Where does the Sura River begin? The Sura River is the “younger sister” of the Volga

Sura River.

The Sura River is an important river for us, Its bottom is silver, Its banks are steep and gilded. An ancient folk tale Sura (Chuv. - Syr) is a river, the right tributary of the Volga, one of its most significant tributaries within the Chuvash Volga region. The total length is 864 km, of which 2/3 of the Sura runs outside the borders of Chuvashia. Its beginning. Sura takes place in the Ulyanovsk region on the northern outskirts of the village of Surskie Vershiny. From there it flows west, to Penza. Then it turns north and 4 km north of the settlement of Sura again finds itself in the Ulyanovsk region. Further from the Ulyanovsk region, near the village. Ivankovo-Lenino, enters the territory of the Alatyr region and flows from south to northwest through the Alatyr and Poretsk regions and along the western border of the Chuvash Republic for 230 km. Running through forests, wide collective farm fields and meadows, past apple orchards and suburban vegetable gardens, it slowly makes its way to the Volga, where it flows from the territory of the Nizhny Novgorod region near the city of Vasilsursk. The left slope of the river is moderately steep, reaching a height of 50-70 m, and in the area of ​​the village. Stemasy, Alatyr district, as well as near the village. Poretskoye, the villages of Ustinovka, Kozlovka, Poretsky district, are especially steep and steep. It is heavily crossed along its entire length by ravines, rivers and streams, and in many places is covered with continuous forest or isolated groves.

The floodplain is wide everywhere, up to 5-6 km, and even more between the settlements of Poretskoye-Shumerlya and the mouth of the Pyana. It is composed of sandy and sandy loam soils, and in wetlands - peat; rises above the low-water level by 2-7 m, often ending in a steep ledge towards the river. In the area of ​​Knyazhesky and Krasny Yars, the height of the steep ledge reaches 15-20 m.

The floodplain abounds in lakes, the banks of which are covered with shrub and tree vegetation. Only in the floodplain of the Sura within the Chuvash Republic can be counted about 500 lakes, of which Chernoe is the largest, Dolgoe is the longest in Chuvashia. The floodplain of the Sura in its middle course is almost completely forested, only within the Krasnochetaisky and Yadrinsky districts it is much less so. Floodplain forests are oak groves or elm forests confined to elevated areas, while the lowlands are occupied by aspen, and in the near-terrace part floodplain alder forests grow. There are many others in the tree layer broadleaf species- alder, birch, linden, spruce is also found.

The rest of the floodplain, devoid of forest, is covered with meadows. Near the village of Mizherkasy the floodplain is low-lying. Here, grass stands of meadow foxtail and swamp bluegrass predominate. Upstream, meadows are found only in clearings. In the clearings lying in the depths of the forest, where the soils are granular, almost purely cereal grass stands predominate, where foxtail, bromegrass, wheatgrass, meadow fescue, white bentgrass, and swamp bluegrass grow together. In some clearings with granular soil, the grass stand contains a lot of legumes, as well as red and pink clover. Near

The central floodplain of Alatyr is elevated, and the meadows on it are partially plowed, partially preserved, but poor, reminiscent of dry meadows: sparse small-grass grass with low drought-resistant forbs. They differ from ordinary dry meadows in their steppe nature and the presence of fescue and thin-legged grass in the grass stand. Above Alatyr, the floodplain decreases again, and cereal grass stands are developed on granular soils, and near Ivankovo-Lenino, on silt-sandy layered soils, foxtail meadows occupy a large space. The grass harvest in the meadows located in the Sura floodplain is generally always good. It should be noted that floodplain meadows are annually flooded with flood water. The average date of break-up (beginning of spring ice drift) in Sur is April 12. There was a case when the spring ice drift began on March 30 (1937), and the late one - on April 24 (1952). Complete clearing of ice most often occurs at the beginning of the third ten days of April. In spring, due to intensive snow melting, the water level rises rapidly. The average rise in water level in the area of ​​the village of Knyazhikha (Nizhny Novgorod region) reaches 8.4 m, and the maximum rise is 10.1 m (04/25/1963). The average date for the highest water level in the spring is April 17, the earliest is April 3 (1966), and the latest is May 1 (1952). Here we use data from a hydrological post located near the village of Knyazhikha, Nizhny Novgorod region, where observations were carried out from 1930 to 1970. In the most high-water years, in a number of settlements located on the banks of the Sura, houses and streets of several settlements located in the right-bank floodplain are flooded.

The decline of the flood occurs more slowly than the rise, and lasts up to 1.5-2 months. With the end of the flood, a period of low water begins, which occurs in June-July. The most low levels installed in August-September. At this time, the average width of the channel is 110-250 m. At this time, the channel is replete with shoals and riffles. There are especially many of them between the settlements of Alatyr - Poretskoye, as well as downstream to the city of Shumerlya. During water expeditions, we many times encountered islands and shallow areas in the riverbed between the indicated settlements. We saw people crossing the Sura in the Alatyr region without any watercraft. The depth on the rifts is 0.7-1 m, on the reaches - 3-7 m. Very deep places are found in the area of ​​the Knyazhesky and Krasny yars, where the depth reaches 8-12 m. The current speed on the reaches is insignificant and only on the rifts reaches 0.5-0.8 m/s. Freeze-up on Sura occurs at the end of November, the deadline is the beginning of December. The ice thickness reaches 30-50 cm on the rifts, 50-70 cm on the reaches. IN chemical composition The waters of the Sura, above the confluence of the Piana, are dominated by bicarbonates, i.e., acid salts of carbonic acid, and below the confluence of the Piana - sulfates, i.e., salts of sulfuric acid. The Sura above the confluence of the Piana belongs to a zone with moderately hard water, and below the confluence - hard (T.G. Galaktionova. Mineralization and general hardness of river waters // Collection of works of the Gorky Hydrometeorological Observatory. Gorky, 1964). River water turbidity Sura is about 230 g/m3. On average, it carries about 1.9 million tons of suspended matter into the Volga annually, that is, almost as much as the Oka, despite the fact that its drainage area is almost 4 times smaller, and the annual runoff is 4.5 times less. .

Of the more than four dozen tributaries in the Chuvash section of the Sura, the most significant are the left ones - Atratka (13 km), Karmala (22 km), Alatyr, Me (partially flowing through the territory of our republic), Kisha, Medyana, Urga (flowing from the Nizhny Novgorod region); right - Abyss, Lyulya, Kirya, Algashka, Kumashka, Kumazhana, Urevka, Vyla, etc.

With the filling of the Cheboksary reservoir, the width, depth and regime of the river changed significantly. The water level at the river mouth after filling the reservoir rose by 11 m. In the Yadrinsky district, large floodplain areas were flooded, and many lakes disappeared.

Sura is navigable; passenger and cargo transportation has long been carried out along it. This can be judged by the volume of trade that was carried out along the Sura. So, for 1857-1861. on average per year it shipped (in poods): rye flour ~ 2,321,739, malt - 22,908, oats - 465,036, buckwheat - 111,006, wheat - 533,810, millet - 4,160, peas - 25,040, barley - 17,877, flax seeds - 86,470, hemp oil - 2200, calcined potash - 91,463, lard - 107,813, alcohol (in buckets) - 51,791, rags - 3,000. All of them, with few exceptions, were sent to northern capital, and therefore the Sur caravan was usually also called “Petersburg”.

In 1832, a steamship appeared on Sura. But until the end of the last century, barge haulage persisted here. The number of shipworkers on the river reached 10-13 thousand people. One of the documents noted: “On Sura, barge haulage is more preserved; all ships, without exception, rafted to the Volga, go to Rybinsk on a towline, sail or import.” The Surek barge haulers were distinguished by their special art of piloting ships; for the most part, peasants from low-income or large families became barge haulers. The main place for loading and unloading goods was the Kurmysh pier. Among the barge haulers one could also meet many of our fellow countrymen, residents of the Krasnochetaisky region.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries. The Sura remained the main waterway of the Kurmysh district. All major cargo transportation was carried out along it. The questionnaire of the Gentry Cadet Corps, compiled for the Kurmysh Voivodeship for November 6 - January 30, 1761, states: “On the Sura River flowing near Kurmysh, ordinary plows walk with bread, with salt and with government forests and with wine only in the spring, when the most there is a large water spill, and those ships along the Sura go with bread from the cities of Penza and Alatyr, with salt from Saratov, with government forests cut down near the city of Kurmysh, loaded from piers close to the cities, with wine factories located in the Penza and Alatyr district, to various upper cities." This indicates the level of development of navigation on this river in the distant past. Cities and large settlements served as piers. The Vylsko-Zavodskaya (the mouth of the Vyla) and Alatyrskaya piers were especially famous, from which grain and timber were exported in large quantities.

Even in the recent past, in the 50s-80s. XX century, one could see how ships and barges loaded with various cargo and goods passed up and down the Sura. At the same time, passengers were transported by flat-bottomed high-speed vessels of the Zarnitsa type, which could land on the shore anywhere. Currently, due to rising water levels, navigation opportunities have increased, but for various reasons, cargo transportation has decreased significantly, and regular passenger transportation above Yadrin does not take place at all.

Sura was famous for its rich ichthyofauna, back in the 1940-1960s. More than 100 quintals of excellent river fish were caught here annually.

In file No. 228 “Information of the Yadrinsky district leader of the nobility on the state of state property in the district for 1865” it is said: “In Sura there is sterlet, which in taste has an advantage over the Volga, bream, pike perch, and in the lakes: perch, crucian carp, sorozhka and other small fish." And in the newspaper “Russian Diary” (dated June 4, 1859), which was published in St. Petersburg, in the article “Kurmysh Chuvashes” it was noted: “The Chuvashes do not engage in fishing, muskrats and minks, of which there are a lot.” In the footnote to the article there is a disclaimer: “There were a lot of beavers on Sura, and they disappeared not more than 50 years ago.” Currently, due to the deterioration of the ecological condition of the river, there is a process of reduction in the species and number of fish. Valuables have almost disappeared sturgeon species fish, in particular sterlet. The largest fish living in Sura is catfish. There was a case when an amateur fisherman in the Krasny Yar area caught a catfish weighing 56 kg.

The picturesque nature of Sura is of great recreational importance. These places are an excellent place for recreation and tourism for the residents of the republic. On the banks of the Sura there are children's summer health camps and holiday homes, and in the Yadrinsky district there is the famous tourist base "Sursky Dawns". In order to attract tourists from other regions and countries, it is necessary to develop an appropriate recreational economy here, taking into account the peculiarities of history, culture, way of life, and traditions of the peoples living in this region. Sura, in addition, provides water to cities and villages located on its banks, and itself is in dire need of protection from industrial and domestic pollution.

The Sura River was considered one of the most sacred rivers of Rus' and the Russian people. And this river has more than one address. One Sura is a tributary of the sacred Dnieper, the other is a tributary of the sacred Mother Volga. Many others remarkable places associated with the name Sura.

Researcher of Sourozh Rus', Ruskolani S. Lyashevsky, in his work “Prehistoric Rus'” (based on the research of famous American professors of Russian origin S.Ya. Paramonov and N.F. Skripnik) notes that “Sura” means “sun”. We find from him that sura is a sacrificial drink.

The chronicler Nestor, touching on pagan times, tells that the Rus gathered to pray at springs instead of temples: “They drink sura to the glory of our gods.”

The latest newcomers to the Volga Sura are Mordovian settlers. Penza researcher M.S. Poluboyarov wrote down a Mordovian legend born no earlier than the 18th century:

“In ancient times, the Erzyans did not live here, but in some other place. They heard that the lands near the Volga were rich and free. And they decided to move to the Volga. They arrived, and everything there was already occupied by other peoples. The old people began to give advice: should we go back or try our luck somewhere else? We spent the night on the bank of a river. Nobody knew its name. One an old man and says: “Let’s go along this river. She's like thumb, indicates the direction." We listened to this advice. They went up from the Volga and found free lands... They settled here. And the river was named Sur. In Erzya “sur” means “finger”.

How did the Mordovians come to the river, major influx Volga, where “everything was already occupied by other peoples” and “no one knew its name”? It is unlikely. Mordovians are very smart people. The fact that they knew the real Sura is confirmed by the presence of the drink “sura” in Mordovian cuisine. A sura is a sura, and not some kind of finger. The word “quasura” is also known from Sanskrit; Apparently, kvass and sura are related drinks.

"Surya" - in Sanskrit (the oldest written language of the Brahman religion; Indo-European family of languages) means the sun. In Sanskrit, “Surabahi” is a goddess in the form of a wonderful cow, capable of giving gold instead of milk, gems and other valuables. In Sanskrit, “Sura Devi” is an intoxicating drink that personifies the goddess Surabahi. Hence Russian word"sura" used by the Magi in magical rites, and by the people for the same reason and how to drink. The toponyms “sura” are associated with the sacraments of the Magi, their path to escape into dense thickets to perform rituals of worship of the gods.

There is a river Sura in the basin Northern Dvina. The Surov River flows in the Mogilev region of Belarus. Big Suren and Small Suren are in Bashkiria.

Another Sura (perhaps the first on the Russian Plain) flows into the Dnieper, at the Dnieper rapids, in a place where everything is imbued with the Russian spirit and beliefs Ancient Rus'. The current name of the river is Mokra Sura. There is also Sursky Island and the Sursky Rapids. The Mokraya Sura has two tributaries - the Kamyshevataya Sura and the Sukhaya Sura, which emphasizes the stability of this hydronym in this area. In addition, on the right bank of Ukraine there are rivers: Sursha, Sura Stolpovaya, two Surzhi and Surka.

There are many places of worship of ancient Russian gods on the territory of Ukraine and Belarus. The names of ancient temples were inherited by ancient cities. In the former Vitebsk province there is such a city on the spout of the Dvina and Kasplya rivers. There is Surozh near Grodno on the Narew River. There was a village called Surazhichi on the Iputa River, and since 1781 the city of Surazh. Some toponyms are more than one thousand years old. The villages of Sura are known in the Arkhangelsk and Penza regions, Surava - in the Tambov region, Surazh - a regional center in the Bryansk region, Surinsk - in the Samara region. And it was spread all the way to Altai, where Surkash is, and the Primorsky Territory, where Suragievka is. There are Surgut and Surgodi...

Where there are Russian people, there is “sura”, “surazh”. The Slavic Rhaetia, where the Danube, Rhone, Rhine, and Adizh rivers originate, is no longer in the Alps, but even here there is still a tract that gave its name to the village of Sura. Moreover, in some gorges of the Alpine mountains, several tens of thousands of Slavs have been living for the third millennium - the remnants of the glorious Raetia.

From the work of the Byzantine writer Procopius “On Buildings,” written in 560 (Journal “Bulletin” ancient history", 1939, № 4), the fortress of Sura in Thrace is known.

For the ancient Ross, the wilderness and hunting are more valuable than the golden bridle

Right here, in Crimea, the Russian city of Surozh has been known since ancient times. Hordes of Goths, Huns, and Tatar-Mongols swept across the country with an ancient, rich culture; Sourozh Rus' was destroyed. But the memory remains.

State formations of the Goths, Byzantium, and later a fragment of the Golden Horde, the Khanate appeared in Crimea Crimean Tatars, vassal of Turkey.

However, the name Sourozh was preserved both in everyday life and in the Orthodox church language... From a number of sources, including from the “Degree Book,” we know about the holy Archbishop Stephen of Sourozh. The parish was called not just any name, but in the old way – Sourozh.

In ancient times, the Greeks and later the Italians founded Black Sea coast There are many colonial cities. The merchant Greeks called the former Surozh similar to the name Sugdeya. The Italian Genoese, who ousted the Greeks in the 14th century, called the city in their own way, but also in harmony - Soldaya.

Only the Russians, including the chroniclers, still called the city Surozh. In 852, the Novgorod prince Bravlin made a campaign in the Crimea, which the chronicler captured: “And the Slavs marched from Novgorod, Prince Brovalin and fought the Greeks and conquered the Greek land from Kherson and to Kerchev and to Surozh...”

Let us once again note the stability of ancient legends, which is sometimes stronger than paper and rock carvings. For a long time now there has been no Surozhi-city in Crimea, and Moscow and other merchants who traded with Crimean cities, both in the 14th century and at the beginning of the 16th century, were called “Surozhans”, “guests-Surozhans”. That’s what they wrote in documents and chronicles. Traders did not travel from Genoese Soldaya, but from Surozhi, as in ancient times.

In Russian chronicles of the 12th century the Sea of ​​Azov is also called the Sea of ​​Surozh. It apparently became Azov with the construction of the Azov fortress by the Turks.

Sura, Surazh, Surozh, Surozh Rus' - these are not consonances, but a hit in the name of the Sun worshipers who drink the sacred Sura.

Nowadays, on the site of the Crimean city of Surozh, there is an urban-type settlement of Sudak. And Russian people live there. It’s as if the sun has completed another cycle... However, here we see an old truth: Russians always come (or return) to where the threat comes from. Russians, like trout, swim against the current. If only you wake them up. And it wouldn’t hurt to repeat and remember this.

In 1717, during the raid of the Kuban highlanders and Crimean Tatars on the territory today assigned to the Saratov, Penza, and Ulyanovsk regions, more than a hundred Russian, Mordovian and Chuvash villages were burned and wiped off the face of the earth. Thousands and thousands of people died. Tens of thousands were sold into slavery in Crimea, Bukhara, Turkey, Egypt...

1717 - the time of Peter the Great Russian Empire, when the Swedish army, which in 1709 was considered the strongest in Europe, read in the world, was already defeated near Poltava. But even at this time asian habit to the slave trade did not fade away, the predation of the slave traders was on an incredible scale. This does not remain without consequences. As a result, in the 19th century, five hundred thousand highlanders moved from the Kuban to Turkey, and about six hundred thousand Crimean Tatars moved from the Crimea.

Only the names Rus and Surozh did not return to Crimea. This is a flaw of pre-revolutionary figures...

The remnants of the Crimean Tatars were evicted by the NKVD during the Second World War. Government officials were not afraid of this, but to return historical names even under Khrushchev and his successors they were terribly afraid. There is no need to be afraid of us. Russian people are peaceful if you don't bother them.

No matter how hard officials tried, they could not completely erase Sura and Surozh from people’s memory. And we have no right to abandon our history.

The sacred river Sura has a tributary, the sacred river Alatyr. More on this in the next chapter.

Sura is one of the most picturesque tributaries middle Volga. Flowing from the Surskaya cone - the highest part of the Volga Upland - to the south, the river then turns to the north and makes its way to the Volga through the hilly forest-steppe.

(Chuvash Sar, Mountain Mari Shur) - the right tributary of the Volga River, length 828 km, basin area 67.5 thousand km². It originates on the Volga Upland and flows along it first to the west, then mainly to the north. It flows through the Ulyanovsk and Penza regions, Mari El, Mordovia, Chuvashia, and Tatarstan. The length within the Ulyanovsk region is about 150 km. It flows through the Baryshsky, Inzensky, Karsunsky, Sursky districts of the Ulyanovsk region. Within the same area, the river receives 10 tributaries (the largest is the Barysh River). Characteristics rivers have a rapid current, a winding channel, sand spits and steep banks. The width of the river in high water is more than 1 km, in low water - up to 100 m. The depth at the riffles is up to 1 m. In the lower reaches it is floatable and navigable, but above the village of Surskoye ships sail irregularly. The river is home to sterlet, crucian carp, silver bream, tench, etc. The original source of the river was located on the southeastern outskirts of the village of Surskie Vershiny (formerly Bolshie Surki) in the Baryshsky district, but due to the destruction of forests and the creation of a dam, all the springs silted up. Currently, Sura actually begins 1.5-2 km from the previous source. Tall trees grow here pine forests, on the slopes in many places springs emerge that feed the upper reaches of the Sur. Is used for industrial water supply. The food is predominantly snowy. High water in April - May. It freezes in November - December, opens at the end of March - April.

On the Sura there are the cities of Sursk, Penza, Alatyr, Yadrin, the village of Novaya Sloboda, and at the mouth there is the Vasilsursk pier.

Left tributaries of the Sura
Alatyr, Imza, Piana, Uza, Shuksha, Kutlya.

Right tributaries of the Sura
Algashka, Barysh, Abyss, Inza, Kumashka, Kirya.

Sailing on the Sura usually starts in Penza. You can start rafting even higher, from Inderka (Syuzyum station), however, it is more difficult to get to the upper reaches of the Sura, and from the Pionerskaya platform (near Chaadaevka station) to Kanaevka, the banks of the Sura are quite densely populated (the railway runs next to the river), after Kanaevka For several tens of kilometers, the river is a reservoir from which Penza is supplied with water.

From the railway and road stations in Penza to the river bank is about 1 km. After 2 km there is a dam that requires lifting (along the right bank). Here the width of the Sura is 30 - 40 m, the bed is sandy, and until Grabovo the river meanders in a meadow floodplain, which is farther away. Then the valley narrows; The mountainous right bank is especially beautiful, covered mainly with pine forest, which sometimes forms sandy and rocky cliffs. The river retains this character for about 100 km (this is its most picturesque part, Surskie Zhiguli); There are no obstacles, the current is quite fast. You can end your journey at the station. The Sura of the Syzran - Ruzaevka - Moscow railway (where the right tributary of the Sura, the Inza River, flows 300 m from the station), since below such a convenient place for transfer to railway will not be.

For another few tens of kilometers, the Sura is very beautiful, but in the area of ​​Bolshaya Berezniki the river valley expands, the banks become lower, there are fewer forests, and from the village. Local shipping begins on the Surskoye river.

The voyage ends on the left bank of the Sura, in the ancient Chuvash city of Alatyr. Here the railway station (Ruzaevka - Kazan road) is about 2 km.

Coordinates: 53°01"24.6"N 45°22"59.1"E

There are rivers with the name Sura in the territory Russian Federation there are several:

1. A tributary of the Pinega.
2. River in the Amur region.
3. In the Arkhangelsk region.
4. In the Murmansk region.

But the most famous of them is the Sura River, which is the second largest right tributary of the Volga.

Linguists claim that its name comes from ancient language, which was previously spoken in the Volga region. It is noteworthy that there are no longer any speakers left these days. The picturesque shores are favorite place rest for large quantity tourists, attracting them not only with beautiful landscapes, but also with quality wonderful place for fishing.

Features of the river

Sura is one of the most beautiful rivers with a moderately winding channel. The sandy-pebble structure predominates at the bottom, due to which the river is susceptible to erosion. Despite its impressive length, almost the entire right bank is located on a hill, representing a continuous series of cliffs overgrown with bushes and trees. In addition, in some places you can see outcrops of limestone and chalk appearing on the surface.

The left bank consists of many sandy beaches, some of which are densely overgrown with dense bushes; behind them lies the Sura River. The tributaries of this river are impressive in size, but the most significant of them are on the left side - Truev, Kadada and Uza.

The steep structure of the banks of the Sura is explained by the significant slope of the bed in the direction of the Volga. In the upper section of the river, the current speed sometimes reaches 0.9 m/s, while the movement of water in most of the Sura occurs from east to west, sometimes leaning to the northeast.

Basic data

Sura is the second largest river in Mordovia. This is one of the most picturesque water arteries Volga Upland. In addition, the Sura River flows into the Volga, being its second largest tributary. It flows along the eastern and southeastern outskirts of Mordovia for 120 km. The total length of the river is 841 km. In addition, it affects such regions as Ulyanovsk, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, the territories of Chuvashia and the Mari El Republic.

The most suitable time to travel along the water surface of this river is May. At this time, the Sura River becomes full-flowing. And the speed of the current increases, so you don’t need to put in much effort to move through the water.

The width of the river in Mordovia on average fluctuates within 5 km, while in some places it can expand to 10-12 km, and in some, on the contrary, it narrows to such an extent that its width does not exceed 1-2 km.

Water travel

IN summer period You can even move around the Sura by kayaks. The length of water routes is:

• From the Sura Novaya station in the Penza region to the Sura recreation center. The length of the route will be approximately 16 km.
• When departing from the Sura recreation center to the destination on Lake Inerke, the length of the route will reach 11 km.
• If the departure point is Lake Inerka, the route will be 17.5 km and will lead the traveler to the village of Nikolaevka, Bolshebereznikovsky district.

For experienced travelers, the route can be extended at will to the village of Surskoye, located in the Ulyanovsk region.

Main entertainment

Since the length that the Sura River reaches is very significant, and the area is picturesque, people have long chosen it as the main vacation spot during the warm season. A large number of children's camps and recreation centers with the same name - "Sura" - were built on the banks of the river. In addition, it is important that the surrounding area was equipped with very spacious and comfortable beaches. A large number of lakes are collected in the river’s floodplain, while the main attraction for most tourists continues to be the largest lake in Mordovia, called Inerka.

Of course, one cannot fail to note the development of fishing on the Sur, which was greatly facilitated by the presence in the river of a large amount of various types fish. This encourages many avid fishermen to visit Sura.

Story

According to the surviving information provided by various archival sources, to end of the 19th century centuries, the Sura River began in the immediate vicinity of the village of Surskie Vershiny. Today, this territory is part of the Baryshsky district of the Ulyanovsk region. In those days, the source of the Sura was two streams, merging with each other and thereby forming a small river flowing through the village. Already beyond its borders, the Kramola River and additional streams flowed into it, due to which the Sura became a full-flowing river.

Today, the right source has practically disappeared as a result uncontrolled logging surrounding forests. In addition, in the area where the Sura River connected with this source, a dam was built, as a result of which the streams that served as the main source of its filling in this area began to gradually silt up. And from that time on, it was decided to consider its source to be a river flowing in the forest nearby.

Despite the fact that in former times the Sura was not a wide or deep river, during periods of flood it was successfully used to transport timber, which was a very dangerous and difficult task.

The role of the river in the protected area

The Sura River, the photo of which is posted below, flows through the largest section of the Volga Forest-Steppe Nature Reserve, called the Upper Sura, for more than 10 km. Despite the fact that the main water line runs through the Penza region, the width of the river here is insignificant, and the Sura is only beginning to gain strength here. It is noteworthy that this fact only gives the reserve exceptional water conservation significance.

The upper reaches of the Sura impress visitors with its size, while this area is characterized by high hills, thanks to which you can see in detail all the river valleys and streams that flow into it. It is located at an altitude of more than 290 m on a spur of the Volga Upland, the more common name of which is Surskaya Shishka. It is noteworthy that this territory acquired the status of a protected area only in 1991.

Many forest streams flow through the reserve, flowing into the Sura, the total length of which is about 27-30 km. They are replenished mainly due to thawed and groundwater, originating from ravines and springs.

Sura, begins in the area of ​​Surskaya Shishki. This hill that gives rise to stormy river, announced Just below Surskaya Shishka, the Sura River crosses the eastern part of the Penza region, and then, after a sharp bend near the village of Sursky Ostrog, again

returns to the Ulyanovsk region. Flowing through a trapezoidal valley, the Sura gives birth to eleven tributaries, including the large Barysh, and flows into the mighty Volga.

Sura is a stormy river. It is famous for its rapid current, sharp turns of the riverbed, long sand spits and steep banks. The river is fed by melted snow and numerous small springs, and thanks to this, the water at the sources of the Sura is very clean and cold. The banks of the river are overgrown with tall golden pines, and many small lakes and forest swamps have formed in its floodplain and watersheds. In spring, the Sura leaves its banks and overflows two kilometers or more.

Before the revolution, this river was famous for its fish - it was very tasty and was valued much more than fish from the Volga. In those days, the river was inhabited by pike, chub, sterlet and smaller species such as roach. Barbaric and uncontrolled fishing has depleted its wealth. Now the blue Sura is of interest mainly to tourists and athletes, because it is along it that one of the most picturesque kayaking routes in Russia runs. In the spring, during high water, the river is “conquered” mainly by professional athletes, and novice tourists come to visit Sura in the summer, when the river calms down a little.

The route begins in the village of Tyukhmenevo, passes by Chaadaevka, Penza, Alatyr and Shumerlya, and ends in Vasilsursk. The length of the Sura from Tyukhmenevo to Vasilsursk is 850 kilometers. The beginning of the route is always difficult, because the Sura River is especially obstinate at its source. To the brave ones who decided to complete the route in early spring, you will have to kayak through the flooded bushes. Returns to its permanent after

At the source the river bed is very narrow, in some places its width does not exceed three meters. The Sura River becomes much wider after the Truev tributary flows into it. The river calms down, its flow becomes slower, and the banks become covered with pine forests. However, the bends of the Sura are still steep and make the route difficult. They become larger and smoother after the place where Teshnyar flows into the river. Further on, the Sura becomes even wider, and small sands appear along its banks.

other beaches.

The twenty-kilometer Penza reservoir, fed by Sura, begins behind Kanaevka, and in front of Penza tourists face numerous obstacles - sand spits, islands and shoals. Beyond Penza, the banks of the river become gentle, and the Sura flows smoothly and calmly. Sura is especially good in the spring, near the village of Prokazna. There the river is surrounded by flowering gardens, and near Aleksandrovka it adorns itself with impressive limestone and chalk cliffs. Below, the river is surrounded by rocky banks and becomes deep and navigable. In the lower reaches the river flow is calm but fast.

Each flood changes the appearance of the river. It is “overgrown” with new shallows, spits and oxbow lakes. Thanks to such changes, the route does not become boring. Constantly renewing itself, the Sura River gives tourists new experiences every year.