The Ob has never been such a river on which flood water flows in the winter, as is typical for some rivers in the European part of Russia. Usually this phenomenon is characteristic of the spring months. The first wave of the leash, which raises the water level in the Ob, falls in March. Thaw begins at about the same time every year, rarely when winter lingers in Siberia until April.
First water level changes
Whether the flood will be plentiful depends on the ambient temperature, on how snowy the winter was and how long the warming takes. With a uniform, non-abrupt rise in temperature, the snow melts gradually, and the melt water has time to go into the ground (provided that there were no severe frosts at the end of winter and the ground was not too cold). If it gets hot sharply, then there is nothing left for the melted water, how to drain into the river, directly onto the ice. Due to this, it collapses, ice drift begins. The ducts are still tightly closed, so the water has nowhere to go, and it changes its course. During this period, most residents of cities and settlements located in the Ob region begin to monitor water levels. Information on changes is constantly broadcast on local television and radio channels, and is recorded in print and online media. In those settlements where there is a high risk of flooding by the waters of the waters, a “combat readiness” regime is introduced, and information about what water level in the Ob River is updated and communicated to citizens several times a day. In case of critical changes - hourly. In many villages, for such a period, loudspeakers are included in the streets, which broadcast almost 24 hours a day. However, spring floods rarely carry a threat, but there are not so many meltwater. A more serious danger is the second flood wave - May.
Snow melts in the mountains
It is no secret that the Ob waters are fed by a dozen small mountain streams descending from the mountains and foothill regions of the Altai Republic. In these areas, the snowmelt period falls in mid-May, and then the second flood wave begins. If there was a lot of snow, then the volume of flood waters can be more than impressive. EMERCOM employees are aware of this, therefore, preparations for a leash in “dangerous” villages begin well in advance, especially if the forecast is disappointing. When the water level in the Ob River rises very quickly, several dozen small villages in the suburbs of Barnaul are at risk of flooding. One of them is the long-suffering village of Zaton, which “floats” almost every year.
On the three islands
The inhabitants of this village, which is located on three islands, all household appliances in the houses are on special stands, in case there will be a flood. But this measure sometimes does not save. Just last year there was a record water level in the Ob, Barnaul and the entire Altai Territory with a shudder watched what was happening in Zaton. And the Zatonovites’s everything is simple: they have boats and oars on the roofs of household buildings, houses - ravings and other waterproof shoes. During the flood period, these people are always ready for bags with food, clothing and documents: emergency evacuation can begin at any time. But there are those who do not leave even when the water reaches the windowsills of the houses: they move to the roofs.
Zatonovtsy see nothing supernatural in their life: over the long history of the village, they are already accustomed to such an existence. But no one is better than them in the city in a flood situation: ask them at any time of the day what the water level in the Ob is now, and they will answer without hesitation.
Do not drown in Novosibirsk
In the Novosibirsk region, residents do not so closely monitor what the level of water in the Ob is; Novosibirsk rarely floods. The “fault” in the good sense of the word is the Novosibirsk Reservoir. In the spring, when the natural influx of flood waters fills the reservoir to critical levels, the collection in the lower pool is increased on the reservoir. Thus, the Ob in the Novosibirsk region remains on its banks and rarely goes beyond them.
