Vychegda

enUK

Vychegda

(vĭ`chĕgdä), river, c.700 mi (1,130 km) long, rising in several headstreams in the Urals, NE European Russia, and flowing generally W into the Northern Dvina River at Kotlas. It is navigable (Apr.–November) c.595 mi (960 km) to Voldino and is used for timber flotation. Solvychegodsk and Syktyvkar are two of its chief ports. In the 16th cent. the Vychegda was an important water route to Siberia.

Vychegda

 

a river in the Komi ASSR and Arkhangelsk Oblast, RSFSR, a right tributary and the largest tributary of the Severnaia Dvina. It is 1,130 km long and has a basin area of 121,000 sq km.

The Vychegda originates on the southern edge of the Timan Ridge. In its upper reaches the valley is narrow and incised to a depth of 2(MO m; there are rapids. Downstream the valley forms lakelike swampy expanses in certain areas. A broad, marshy floodplain with numerous lakes and oxbow lakes stretches along the entire river channel. There are numerous shoals and washed-away, undermined banks. The river is fed by diverse sources, predominantly by snow. The mean annual flow rate measures 599 cu m per sec at Syktyvkar and 1,100 cu m per sec near the river’s mouth. The Vychegda freezes at the beginning of November, and the ice breaks up at the end of April. Its most important tributaries are the Vol’, Vishera, and Vym’ on the right and the Nem, Severnaia Kel’tma, Lokchim, Sysola, and Viled’ on the left. The Vychegda is used for floating timber. During the spring it is navigable as far as Vol’dino (959 km); during the summer and fall, as far as Ust’-Kulom (693 km). The river’s principal landings are at Sol’vychegodsk, larensk, Mezhog, Aikino, Syktyvkar, and Ust’-Kulom.