The Dnieper is one of the five largest rivers in Europe and is the main water artery of Ukraine. The length of the water flow is 2,285 km. It flows through the territory of the Russian Federation, the Belarusian state, and most of it is within Ukraine. The total catchment area of the Dnieper is more than 500 thousand square meters. km.
The Dnieper originates in the swamp of the Okovskiy Forest forest, in the south of the Valdai Upland (territorially - Smolensk region). It carries its waters to the Black Sea, to the Dnieper-Bug Estuary. On the territory of Ukraine, the flow becomes high-water, since it is here that the largest tributaries of the Dnieper are located. The mouth is considered to be Zaporozhye. Closer to the northern region, the channel is divided into two branches, which wash the rocky island of Khortytsya. The valley at this point is about 4 km wide, but further it increases to 20 km.
Despite the fact that the Dnieper is one of the largest rivers in Europe, it cannot boast of a large number of tributaries. They are distributed unevenly. The tributaries of the Dnieper River are most concentrated in the upperflow. The total number of all rivers flowing into the main water stream of Ukraine is more than 15,000.
Berezina River
Berezina is the longest river in Belarus, the largest right tributary of the Dnieper. The length of the stream is 613 km. The source is the Berezinsky Reserve, the current is southern. It flows into the Dnieper near the village of Beregovaya Sloboda, Gomel Region. The catchment area of the river is almost 25,000 square meters. km.
The large right tributaries of the Dnieper River are full of water. They are the main source of nutrition of the main artery. The Berezina has a wide channel, its width varies from 100 to 300 m, in a separate section the river is navigable (500 km). Steep banks predominate, sometimes reaching a height of 15 m. The right slopes are much higher than the left ones. From December to March, the Berezina is covered with a layer of ice. The upper reaches of the river are marshy; this is a very good place for the population of some animal species, in particular bison and bears. Many species of birds also nest in the region. There is a sufficient amount of fish in the river - pike, perch, pike perch, catfish, bream, crucian carp. Thanks to this, Berezina is a favorite place for fishing.
Pripyat River
Another right tributary of the Dnieper is the Pripyat River. Its length is 775 km. The river flows through the territory of Belarus and Ukraine. The catchment area is 114 sq. km. The source of the river is the area near the village. Horn Smolars (Volyn region). The width of the channel increases from the source to the mouth. At the beginning of the course, it is 40 m, and towards the approach to the Dnieper it expands to 4 km (the river flows intodirectly to the Kiev reservoir). It is covered with ice from December to March, then there is a long ice drift - almost two months. Has a mixed type of food.
In the place where the river flows near the city of Pripyat, it was artificially dried up, and the waters were transferred to a bypass channel. However, according to the results of various studies, it was found that the waters of the river carry dangerous radionuclides, and therefore recreation and fishing are undesirable here.
Teterev River
Teterev is the right tributary of the Dnieper, flowing into the Kiev reservoir. The length of the river is 365 km, the catchment area is more than 15,000 sq. km. The river begins its life at Nosovka of the Zhytomyr region, flowing completely through the territory of Ukraine. In the upper sections, the water flow is represented by rocks that come to the surface and create rapids. The average width of the river is 20-40 m, the maximum is 90 m. The banks here are high, in some places overgrown with forest. A hydroelectric power station was built on the Teterev River.
Irpin River
Irpen is the right tributary of the Dnieper. Its length is 162 km, the catchment area is more than 3,000 sq. km. The source is located near Yarovichi (Zhytomyr region). In the upper reaches, the river is narrow - only 4-5 m, closer to the mouth of the Irpin it expands to 25 m. This watercourse is very rich in different types of fish. This place is suitable for fishing. In the 60s, many lock-regulators were built on the river, thanks to which it was possible to cope with the swampiness of this region. The food of the river is mixed, mostly snowy.
Desna River
Desna is the largest left tributarythe main river of Ukraine with a length of 1,130 km. The catchment area is 88 thousand square meters. km. The source of the river is the Golubev Mokh peat bog (Smolensk Upland). In the upper reaches, the watercourse passes through the flat terrain, has low, swampy banks. The Desna is covered with ice from December to March. The river bed is winding, in some places it reaches a width of 450 m. The average depth is 3-4 m, the maximum depth is 17 m.
Desna receives more than 30 large tributaries. There are no artificial dams and channels along the entire length of the river, so in spring it overflows heavily. This feature contributes to the spawning of fish, which is found here in large numbers. Also, due to floods along the Desna, there are a large number of lakes.
Vorskla River
Vorskla is the left tributary of the Dnieper, which has a length of 464 km. The source of the river is the western slope of the Central Russian Upland (the territory of the Belgorod region). The catchment area is more than 14 thousand square meters. km. The width of the river in some areas reaches 10 km. The banks of the Vorskla are uneven: the right one is steep, the left one is gently sloping, often swampy. The river bed is winding, and the depth is 2-4 m. The bottom is sandy, often on the shore you can find open areas of beaches. Mixed food. The river is covered with ice in December and opens in March. Locks and dams have been built throughout the water stream.
The animal world is also rich here. There are hares, foxes, wild boars, roe deer and many kinds of birds. Of the fish in Vorskla are found: cyprinids, carp, bream, pike, perchetc. Along the coast there are mixed forests.
Sula River
Another left tributary of the Dnieper is the Sula River. Its length is 363 km. The catchment area is 18,500 sq. km. The movement of the river begins on the Central Russian Upland (Sumy region). It flows in a western direction, at the confluence with the Dnieper forms a branched delta. The floodplain of the river is swamped with peat bogs. It has a winding channel with stretches throughout the territory. The width of the channel is from 15 to 75 m. The bottom has a silty character, and the banks are high, sometimes steep. A mixed type of nutrition prevails, the water is rich in minerals and iodine. Part of the river is navigable. But the main value of Sula is in its use for water supply and irrigation. These places are rich in flora and fauna.
Samara River
Samara is the left tributary of the Dnieper, 320 km long. The source of the river is located in the Donetsk region, in the western part of the Donetsk Ridge. It flows directly into the Dnieper reservoir. The catchment area is more than 22,000 sq. km. The river bed is winding, the average width is 40-80 m, the maximum width is 300 m. The river is fed by a mixed type, ice is unstable in winter. In some seasons, the water can freeze completely.
In Samara, the ichthyofauna is represented by a large number of species: crucian carp, pike, perch, gobies, pike perch, etc. Dams have been built on the river runoff, which are used for household needs.
Trubezh River
Trubezh is the left tributary of the Dnieper, 113 km long. The catchment area is almost 5,000 sq. km. The source of the river runs at Petrovsky, Chernihiv region. The Trubezh flows into the Kanev reservoir. The water flow is fed by snow. The width of the river valley is up to 5 km, the river has deep sections - up to 10 m. Trubezh freezes at the end of November, ice drift begins in March. The city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky is located on this river - a large Ukrainian city, which is famous for its ancient architecture.
