper, higher and often steep, while the opposite are flat, gentle, with terraces.
Water and Nutrition
Of greatest importance for replenishing the rivers of the Belgorod region with water is melting snow. It accounts for 55 to 60% of the annual runoff. Spring waters give from 35 to 40% of the annual runoff. The least role is played by rainwater - 10-15%.
In spring, runoff is greatest, and in other seasons - small. However, during the period of rain floods, it is more significant. By the volume of runoff, the Belgorod region is in last place among the regions of the Central Chernozem region. But this is due not only to natural causes (once the region’s large rivers were navigable), but also to the anthropogenic development of catchments.
Deforestation and plowing of land led to increased erosion and the formation of a large number of beams and ravines. As a result, the groundwater level sharply decreased, and the channels became silted up. And now, due to global warming, droughts have generally become commonplace, and rivers are even shallower. For example, the water level in Seversky Donets and Don has dropped to critical levels, which is associated with a decrease in precipitation and an increase in temperature in the basins of these watercourses.
The most full-flowing rivers of the Belgorod region are: Seversky Donets, Psel, Tikhaya Pine, Oskol, Vorskla. They are of great importance for domestic and industrial water supply. Forests growing on their shores are used as recreation areas for the population.
Quiet Pine River
The Sosna River of the Belgorod Region begins on the southeastern slopes of the Central Russian Upland near the village of Pokrovka. She has mostly snow and to a lesser extent spring food. The highest flow is achieved in March - April. Near the mouth it is 5.9 m 3 / s. The banks abound with beams and ravines. In places you can see the chalk mountains-outliers.
Seversky Donets River
This is a fairly large river, with a length of 1053 km, and the catchment area - 98900 square meters. km The sources are located on the Central Russian Upland (height approx. 200 m), near the village of Podolkhi. The channel has a width of 30–70 meters, sometimes up to 200 m. The flow velocity is 0.15 - 1.41 m / s, and in some places it is practically absent. In winter, ice 20–50 cm thick forms on the river. The bottom has a sandy, uneven structure.
Oskol River
The Oskol River of the Belgorod Region has a length of 436 km and a catchment area of 14, 680 square meters. km The width of the channel in different places is from 10 to 40 meters, in some places up to 300 meters. The river has mainly snow food. The largest flow is recorded in April. In winter, the thickness of the ice is about 0.45 meters. Water depth ranges from 40 cm to 10 meters. The flow velocity is relatively low - 0.2 m / s. The flow volume near the mouth is 43.1 m 3 / s. It falls into Seversky Donets.
Psel River
The Psel River (Belgorod Region) is one of the largest left tributaries of the Dnieper. Its length is 717 km, of which 502 km are in Ukraine. The catchment area is 22800 square meters. km The source is located on the border of the Kursk and Belgorod regions. It flows into the Dnieper River in Ukraine. Characterized by a high right and gentle left bank. A channel with pronounced tortuosity. Water depth up to 4 meters, at the bottom a large number of pits. But there are also shallow areas. The structure of the bottom is sandy. The volume of runoff at the mouth is 55 m 3 / s.
