Volga River
Posted by: 
NevaP
N 57° 37.473 E 039° 54.445
37V E 554196 N 6387273
This is the longest River in Europe and the most important waterway in Russia.
Waymark Code: WM31EW
Location: Russia
Date Posted: 01/25/2008
Views: 64
The mighty Volga river arises from small streams in the Valdai Hills north east of Moscow, in the vicinity of N 57 6.0, E 32 50.0. The elevation here is only about 740 feet and the river flows 2293 miles to its confluence with the Caspian sea, 30 feet below sea level, in the vicinity of N 45 39.0, E 48 33.0, a gradient of only a few inches per mile. A continuous series of large dams make the river navigable for almost its entire length. From its origin it flows northeast until making an abrupt turn at Rybinsk, about N58 5.725, E38 42.245, to flow southeast and then south, making a great half circle across the heart of Russia.
The dams, and associated hydroelectric plants, mostly built during the soviet years, provide electric power to a vast area in the heart of Russia and regulate the flow of the river throughout the year. They have also stagnated the river causing increasing pollution of its waters.
Through out Russian history the Volga has been an important waterway even though it was a landlocked river with no direct access to the sea. Massive canal systems have now linked it to St Petersburg and the Baltic in the north, to the city of Moscow, and to the Don River, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.
About half of Russia's industry is located within the drainage of the Volga and about 40% of the population of Russia live nearby. In the 21st century numerous cruise ships travel most parts of the Volga along with commercial vessels adding a growing tourism industry to the area. It is said that without the Volga there would be no Russia and it is often called Mother Volga.
The coordinates for the waymark were taken from a cruise ship anchorage at Yaroslavl, a large city on the southeast flowing section of the Volga.
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