Verkhniaia Svir Reservoir

Verkhniaia Svir’ Reservoir

 

a reservoir formed in 1951-52 by the dam of the Verkhniaia Svir’ Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Svir’ River, on the territory of Vologda and Leningrad oblasts, RSFSR, and of the Karelian ASSR. It consists of two parts: a river part (the Ivinskii overflow) and Lake Onega. The rise of the water formed in the reservoir raised the average long-range level of the lake by 0.5 m.

The reservoir has an area of 9,930 sq km, a volume of 260 eu km, a length of 246 km (the corresponding figures for the river part alone are 230 sq km, 0.7 cu km, and about 90 km), and a maximum width of 91 km. The reservoir makes possible long-range regulation of the discharge and the operation of the Verkhniaia and Nizhniaia Svir’ hydroelectric power plants. The Verkhniaia Svir’ Reservoir is part of the White Sea-Baltic Sea and Volga-Baltic Sea waterways. It is also used for water supply and for fishing (pike perch, bream, and vendace).