East Manych
Encyclopedia
East Manych is a river
in the eastern and central part of the Kuma-Manych Depression
in southern Russia
.
East Manych flows east through Kalmykia and along its border with the Stavropol Krai
, and ends in the Sostino Lakes (Состинские озёра). According to the Russian geographers, the East Manych is 141 km long; if one were to include the usually dry sections in its lower course, the total length would be over 220 km.
The Chogray Reservoir
(Чограйское водохранилище; 45°29′30"N 44°36′10"E) was built on this river in 1969. The reservoir receives water from the Terek and Kuma
Rivers via the Terek-Kuma Canal (completed 1958) and the Kuma-Manych Canal
(completed 1965).
of the Kuma-Manych Depression at 45°43′N 44°06′E, would split
: the left distributary
, flowing north and then west, toward Lake Manych-Gudilo, would become the source of the West Manych, while the right distributary, flowing south and then east, would become the headwaters of the East Manych. During the 20th century, most of the water went into the eastern distributary, until it was dammed. Later, a solid dam was built at this point, preventing any water from flowing from the Kalaus into the East Manych, thus making the Kalaus the source of only the West Manych.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the eastern and central part of the Kuma-Manych Depression
Kuma-Manych Depression
The Kuma–Manych Depression , is a geological depression in southwestern Russia that separates the Russian Plain from the Fore-Caucasus...
in southern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
East Manych flows east through Kalmykia and along its border with the Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai
Stavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
, and ends in the Sostino Lakes (Состинские озёра). According to the Russian geographers, the East Manych is 141 km long; if one were to include the usually dry sections in its lower course, the total length would be over 220 km.
The Chogray Reservoir
Chogray Reservoir
Chogray Reservoir is an artificial reservoir on the East Manych River on the border of Stavropol Krai and Kalmykia in southern Russia.The reservoir, 49 km long, was constructed in 1969-1973, primarily to satisfy the demands of local irrigated farming....
(Чограйское водохранилище; 45°29′30"N 44°36′10"E) was built on this river in 1969. The reservoir receives water from the Terek and Kuma
Kuma River (Russia)
The Kuma is an long river in southern Russia. Its drainage basin is 33 500 square km. Its source is in the Greater Caucasus, in the republic Karachay-Cherkessia, west of Kislovodsk...
Rivers via the Terek-Kuma Canal (completed 1958) and the Kuma-Manych Canal
Kuma-Manych Canal
The Kuma–Manych Canal is an irrigation canal in Russia's Stavropol Krai. The canal, completed in 1965, runs across the Kuma–Manych Depression, connecting the Kuma River, which flows into the Caspian Sea, with the East Manych River, which also flows toward the Caspian, but dries out long before...
(completed 1965).
The common source
Formerly, the upper reaches of the East and West Manych were connected, at least in wet years or seasons. The Kalaus River, when reaching the thalwegThalweg
Thalweg in geography and fluvial geomorphology signifies the deepest continuous inline within a valley or watercourse system.-Hydrology:In hydrological and fluvial landforms, the thalweg is a line drawn to join the lowest points along the entire length of a stream bed or valley in its downward...
of the Kuma-Manych Depression at 45°43′N 44°06′E, would split
River bifurcation
River bifurcation occurs when a river flowing in a single stream separates into two or more separate streams which continue downstream. Some rivers form complex networks of distributaries, especially in their deltas...
: the left distributary
Distributary
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. They are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributary is a tributary...
, flowing north and then west, toward Lake Manych-Gudilo, would become the source of the West Manych, while the right distributary, flowing south and then east, would become the headwaters of the East Manych. During the 20th century, most of the water went into the eastern distributary, until it was dammed. Later, a solid dam was built at this point, preventing any water from flowing from the Kalaus into the East Manych, thus making the Kalaus the source of only the West Manych.