How water is protected in Udmurtia. Reservoirs of Udmurtia: rivers and ponds

Alena Grigorieva

The river is a metaphor for life, characteristic of many peoples of the world. In ancient Greek mythology, the River Styx was a passage to the other world. However, it was in Styx that Hephaestus tempered the sword forged for Dawn, and it was there that the goddess Thetis bathed her son Achilles. Among the Udmurts, the river is an indispensable element of all key rituals. To wash the deceased, water must be scooped up from a river, strictly along the flow, and during the wedding, the newly-made daughter-in-law must be bathed in the river. The Udmurtia news agency decided to talk about the 5 main rivers of Udmurtia.

Kama

The name of the river comes from the Finno-Ugric “kam”, which means “big river”. It originates in the Kezsky district of Udmurtia, flows through the Kirov region, Perm region, Bashkortostan and connects with the Volga in Tatarstan.

The Kama is the largest river in Udmurtia, the left tributary of the Volga. Although one can argue here: according to ardent patriots of the region and many scientists, the Volga flows into the Kama, and not vice versa, as is commonly believed. The fact is that, according to geological characteristics (number of tributaries, size of the basin, age of the channel), the Kama is older than the Volga. Before the Ice Age, the Kama flowed directly into the Caspian Sea, and the Volga into the Don. The equivalence of the two rivers is proven, for example, by the fact that Stalin’s favorite film “Volga-Volga” with the legendary Lyubov Orlova in the title role in the 1930s was filmed not on the Volga, but on the Kama, 5 km from Sarapul.

1805 km – length

6th in Europe in length

74 thousand rivers flow into it

Vyatka

If you believe the most common version today, the name “Vyatka” is related to the ancient Russian word “vyatshe” and is translated as “big”.

The Vyatka is the largest tributary of the Kama and the main river of the Kirov region. In the Russian Empire, the Vyatka province (extended to the Nizhny Novgorod, Kostroma and Vologda lands) was the second most populous.

Vyatka (Udm. - Vatka) is also the name of one of the two territorial groups of the ancient Udmurts. The Vatka Udmurts, who settled in the Upper and Middle Cheptsa, formed an ethno-territorial group of northern Udmurts by the 18th century. The Russians had a huge influence on the culture and language of the Vatka Udmurts. Therefore, in the modern speech of the northern Udmurts there are many Russian borrowings.

Shipping traffic began in 1874

1314 km – length of the river

In the 15th century, the Udmurts of Vatka, oppressed by the Russians, went north

Kilmez

The name of the river can be associated with the Mari word “kylmysh”, which means “frozen” - that is, a freezing river. The Kilmez is a tributary of the Vyatka and covers Udmurtia and the Kirov region.

In 2012, a totemic sculpture was installed at the source of the river, designating this place as a modern Udmurt prayer site. The Udmurts have a legend: allegedly, it was on the Kilmez River that battles between the Udmurts and Mari took place in ancient times. The decisive battle, in which the Udmurts won, took place in the modern Uvinsky or Seltinsky district. To prevent the souls of the dead Mari from taking revenge on the Udmurts, on the night of Maundy Thursday the Udmurts defended their homes with heather branches.

In addition, the Udmurt territorial group Kalmez became the basis for the origin of the southern Udmurts, who are distinguished by strong influences from the Turkic-Islamic world. The plot of the confrontation between the Udmurts Vatka and Kalmez is very popular in the Udmurt epic (for example, “Dorvyzhy”).

270 km – length of the river

900 cm – the highest river level during the flood in 1979

17 thousand sq. km – basin area

Cap

Scientists are inclined to believe that the name of the river comes from the Proto-Slavic root “tsep” (to split, split) and the suffix “tsa” - in ancient times the mouth of the river was split.

The Cheptsa is the largest tributary of the Vyatka. It begins its journey in the Perm region, flows in Udmurtia and flows into Vyatka in the Kirov region. In Udmurtia, on the banks of the Cheptsa, there are the village of Balezino, the village of Debesy and the city of Glazov.

A modern Udmurt joke, which was popular 10 years ago, is associated with the river and its tributary the Pyzep River. So, “An ancient legend about how the Udmurts learned to smoke.”

“On the bank of the Cheptsa River stood the Udmurt prince Pozdey.

On the bank of the Pyzepa River stood the Udmurt prince Korepa.

Why are you yelling? Swim and smoke. What a fool, he's still yelling. I have Prima..."

501 km – length

120 m – maximum channel width

the area of ​​the Cheptsa basin is approximately 25 times smaller than that of the Kama

Pyzep

In Komi-Permyak “py” is a water source, “zep” is a pocket. An ancient translation might have sounded like “a river that goes around areas of land in the form of pockets.”

Pyzep is a river in the Balezinsky and Glazovsky regions, small, but historically very important for Udmurtia. It is at the place where Pyzep and Cheptsa merge that the Idnakar settlement is located (a medieval monument of the 9th-13th centuries of federal significance). During the spring holiday of seeing off the ice, the Udmurts prayed to Pyzep-mumy (the mother of the river) for happiness and contentment.

The Pyzep River has always been fast and dangerous - during the spring flood, the current often carried away mills, bridges, dams, and later even small hydroelectric power stations. And in 1949, on the site where a merchant’s mill had previously stood, near the village of Polom, construction began on the Turaevskaya hydroelectric power station (hydroelectric power stations on small rivers were quite rare in Udmurtia). It worked until the 1970s - until the creation of a unified energy network.

46 km – length of the river

The Idnakar Nature Reserve is located 500 meters from the mouth.

25 m – maximum width of the river bed

PART I. GROUNDWATER

1.1. Groundwater monitoring objects and their provision with observation networks

1.1.1. Characteristics of groundwater monitoring objects

Objects of monitoring of groundwater in the SD are aquifers, complexes, formations containing groundwater, which have a target value in the socio-economic sphere of the republic.

The main aquifer formations used for domestic and drinking water supply on the territory of the Udmurt Republic are Severodvinskaya (P3sd), Urzhum (P2ur) and Kazan carbonate-terrigenous formations (P2kz).

In the south of Udmurtia water is used in small areas Ufa carbonate-terrigenous formation (P1u), in the valley of the Kama river in the Votkinsk and Kambarsky regions - water Quaternary alluvial horizon (aQ). In limited areas of watersheds in the north of the republic, local aquifers are widespread. Lower Triassic (T1) and Vyatka (P3vt) terrigenous complexes, but they are practically not used for water supply.

Groundwater in bedrock deposits is characterized by complex hydrogeological conditions, which are caused by sharp lithologic-facial variability in the section of the Upper Permian rocks over short distances, the absence of sustained aquifers and reliable aquitards.

Characteristics of the main aquifers and formations under natural conditions in 2015 are given in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1.1.

Characteristics of the main aquifers and formations in natural conditions onterritory of the Udmurt Republic in 2015

Below is a description of groundwater for the main exploited aquifers and formations:

Aquifer Quaternary alluvial horizon (aQ)

The water-bearing rocks in Quaternary alluvial deposits are quartz sands, different-grained, with a predominance of fine-grained ones, alternating in the section with loams and clays. The maximum thickness of aquifers is confined to the river valley. Kama, where they are 5.5-22.0 m. The waters are pore-forming with a free surface. The depth of groundwater within the floodplain terraces varies from 0.1 to 6.5 m, on the above-floodplain terraces - 1-22.0 m.

The waters of alluvial deposits are fresh calcium bicarbonate with a mineralization of 0.1-0.6 g/l, in local areas up to 1.68 g/l.

Aquifers are fed by infiltration of atmospheric precipitation. Unloading occurs into the ravine-gully network and into the underlying aquifers.

The Quaternary alluvial horizon in Udmurtia is of little practical importance. Its share in the total water intake in the republic is only 2%. Horizon waters are used for centralized water supply in the southeast of the republic within the floodplain and above-floodplain terraces of the Kama River: Novy village on the right bank of the Kama River at the southern border of the Votkinsk reservoir and Kama village on the left bank of the Kama River in the Kambarsky district.

The waters of Quaternary sediments are susceptible to contamination from the surface due to their shallow occurrence and the lack of a sustained waterproof roof.

Aquiferous Severodvinsk carbonate-terrigenous formation (Р3sd)

The aquiferous Severodvinsk carbonate-terrigenous formation is distributed in the northern part of the republic to the latitude of the source of the Kilmezi River and the valley of the Lyp River (the right tributary of the Cheptsa River). The formation is a complex structure of multiple alternation of rhythms of watered and relatively water-resistant rocks, usually beginning with coarse-grained sandstones with interlayers of conglomerates and crowning with clayey and often carbonate rocks. There are from 2-3 to 10 such rhythms in the aquifer formation.

The total thickness of the aquifer suite within the fresh water zone is characterized by a value of 80-100 m. In the recharge area in the upper reaches of the river. Kama, Cheptsy, Kilmezi waters are fresh with a mineralization of 0.3-0.6 g/l. The waters are predominantly calcium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate.

Modules of operational resources vary in area from 0.5 to 1.1 l/s km2. The lowest values ​​are typical for the eastern, and the maximum - for the western part of the formation area.

Due to the aquiferous Severodvinsk formation, water supply is provided to the settlements of the northern part of the republic: Glazov, Yukamenskoye, Krasnogorskoye, Yar. Groundwater extraction in the reporting year amounted to 19.61 thousand m3/day - 15% of the total water intake in the republic.

Aquiferous Urzhum carbonate-terrigenous formation (P2ur)

This formation is widespread in the central and southern parts of the republic. The water-bearing rocks in the rhythmically constructed sequence are lenses of sandstones with interlayers of conglomerates that occur at the base of the section of each of the numerous rhythms. The total thickness of the aquifers varies from 3.0-5.0 m to 40.0 m, amounting in some sections to 2/3 of the thickness of the formation.

The total thickness of the formation is from 44 to 265 m. The groundwater of the formation is stratal-fissure, stratal-pore, and over a larger area of ​​distribution - pressure.

The pressure value varies from 6-10 to 80 m, with prevailing values ​​of 40-50 m. Piezometric levels are installed at depths of 2-70 m.

According to the chemical composition, the waters associated with sandstones and marls of the upper part of the rhythms are hydrocarbonate calcium-magnesium with a mineralization of 0.4-0.6 g/l and a total hardness of 3.3-5.8 mol/m3. The waters in the lower part of the formation are sodium bicarbonate with a mineralization of 0.2-0.8 g/l and a hardness of 0.2-2.4 mol/m3.

The modules of operational resources are distributed as follows: in the eastern part of the republic (region of Votkinsk, Sharkan village, Yakshur-Bodya) the module was 0.6-0.9 l/s km2, in the western (Selty, Syumsi villages) and central parts (Izhevsk, Zavyalovo village, etc.) it is 0.4-1.0 l/s km2.

Extraction of groundwater from the Urzhum aquifer in 2013 amounted to 44.21 thousand m3/day - 35% of the total water intake in the republic. For the central part of the republic, the aquiferous Urzhum formation is the only source of groundwater for domestic and drinking water supply.

Aquiferous Kazan carbonate-terrigenous formation (Р2kz)

Within Udmurtia, this formation is widespread, being absent only in small areas in the south of the territory. South of the Votkinsk - Izhevsk - Uva line, the described aquifer formation is the main one for water supply purposes and in the southernmost part of the republic it partially lies first from the surface. North of the indicated line, it plunges to a considerable depth (up to 500 m in the area of ​​Glazov) and contains mineralized waters.

The water-bearing materials are fine-grained sandstones with lenses of conglomerates, which occur at the base of each rhythm of the complex-layered sequence of the Kazan Formation. In the southwestern part of the territory, the aquifers are limestones, dolomites and marls of the transitional marine facies.

In production wells, water is discovered at depths from 5.3 to 150 m, with predominant depths of 15-75 m. The thickness of the fresh water zone is determined by the incision of the modern erosion network and varies from 100 to 150 m, reducing in certain areas of discharge of mineralized water to 20 -50 m.

The formation’s waters are stratal-fissure, stratal-pore, mostly pressure. The magnitude of the pressure increases with the depth of occurrence of water-containing rocks. In the southern part of the territory, pressures vary from a few to 70 m.

In the southern part of the republic, the waters of the Kazan formation are 3/4 of the thickness (100-150 m) fresh with mineralization up to 1 g/l, with prevailing values ​​of 0.3-0.6 g/l. In terms of chemical composition, they are mainly hydrocarbonate calcium-magnesium and calcium. According to the results of regional work, the module of operational resources over most of the formation area is 0.9 l/s km2.

For the southern part of the republic, the aquiferous Kazan carbonate-terrigenous formation is one of the main sources of water supply. Almost half (48%) of the total groundwater production in the republic comes from this aquifer formation.

Ufa carbonate-terrigenous formation (P1u)

Distributed everywhere, but has practical significance in a very limited area of ​​the south of the republic. The share in the total water withdrawal in the republic does not exceed 0.25%. The water-bearing rocks, the total thickness of which is 25-60 m, are mainly sandstones, less often - fractured siltstones and marls. The waters of the formation are pore-fissure, less often - formation-pore, pressure.

The presence of an aquitard in the upper part creates a closed complex and determines the increased mineralization of groundwater. Low-mineralized waters (1-3 g/l) have a limited distribution in the south of the republic. According to the chemical composition of the water, it is hydrocarbonate calcium-magnesium, calcium sulfate, sodium-calcium chloride and sodium.

Mineral waters contained in the sediments of the Permian and Carboniferous systems are used for medicinal purposes. Their selection in 2013 amounted to 4.4% of proven reserves.

Brines extracted along with oil from Carboniferous and Devonian deposits can be used to extract industrial components (iodine, bromine, etc.). Currently, water, after separation from oil, is discharged through special wells into absorbent sediments of the same age or into productive strata to maintain reservoir pressure.

In the Udmurt Republic, there is an acute problem of the rather low quality of water recovered by production wells, given the large resources of groundwater of drinking quality. The exploitation of natural substandard waters is very widespread. The reason for this situation is the rather peculiar hydrochemical conditions of the territory and the presence of substandard natural waters at shallow depths. Often, bringing such water to drinking standards is very difficult due to the lack of industrial treatment methods.

In the fresh water zone (FWZ), both standard drinking water of the HCO3 - Ca type is common (exceeding the MPC is caused only by anthropogenic activities), and water that is not suitable for use for drinking purposes due to exceeding the MPC for some components and properties.

The zone of development of HCO3-Ca type waters reaches its maximum thickness of 80–100 m at watersheds. These values, in contrast to the WPV, are quite constant for the entire territory of the republic. The constancy of the power of conditioned waters in watersheds suggests that when water filters through a 100-meter thickness of Permian continental red sediments, interaction processes in the “water-rock” system lead to a significant change in the chemistry of water with the accumulation of individual components above the maximum permissible concentration for drinking water. First of all, this is the process of cation exchange of calcium and magnesium for sodium, leading to the formation of “soft” waters, their enrichment with boron and fluorine.

This process is decisive, shaping the hydrochemical zoning on the territory of the republic. The main feature of the existing zoning is the presence of “soft” waters, mainly HCO3 - Na type, in the lower part of the WZ. Lenses of such waters can also be found inside the HCO3 - Ca water zone in areas of sharp deterioration in the filtration characteristics of rocks.

The thickness of the “soft” water zone varies widely depending on the conductivity of the rocks and drainage conditions. In the northern and southern parts of the republic, it is generally smaller, varying from 30 to 80 m. In the central part, the thickness can increase to 100 – 120 m.

Waters of the HCO3-SO4-Cl - Na type are developed fragmentarily in the lowermost part of the WPV and are usually found in areas of pinching out, which are confined to large surface watercourses.

In the vast majority of cases, production wells penetrate and jointly exploit all existing layers in the zone of fresh groundwater. In this case, the chemical composition of the produced water depends on the relative water abundance of the interlayers and can change during operation depending on the intensity of water withdrawal and the installation depth of water-lifting equipment.

In Fig. 1.1.3. The state of exploitation of natural substandard groundwater on the territory of the republic is shown. The diagram outlines the areas where a certain number of wells (in percentage) discharge water that exceeds the maximum permissible concentration for drinking water for boron, sulfates, chlorides and silicon. In substandard waters of the republic, other components, for example, strontium, manganese, and iron, may be found above the norm. But there is not enough information to generalize the situation regarding these components.

To determine (in percentage terms) the number of wells that discharge substandard water for certain components, the territory of the republic was conditionally divided into cells measuring 10x10 km. In each cell, the percentage of substandard wells was calculated (separately for boron, sulfates, chlorides and silicon) relative to the total number of existing production wells. Then, using the interpolation method, isolines were drawn in cells with an equal number of wells (in %) discharging substandard water. Therefore, if in any place the total number of wells is small, and most of them discharge substandard water, then the percentage of substandard wells will be as high as in places with a large concentration of wells.

On average, about 30-40% of wells in the republic discharge natural substandard water. Most of them (75%) are from wells that produce soft sodium bicarbonate waters with a boron content above drinking standards. The given data should be updated over the years as chemical analyzes are received from subsoil users.

Bor. In the diagram shown (Fig. 1.1.3.), the polygons show the number of wells with high boron content, where it constitutes more than 50 or 100% of the total number of wells. However, in the rest of the republic, boron wells are also present in sufficient quantities.

The maximum share of production wells that discharge groundwater with a high boron content is located in the northeast of the republic in the Kez, Balezinsky and Igrinsky regions. Almost all existing wells in delineated areas use substandard water. The same picture is observed at group water intakes in the south of the republic - the Vala water intake (for the city of Mozhga) and the village of Karakulino. If for the city of Mozhga the waters of the Valinsky water intake are mixed with the waters of city wells and their quality partially improves, then in the village of Karakulino the entire population uses substandard water.

Also, a large proportion of production wells with boron water (about 50%) are located in areas of group water intakes: the cities. Izhevsk, Votkinsk, Sarapul, Kambarka, town. Yar, Uva, Kizner, s.s. Krasnogorskoe, Alnashi.

Boron-bearing waters are withdrawn by wells from almost all the main aquifers distributed on the territory of the republic: from the Severodvinsk, from the Urzhum and from the Kazan aquifers (Fig. 1.1.3).

Silicon. Groundwater with silicon content above drinking standards is removed by production wells, mainly in the central part of the republic (Fig. 1.1.3).

At two large group water intakes (Kuzminsky section of the Glazov MPPV and the section of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Votkinsk Plant), silicon is present in all wells above the maximum permissible concentration. At the Kuzminsky site (for the city of Glazov) in 2012, water withdrawal amounted to 13.4 thousand m3/day. There are a total of 4 production wells on the site. According to two of them, silicon has been determined since 1999 and it has always been above the MPC. Its concentrations varied from 12.9 to 20.4 mg/l. In 2012, the silicon content in water was determined 4 times from each well and amounted to 15.5-17.5 mg/l

In the water intake wells of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Votkinsky Plant" the silicon content is 14.1-19.7 mg/l. Despite the operation of the water intake since 1966, silicon was determined only in 2008 when assessing fresh groundwater reserves. Modern water intake does not exceed 1.0 thousand m3/day.

Up to 75% of wells in some areas of the Yakshur-Bodinsky district, and up to 50% in the Debessky and Kezsky districts, discharge groundwater with a silicon content above the maximum permissible concentration.

In total, there are about 274 “silicon” wells in the republic (7% of the total number of active and reserve production wells). They are located in 9 administrative regions of the Ural Republic, their number in one region varies from 1-3 to 11-29. For the most part, these are wells in the Debessky, Sharkansky and Yakshur-Bodinsky districts.

Water wells with high silicon content exploit mostly the Severodvinsk, Urzhum and partially Kazan aquifer formations.

Sulfates. To a lesser extent, in Udmurtia there are a number of wells whose natural waters contain sulfates above drinking standards. Basically, high levels of sulfates in groundwater are found in the south of the republic: in the Uvinsky, Alnashsky, Mozhginsky districts, and less often in the north: in the Kezsky and Balezinsky districts (Fig. 1.1.3). In certain areas in Kizner, Mozhga and Alnashsky district, the number of such wells ranges from 15 to 30%. About 10% of wells with high sulfate content are also located in separate areas in the area of ​​Izhevsk and Uva. In the Kez region (in the central part) in 25% of wells, sulfates are above the MPC.

In total, there are 97 “sulfate” wells in the republic (3% of the total number of active and reserve production wells). They are located in 14 administrative regions of the Ural Republic, their number in one region varies from 1-3 to 15-27. For the most part, these are wells in Izhevsk, Mozhginsky, Uvinsky, Kezsky and Alnashsky regions.

Basically, groundwater with a high content of sulfates is removed from the Kazan deposits (in the south of the republic), and less often from the Urzhum deposits.

Chlorides. For the most part, wells that discharge natural substandard waters with chloride contents above the maximum permissible concentration are confined to the floodplains of large watercourses, such as the Kama, Izh, Cheptsa, Lyp (Fig. 1.1.3), where low-mineralized and salty waters are discharged. "Chloride" wells are available at water intakes in the cities of Izhevsk, Votkinsk, Sarapul, and the village. Balesino and Kez.

In individual areas, the largest percentage of wells with high concentrations of chlorides are located in the Balezinsky and Kezsky districts (20-50%), in the Srapulsky, Votkinsky districts and Izhevsk - 10-20%. In general, these wells are located in 13 administrative districts. The number of wells by region varies from 1-2 to 10-27. The largest number of them is located in the Votkinsk region - 27 wells. In general, “chloride” wells in the republic make up 2% of the total number of wells. In 2012, chlorides above the maximum permissible concentration were recorded in 12 wells; their concentration reached 2.82 g/l (in well 11740 in Votkinsk).

Water wells with high chloride content exploit the Urzhum, Kazan and partially Severodvinsk aquifer formations.

In table 1.1.2. The so-called “problem” administrative regions of the republic are noted, with a large percentage of wells draining substandard groundwater that exceeds the maximum permissible standards for one or another component of natural origin. The problem of low quality of natural waters is most acute in the Balezinsky, Kezsky, Uvinsky and Igrinsky districts.

Table 1.1.2.

Number of production wells with natural inconsistencies in groundwater quality by administrative region

In general, the widespread development of substandard waters and their significant resources compared to drinking waters create the most serious problem of the economic and drinking use of groundwater in the territory of the Udmurt Republic.

Nature of Udmurtia Geographical location Natural zones Climate and waters Tectonics, relief, minerals Output

Geographical position The Republic is located in the east of the East European Plain. borders the Perm Territory, the Kirov Region, the Republic of Tatarstan, and the Republic of Bashkortostan. The extreme points are located on the borders of Glazovsky, Karakulinsky, Kambarsky, Syumsinsky districts. The federal railway Kirov - Perm runs in the north of Udmurtia, and Kazan - Yekaterinburg in the south. 58°38" 55°12" 54°26" 51°10" MENU

Tectonic structure The territory of Udmurtia is part of the Russian Platform, its geological section consists of a crystalline basement and sedimentary cover. The foundation is represented by crystalline rocks of Archean and Lower Proterozoic age. The thickness of the sedimentary cover varies from 1.5 – 2.0 km in the west to 4 – 6 km in the east and more than 6 – 7 km in the southeast of the republic.

Relief The Republic lies in the east of the East European Plain and consists of a number of hills and lowlands. Although the hills (Verkhnekamsk, Mozhginsk and Sarapul) occupy most of the territory, their heights do not exceed 350m. To the south of Cheptsy there are hills: Krasnogorskaya, Tylovaisko-Multanskaya. There are 3 lowlands: Kilmezskaya, Chepetskaya, Kamsko-Belskaya. The entire territory is strongly dissected by river valleys, ravines and ravines. The highest point is 332 m, the lowest is 53 meters.

Mineral resources Oil, peat, coal and brown coal are widespread on the territory of the republic. Deposits of various building materials are widespread. There are deposits of mineral paints: ocher, black paint, volkonskoite. MENU

Fuel minerals Oil deposits are found almost everywhere, with the exception of the northwestern and extreme western regions. In general, the oil is heavy, tarry, and occurs at depths from 680 to 2000 meters. More than 400 peat deposits have been explored in the republic. Peat is suitable and used for the preparation of fertilizers and fuel on an industrial scale. Hard and brown coals have been identified. Brown coal lies at a depth of 2 to 70 meters from the surface. The coal seams lie at a depth of 1000 to 1100 meters.

Construction materials Carbonate rocks can be used as raw materials for the production of lime, lime flour and construction crushed stone. Low-melting clays and loams are widely used for the production of bricks, expanded clay, and tiles. The largest reserves of sand have been identified in the valleys of the Kama and Selychka rivers. Sands can be used for both molding and construction work. The valleys of the Vala and Kilmez rivers are promising for identifying new sand deposits.

Mineral paints Deposits of mineral paints are found in different parts of the republic: ocher - in the Balezinsky, Alnashsky, Kiznersky, Grakhovsky regions; Black paint (feather clay) - in Debessky, Syumsinsky, Seltinsky and Uvinsky districts; Green paint (mineral volkonskoite) - in Sharkansky, Yakshur - Bod'insky, Debessky, Kezsky, Yarsky districts. Udmurtia is one of the few regions of the world where this mineral is found. MENU

Climate of Udmurtia The climate of Udmurtia is temperate continental with distinct 4 seasons. The highest temperatures are observed in summer in the southern regions, the lowest in the northern regions. In winter, isotherms deviate from the latitudinal direction under the influence of the intrusion of warm air from the Atlantic. Therefore, the highest temperatures are observed in the southwest, and the lowest in the northeast. The “pole of cold” is Debes, where cold air stagnates in depressions and the lowest temperatures are recorded. Udmurtia is part of a zone of sufficient moisture; the annual amount varies from 600 mm in the north to 500 or less in the south. The warm period accounts for up to 70% of precipitation.

Water resources Udmurtia is extremely rich in water resources. Surface waters are represented by rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and springs. All rivers belong to the Vyatka and Kama basins. The total length of the rivers is about 30 thousand km. The density of the river network increases from south to north to 0.80 km per sq. km. There are 368 small rivers with a length of 10 to 100 km, 17 medium (from 100 to 500 km) and large (more than 500 km). The rivers are fed by rain, melt and groundwater. The water regime clearly shows spring floods, summer low water, summer and autumn floods, and winter low water. There are more than 600 ponds on the territory of Udmurtia. The largest ones include Izhevsk, Votkinsk, Kambarsky, Pudemsky.

Boundary of the Vyatka and Kama basins Factory ponds Mineral springs Average long-term water flow, cubic m/sec. To determine the value, click on a specific triangle. MENU Lekma 9.8 Kilmez 89.5 Loza 7.7 Vala 21.4 Kama 1730 Siva 21.5

Natural zones The territory of Udmurtia is located within two landscape zones: taiga and subtaiga. The border between them passes just south of Izhevsk. The southern taiga subzone is characterized by a moderately warm and moderately humid climate. A developed river network is associated with the climate. Dark coniferous forests predominate (Norway and Siberian spruce, Scots pine, Siberian fir) on soddy-podzolic soils. Taiga forests are rich in fauna: about 60 species of mammals, more than 150 species of birds, 40 species of fish. The subtaiga zone is characterized by a warmer climate. In the forests there is a mixture of dark coniferous and broad-leaved (linden, maple, elm, elm) species. Soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils are formed under mixed forests. MENU

- a subject of the Russian Federation, part of the Volga Federal District.

Square— 42.1 thousand sq. km.
Length: From north to south - 320 km, from west to east - 200 km.

Population— 1528.5 thousand people (2009 data)
Population density – 36.3 people. per 1 sq. km.
The share of the urban population is 67.8%, rural - 32.2%.

Administrative center- city of Izhevsk.

Geographical location.
The Udmurt Republic is located in the western part of the Middle Urals, in the European Urals, in the interfluve of the Kama and its right tributary, the Vyatka. The surface is a hilly plain, dissected by river valleys and ravines, which gradually decreases from north to south and from east to west. The highest point is 332 meters, located in the northeast of the republic on the Verkhnekamsk Upland. In the south are the Mozhginskaya and Sarapulskaya uplands. In the west, in the river basin. Kilmez is a poorly drained and in places swampy lowland. The lowest point of the republic is 51 meters, in the southwestern part, almost on the border with the Republic of Tatarstan, in the floodplain of the Vyatka River.

Borders: In the west and north - with the Kirov region. In the east - with the Perm region. In the south - with Bashkortostan and Tatarstan.

Climate.
The Udmurt Republic is located in a temperate thermal zone and is located in a zone of inland climate, which is characterized by hot summers, cold, snowy winters and well-defined transition seasons.
The average annual temperature in the republic ranges from 1.0 to 2.5 °C. Temperatures in winter range from -20 to -10 degrees, in summer – from +15 to +22 degrees. The warmest month of the year is July (+17.5 - +19 °C), the coldest is January (-14 - -15 °C). Maximum temperatures reach +37-38 °C. The period with an average daily temperature below 0 °C lasts 160-175 days, starting at the end of October and ending at the beginning of April.

Stable snow cover forms in early to mid-November, and at the latest in early December. Its height reaches its maximum in mid-March, on average 50-60 cm. The average duration of snow cover is 160-175 days.
The average annual precipitation is 500 mm. During the warm period (above 0 °C) 65-75% of the annual precipitation falls. The maximum precipitation occurs in July (62-74 mm), the minimum in February (24-32 mm). The northeastern part of the republic is moistened most by precipitation, and the southwestern part the least.
The growing season lasts from late April to late September.

Water resources.
The territory of Udmurtia belongs to the Kama basin and has a dense, well-developed river network. The total length of all the rivers of the republic is approximately 30 thousand km.
Both of the largest rivers of the Udmurt Republic - the Kama and the Vyatka - have their sources in the north of the republic, but after a few kilometers they leave its territory. After traveling hundreds of kilometers, both rivers return to Udmurtia - in the southeast and southwest, respectively.
Most rivers of the Udmurt Republic are up to 10 km long. - their number exceeds 7000. The number of small rivers (from 10 to 100 km long) is 368, and medium (from 100 to 500 km) and large (more than 500 km) - 17. The largest rivers are the previously mentioned Kama and Vyatka, as well as Cheptsa, Kilmez, Izh, Siva and Vala.

The rivers of the Udmurt Republic are predominantly fed by snow. The average time for freeze-up is mid-to-late November, break-up is mid-to-late April. The flood begins approximately in mid-April and lasts from one month (small rivers) to 40-45 days (large rivers). Of the rivers, only the Kama and Vyatka are navigable.

In addition to rivers, there are more than 600 ponds on the territory of the republic, the largest of which are Izhevsky, Votkinsk, Kambarsky and Pudemsky.
From the southeast and south, Udmurtia is washed by the Votkinsk and Nizhnekamsk reservoirs, formed on the Kama River as a result of the construction of hydroelectric dams.

Flora world.
About half of the territory is covered with forests (mixed and coniferous). The main forest-forming species are spruce, pine, birch, aspen, fir, and linden. The vegetation is rich and varied: the modern flora of Udmurtia includes 1,757 plant species. The main zonal type of vegetation is taiga. At the same time, Udmurtia is located in two subzones, the border between which is an imaginary line passing through Vavozh - Izhevsk. The territory north of this line is located in the subzone of southern taiga, and to the south - in the subzone of deciduous-coniferous forests.

Animal world.
The fauna of Udmurtia is typical for the forest zone. The local fauna includes 49 species of mammals, including elk, bear, squirrel, hare, wild boar, ermine, wolf, etc. Birds: hazel grouse, wood grouse, black grouse, partridge, etc. The rivers are home to bream, roach, perch, ide, burbot .

Minerals.
114 oil fields have been discovered on the territory of the republic. The republic also has peat reserves and nitrogen-methane deposits, building materials (quartz sands, clays, limestones), and is rich in mineral springs and medicinal mud.

The territory that now belongs to Udmurtia , has long been called spring edge . There are about 7,000 large and small rivers, more than 800 ponds, many swamps and even more springs.

The most are Kama, Vyatka, Cheptsa, Kilmez, Izh. They all start with springs. The track is fed by rain, snow and groundwater. In the upper reaches the river flow is fast, and then slows down. In the spring they spread widely, and in the summer they become very shallow. The rivers of Udmurtia are flat and have a calm flow in the lower reaches.

The largest river in Udmurtia is the Kama. in the northeastern part of the Verkhnekamsk Upland, which is poetically called “the land of springs and fast-flowing rivers.” It flows as a fast river north to the Kirov region, then east to the Perm region, and then south and returns to Udmurtia on the eastern border as a deep river near the city of Votkinsk.

The Kama flows through the south-eastern republic for 225 km, the banks are picturesque, the current is calm. For a long time, Kama connected people with other territories. It was a road to the Volga region, the Center, the Urals, and the south of Russia. The emergence of industry in Udmurtia and the development of the cities of Sarapul, Votkinsk and Kambarka are associated with it. In 1961, a hydroelectric power station was built near the town of Tchaikovsky and a reservoir was constructed. The Kama is called a working river; timber is floated along it, cargo and passengers are transported. Navigation on it lasts more than 6 months.

The Vyatka River is the right tributary of the Kama. It starts in the north of the Yarsky district and goes to the Kirov region. And only in the extreme southeast does it return to Udmurtia. In its lower reaches, in a small area, it forms the border with Tatarstan.

The Izh River is the largest tributary of the Kama, which flows into it on the territory of Tatarstan. The source of the Izha is located in the Yakshur-Bodiinsky district. It starts with a large spring. Scientists suggest that Izh in the Udmurt language means spring. But there are other versions of the origin of the name “Izh”. The water of the Izh and its numerous tributaries is used to supply water to residents, industrial enterprises and thermal power plants.

There are many ponds in Udmurtia. The largest of them were created on the rivers Izh, Votka, Kambarka. Many are created for breeding fish and waterfowl. On the Izh River the largest is Izhevsky Pond. It was created in 1760 for the needs of the Izhevsk ironworks. The length of the pond is about 12 km, width 2.5 km, average depth 3.5 m. This is one of the largest Ural ponds. It creates a favorable microclimate for the capital of the republic, supplies the population, industrial enterprises, and thermal power plants with water.

Pond water is not enough for the city's needs. To provide water to Izhevsk, a unique canal was built - the Kama water conduit, 54 km long. Through its pipes, Kama water flows into the Izhevsky pond. The eastern and northern districts of the capital use Kama water.

There are many small lakes on the territory of the republic, mostly of static origin. They gradually become overgrown with grass and turn into swamps. There are many peat-rich swamps in the republic. In addition, they replenish groundwater and serve as natural moisture collectors.

Water supply to the population, as well as industrial and agricultural enterprises in Udmurtia is quite good. The republic is rich in water resources. But in recent years, the quality of drinking water has begun to deteriorate. To preserve medium and small rivers, water protection zones are needed. It is forbidden to cut down trees and shrubs on the coast; it is necessary to prohibit the use of fertilizers, the discharge of polluted wastewater, garbage dumping, and the construction of parking lots and enterprises.

Unfortunately, water protection zones are often violated and lead to water pollution with household, domestic and industrial wastewater, which contains poorly soluble substances.

Oil workers in Udmurtia build special “oil traps” at wells to purify water, install treatment facilities at industrial enterprises, improve springs, and clean river banks from debris.