Indigirka river: geographical information. Indigirka river and its seven remarkable places In which part of the mainland does the Indigirka river flow

Photo by: Kirill Uyutnov
Indigirka river located in Russia and flows through the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Belongs to the basin of the Eastern Siberian Sea.

Indigirka river: geographical information

It flows from south to north. Indigirka begins at the junction of the Taryn-Yuryakh and Tuora-Yuryakh rivers, which flow from the Khalkan mountain range.

Not far from the village of Orto-Balagan, which is located in the Oymyakon region of the Republic of Yakutia. After Indigirka river flows through the Momsky, Abyisky regions and about 120 kilometers from the village of Oyotung of the Allaikhovsky region of Yakutia flows into the East Siberian Sea.

The largest settlements on the river are: Chokurdakh, Khonuu, Belaya Gora, Ust-Nera, Oymyakon. The main piers are: Tabor, Khonuu, Chokurdakh, Druzhina. The river can be reached along the M56 Magadan-Yakutsk highway and the Ust-Nera-Kadykchan highway.

Tributaries of the Indigirka

The source of the Indigirka River contains large tributaries: on the right side is the Nera River. On the left side there are rivers: Kuidusun, Elgi, Kuente. The lower course of the river contains large tributaries: on the right side, these are the Badyarikha and Moma rivers. On the left side are the rivers: Uyandina, Selenyakh, Allaiha, Borelekh. Small tributaries of the Indigirka River: on the right side: Chubukalakh, Nelkan, Chiya, Echenka, Tikhon-Yuryakh, Khatys-Yuryakh, Ilin-Eselyakh, Berelekh, Dakhatekha, Uchugey, Berezovka. Good vacation on Lake Sevan (Armenia). On the left side: Achchygy-Chagachanakh, Ty-Yuryakh, Ulakhan-Chagachanakh, Sarylakh, Inyali, Uolchan, Taskan, Tirekhtyakh, Atabyt-Yuryakh, Kieng-Yuryakh, Arga-Yuryakh, Talbykchan.
The upper reaches of the river are the slopes of the Khalkan mountain range. When the rivers Tuora-Yuryakh and Taryn-Yuryakh and Indigirka merge, they flow through the lower part of the Oymyakon upland. When the waters cross the Chemalginsky ridge, just above the mouth of the Moma river, the Indigirka flows through the Momo-Selenyakhskaya depression. Bypassing the Momsky mountain range, the Indigirka river flows through the low-lying flat part. Then it flows through the Yano-Indigirskaya and Abyiskaya lowlands. The river has a basin, which is located on the territory of perennial frozen rocks, and it is for this reason that the formation of large ice can be explained.

The soil near the river near the village of Vorontsovo is of alluvial origin, since the Indigirka River in flood brings a large amount of plant particles with a characteristic morphology.

Indigirka river in Russia: interesting facts

The territory of Yakutia, where the Indigirka River flows, is located almost from the southern and to the northern border of the republic. Yakutia belongs to the boundaries of four zones of geography: taiga forests (80 percent of the republic's area), forest-tundra, tundra, arctic desert.
The river has a length of 1,726 kilometers. The catchment area is 360,000 square kilometers. On average, water is consumed near Ust-Nera at about 428 cubic meters per second. The largest flow rate reaches 10,600 cubic meters per second. Near the village of Vorontsov, from 1,570 cubic meters per second and up to 11,500 cubic meters per second. The water level ranges from 7.5 to 11.2 meters. The highest water level can be observed in June or early July.

According to its structure, the river bed, along the high-speed current, as well as the structure of the valley - Indigirka is conditionally divided into two zones: the upper mountain length is 640 kilometers and the lower plain length is 1086 kilometers. After the mountain ridge of the Chersky valley, the width is from 500 meters to 20 kilometers, the high-speed current is 2-3.5 meters per second. During the crossing of the Chemalginsky mountain range, the Indigirka river flows in a deep cave and creates rapids, the current in this place has a speed of 4 meters per second.

A lower river section appears in the Momo-Selenyakhskaya depression. The valley of the Indigirka River in it begins to expand, the bed has shoals and spits, at times branches into sleeves. But on the Abyisky lowland, the river begins to wind its way. On the Yano-Indigirskaya lowland, the Indigirka river is characterized by open long stretches, they reach 350-500 meters in width.
At 130 kilometers from the mouth, the Indigirka river begins to divide into tributaries (Russian mouth, Kolymsky, Sredny). A delta with an area of 5,500 square kilometers is formed. Directly from the East Siberian Sea, the river mouth is isolated by a shallow sandbank.

Indigirka river

Perhaps, most of the inhabitants of Russia, at least somehow familiar with the geography of their native country, have heard about Indigirka. And for this majority it seems to be a very distant, wild and uninhabited river. In fact, if you get to know Indigirka in reality, it turns out that these ideas are not far from the truth. Although, like on all other rivers, people have settled on the banks of the Indigirka since ancient times. Once Yukaghirs, Evens and other peoples, later Yakuts and Russians. But there are still not so many settlements here, and even those are not very large.

The routes of many of my expeditions are connected with Indigirka.

Main markers of the Indigirka River

The largest of them is the village of Ust-Nera, with a population of about six thousand people, although the best Soviet times, during the heyday of geological activity, the population here reached twelve thousand. But even now there are prospects for Ust-Nera, because the village is located at the intersection of two transport arteries - the Kolyma highway, the only highway that crosses the river and connects Yakutsk with Magadan, and the Indigirka itself, which in this capacity works not only in summer, but also in winter. It is from Ust-Nera that navigation is possible for small boats down the river, but only to the place called "Indigirskaya pipe". There the river enters a narrow and harsh gorge among the mountains of the Chersky ridge, where formidable and impassable rapids rage. Navigation also exists in the lower part of the river from the mouth to the Khonuu village. But when Indigirka freezes, it is then that it becomes a road, a winter road along which all cargo transportation is carried out to the villages located below the river. And even from the Chokurdakh itself, which is already in the lowest reaches, you can go to the Kolyma highway, and from here anywhere, even to Moscow itself. But the winter road along Indigirka is a separate topic, worthy of its own story, the road is harsh and dangerous, but there is no other one here.
Indigirka is one of the most large rivers northeastern Russia, having an independent flow into the sea. Its length, together with its sources, reaches almost two thousand kilometers. Although, in fact, this river is called Indigirka only after the confluence of the two rivers Tuora-Yuryakh and Taryn-Yuryakh. The sources of the Indigirka originate in the Suntar-Khayata ridge and the Oymyakon highlands, then the river cuts through the ridges of a huge mountain system called the Chersky ridge, the most elevated in the north-east of the country. It is here that the most severe and impassable places on the river are, but here, and the most beautiful. Coming out of the mountains of the Chersky ridge, Indigirka carries its waters along the Momo-Selennyakh intermountain basin. Then it crosses the not very high spurs of the Momsky ridge and only after that it finally comes to the plain, where it flows in the low-lying shores the remaining slightly more than a thousand kilometers up to the East Siberian Sea. From the very sources to the mouth of the Indigirka it flows through the territory of Yakutia.
As for the name of the river, under this name it became known in geography since 1636, when the Tobolsk Cossack Ivan Rebrov reached here by sea from the mouth of the Yana. This was the first discovery of Indigirka by the Russians. The name can be translated from local languages as "Dog's River", this is probably due to the fact that local residents had only dogs as domestic animals. However, there is another version, as if the Indie Even family lived here. Indigyr are indie people. But we will leave all these versions to historians.
A lot of interesting things can be told about Indigirka, in completely different aspects. And, of course, there is no way to avoid the landscape or aesthetic appeal of this river. It's so amazing here beautiful places that will not leave anyone indifferent. This is a paradise for the professional landscape photographer. But paradise is harsh and inaccessible. And, due to the fact that not so many people come here, few people have seen these places yet. And even more so, visually, few people presented it to the public. So it's time to do it.

The Indigirka River was often interwoven into the routes of my photo-expeditions. I know her from the very upper reaches to Chokurdakh. And I can admit that Indigirka is my favorite river in Yakutia. I am glad to introduce you to her wild and pristine beauty.

After the Indigirka overcomes the mountains of the Chemalginsky ridge, the last obstacle from the ridges of the Chersky mountain system, for some time it goes into the open space of the Momo-Selennyakh intermountain hollow. But this is not for long, only before the confluence of the large right tributary of the Moma River. Beyond the mouth of the Moma, the river enters the mountains again, only now these are the spurs of the Momsky ridge. Here, too, you can find many very beautiful places and views. The Momsky mountains are the last on the path of Indigirka, then it goes out onto the plain and flows in the low-lying shores until the very exit to the sea.

Zashiversk. Perhaps this is the most historic site on Indigirka, associated with the history of development the Russian state new territories in the northeast of the continent. In 1639, a detachment of service people under the command of Postnik Ivanov from the upper reaches of the Yana River, where Verkhoyansk was already then, by dry route, that is, on horseback, crossed to Indigirka. Here, where the river flows among the spurs of the Momsky ridge, almost opposite the mouth of the left tributary of the Kolyadin, a winter hut was set up. This was just a hut at that time.
In the middle of the century, the winter hut was settled, and was surrounded by a prison wall, several towers were built at the corners of the prison. At that time, mainly Yukaghirs lived in the adjacent territory. Four times its walls were besieged. And around 1700, the Transfiguration Church was built by a team of local carpenters led by Andrey Khovarov. This church, one of the masterpieces of Russian wooden architecture, is believed to have been built without a single larch nail. And most importantly, it has miraculously survived to this day. Unfortunately, but this is reasonable, she is not here now. In 1971, it was transported to Novosibirsk, restored and installed on the territory of an open-air historical and architectural museum. A chapel now stands in its place.
Zashiversk was founded primarily as a military-administrative center for collecting yasak. The city stood at the intersection of the most important roads. From Yakutsk through Zashiversk, land routes went to the Kolyma and further to Anadyr, along the Indigirka they sailed to the Arctic Ocean. The expeditions of Stadukhin and Dezhnev stayed here. The importance of Zashiversk especially increased in the first half of the 18th century, when the work of the Great Northern Expedition began. The detachments of the Arctic Ocean explorers Laptev and Sarychev passed through the city.
According to historical data, the last page in the history of the city is associated with the smallpox epidemic that hit the townspeople in 1883 and killed almost everyone.
Zashiversk was no longer rebuilt after that terrible epidemic.

After the river comes out again from the narrow gorge of the "Indigirskaya pipe", it still cannot calm down for some time. And although the last and most powerful Krivun rapids remain opposite the right tributary Kuelyakh-Mustakh, there are still rifts on the river for some time. And about ten kilometers below Krivun, on the left, the Chibagalakh River flows into Indigirka. Here, at last, the river valley expands significantly, and stunning views of the mountains of the Porozhny Range, one of many in the global mountain system of the Chersky Range, open from here. It is the Porozhny Ridge that is the obstacle on the path of Indigirka, which she successfully overcomes. But from the mouth of the Chibagalakh, the mountains of the Porozhny Ridge are no longer perceived as an obstacle, but are perceived as an adornment of the distant plan for the photographer. And this long shot is usually generous with surprises.

In the vicinity of the village of Ust-Nera, which stands at the confluence of the Nera with the Indigirka, many remnant complexes are scattered over a vast area along the peaks and ridges of mountains, composed of granites. Similar miraculous granite idols are found in other regions of Yakutia, they are called Kisilyakh here. But this is in Russian transcription, in Yakut it sounds closer as Kigilyakhi, and it is written as Kiyilekhi. This is from the word Kiһi - a person, that is, similar to a person. Indeed, in the appearance of the remnants, you can see anything you want, including finding a resemblance to a person and even seeing a certain character. There are Kisilyakhi and very close to Ust-Nero, you just have to leave the village and climb the mountain. But the most interesting and in greatest quantities should be looked for a little further, down the Indigirka on the right bank, almost immediately after the mouth of the Nera.

About twenty kilometers below the uninhabited village of Predorozhniy, Indigirka makes a steep loop. The river, carrying its waters here to the north, suddenly seems to bump into an insurmountable obstacle and sharply turns to the south. But then, bypassing this obstacle, it again rushes to the north and then a little to the east. As a result, it almost closes the loop. You can even figuratively say that the river is tied in a knot. This characteristic loop is called the Horseshoe here. And if you look at the map, then a comparison with this equine attribute seems quite appropriate. But in the photo here is not the Horseshoe itself, but the bend of the river in front of the entrance to this loop. But the photographer is just standing in the place where the narrowest point of the Horseshoe is located, at its base.

Slightly below the two already closed prospecting settlements - Predpozhny and Khatynnakh, but slightly higher than the still living small Yakut village Tyubelyakh, or it is also called Chumpu-Kytyl, a rather large tributary of Inyali flows into Indigirka on the left, and almost opposite, a smaller river flows into the right, under the name Echenka. Predporozhniy and Khatynnakh belong to the Oymyakonsky ulus, but Tyubelys belong to Momsky. In this place, the Indigirka lays a steep loop, and the Inyali and Echenki valleys adjoin the Indigirka valley almost perpendicularly. They obviously developed along a tectonic fault crossing the Indigirka valley. And on all this intersection, a space is created that is stunning in its beauty. Particularly striking is the wide-open valley of Inyali, with mountains that seem to go somewhere into the distance. Prospectors' artels are actively working on both Inyali and Yechenka, but gold is not the real property of these places. Primordial beauty is the real value.

In the summer of 2013, there was a flood on Indigirka. The maximum level reached plus eight meters to the low water level. Almost all the villages on the river were flooded. It so happened that it was at this time that I had a photo expedition to Indigirka. And it just so happened that the flood caught our little team at the entrance to the "Indigirka pipe" gorge. The vast spit where we camped began to shrink rapidly and eventually became an island. There was nothing to do but to flee on a catamaran. The muddy river carried tons of debris, whole tree trunks jumped out of the water, threatening to drown us, and the steep and rocky banks of the gorge did not leave any chances for a safe landing. Salvation awaited us at the mouth of the left tributary called the Moljogoidokh. Here it was quite possible to moor and go ashore. We spent two days at Moljogoyidokh, until we waited for the moment when the first wave of flood subsided and the river would cease to carry so much garbage. These two days were not in vain, the influx was very photogenic and gave a lot of interesting shots. And this serene photograph does not say anything about what is happening on the Indigirka itself.

The fact that Indigirka exists somewhere in Yakutia is a distant and little-known river, most of the inhabitants of our country have heard mainly from songs or textbooks on geography. But you can tell a lot of interesting and informative things about her.

Name

Indeed, Indigirka is a mysterious and beautiful river, flowing among virgin nature, untouched by the touch of modern civilization. Its name, which literally translates as "people of the indie clan", it received because of the ancient Even settlement of the Indigir tribe located on its shores. They were not alone, of course, found their refuge near the river, some earlier, some later, but evens, Yukaghirs, Yakuts, and even Russians settled here. Well, and the first half of the 17th century can be called the time of the beginning of the development of the coast by the Cossacks.

Source of the river

In the northeast of our country, the Indigirka is listed on a par with the largest rivers. Moreover, it has an independent outlet to the East Siberian Sea. The source of the Indigirka is the confluence of two rivers. One of them flows from the Suntar-Khayata ridge, and the other from the Oymyakon upland. Indigirka is formed by rivers, one of which is called Taryn-Yuryakh, and the other is called Tuora-Yuryakh. Born on the northern slopes of the Khalkan ridge, both of these streams, joining together, form the Indigirka, which is famous for its tortuosity and does not go beyond the territory of Yakutia.

Mysterious mouth

Having told about the source, I would like to immediately mention where the river arrives before joining the sea. The extreme space inhabited by people in front of the place where the river in Yakutia ends its path is called the village of Tyubelyakh. Further on the banks of the Indigirka, no one lives anymore. The reason is that this is simply not possible. Because on the way of the river stands a stone barrier, with a length, no less, about 30 km. Growing up on both sides on the path of Indigirka, the mountains seem to drive her into a narrow, impassable gorge. It is crowded here, and only thanks to its powerful stream the river makes its way to the sea. The mouth of the Indigirka River is a gloomy and dangerous place called the Indigirka Pipe. There are many dangerous rapids here, and not even all local residents risk sailing in these places on their motor boats, and they can only afford it if the water level is favorable. Even less often, you can meet sports tourists here, even with reliable equipment and watercraft, sailing on the river is still very dangerous. But the beauty of the landscapes along these shores is extraordinary, as if it were compensation for a dangerous estuary.

Indigirka (river) and its general characteristics

The beautiful shores of the Indigirka are mountain ranges, highlands, chains, sometimes giving way to depressions and lowlands. The river basin was formed on the site of rocks that have long been frozen under the influence of climatic conditions with low temperatures. There are many alluvial soils near the shores. Conventionally, the current path can be divided into a mountainous section with a length of 640 km and a flat one, having a length of approximately 1,086 km. Together with its sources, the length of the Indigirka River reaches almost 2000 km. But purely she herself, officially starting from the point of confluence of the two sources, has a length of 1,726 km, with an area of the basin replete with many estuaries, rapids and deltas of 360 thousand square meters. km. Indigirka is separated from the sea by a small and rather shallow bay. The width of the river along its entire length is different and varies from 0.5 km to 20, and the depth - from 7.5 to 11 meters.

Flowing through the territory of Yakutia, the Indigirka receives several other rivers. In the upper course, for example, only one additional stream adjoins the river on the right - r. Nera, and on the left - Elgi, Kuidusun and Kyuenta. The lower course is enriched at the expense of Moma and Badyarikha on the right and Uyandina, Selenyakh, Borelyokh, Allaikha on the left.

Recharge from rainfall

The climate of the area is continental. The average temperature in winter reaches -40 degrees, and in summer, which is very short here, +14 degrees. Indigirka is a meandering river, flowing into the East Siberian Sea, it forms a rather wide delta (5.5 thousand square kilometers). The average speed of the current is 3 m / s. The Indigirka River is fed mixed. In spring, as, indeed, in summer, it is characterized by high water, which occurs due to the melting of ice. Basically, the river is fed by rain and snow. In winter, the entire river freezes, as its water temperature reaches minus 50. Basically, from October to May-June, the reservoir is under ice.

Fauna and river navigation

The Indigirka River runs through the tundra, taiga, forest-tundra and arctic forests. Its aquatic fauna is very rich and has 29 species. useful fish, among which are: sturgeon, chum salmon, omul, nelma, pink salmon, vendace, muksun, chir and others. The above-described river in Yakutia is the only transport artery in this region. The navigable route runs from the mouth of the river. Moma, in the delta - along the branch-channel of the river. Srednaya, the entrance to which from the sea is limited by the estuarine depth with a drift of 0.5-0.6 m. In addition, sometimes navigation is carried out along the branch of the Russko-Ust'inskaya channel to the village. Russian Ustye. For tourists and travelers visiting Yakutia in the summer, the main activities and entertainment on Indigirka are fishing and rafting and kayaking.

Flow

The fall of the Indigirka River is expressed in the number of 1,000 m. Its slope is 57.9 cm / km. Near the mouth of the 165 km left-side tributary of the Taskan River, the Indigirka waters merge into a single channel. The speed of its flow also sharply increases. Running along a huge arc along a steep slope, after 5 km it makes a turn to the north, after which it squeezes into the gorge of the Porozhnocepinsky rocky granite massif. Then the famous Big Gorge (Ulakhan-Khapchagai) begins. This interval of Indigirka is also called Momsky rapids, or Busik rapids. This name was given to this place in memory of the head of the expedition from the People's Commissariat for Water Transport VD Busik, who died here in 1931 during a preliminary reconnaissance of the rapids.

Creator nature

The hundred-kilometer gorge, gracefully cut almost 2 km into the granite massifs of the picturesque Porozhny and Chemalginsky ridges, looks very impressive. A series of steep cliffs, growing one after another and competing in height, look unusually beautiful. The rocky obelisks perched on the ridges separating the side tributaries and the fabulous sculptures from the weathered limestone outcrops are impressive. Multi-colored block debris, like plumes, descend to the river. And how many beautiful taiga corners open to the eye along the banks, which are paved with large boulders! The only pity is that frequent clamps and very steep slopes allow you to pass through the gorge along the coast only when the water level is low. Needless to say, Indigirka is a river with surprises.

Water flow through the gorge

Indigirka makes its way through the Porozhny ridge for the first 50 km. The slope here increases to 3 meters at each subsequent kilometer, due to which the speed reaches 15-20 km / h. Tossing between the sides of the gorge, Indigirka washes away rocky cliffs. The bends adorn with whole braids of large rounded boulders. The stream bed here reaches 150-200 m.

And in those places where hard bedrocks (granite and others) come to the surface, you can find ridge rapids. They are usually located near the banks, not occupying more than 1/3 of the river channel width. The water stream, possessing tremendous power and energy, made its way, clearing the fairway literally along the entire continuing gorge. The depth of Indigirka here reaches 3-5 m, and in the narrowest places it reaches 10 m. Foam pits, two-meter "standing shafts" and other foci of a stormy stream are difficult to pass.

Mountain range

Another attraction that this river possesses in Yakutia is the Chersky ridge. It is located in the North-East of Siberia. But you can hardly call it a ridge in the usual sense of the word, since it is a whole mountain system stretching for 1.5 thousand km. The Chersky Ridge was once formed during the Mesozoic folding, after which it split into separate blocks during the Alpine period. Some of them rose and were called horsts, while others, on the contrary, descended and are called grabens. The highest point of the ridge is Mount Pobeda, which has a height of 3,003 meters. In the western part, in the interfluve, which forms the Indigirka (river) together with Yana, there are many more rather impressive ridges in their height.

Conclusion

Summing up, I would like to say that, in addition to their beauties, Indigirka and its shores attract with their minerals. Since ancient times, coal has been mined here and gold has been washed. The local people are engaged in reindeer herding and fishing, and these industries are quite well developed here. In addition, Indigirka is one of the most important water transport arteries in Yakutia. For those who are not attracted to life in large and noisy metropolitan areas and who prefer the promise closer to nature, cities and settlements on the banks of this river will appeal to their liking. Primordial landscapes of extraordinary beauty and cleanest air give unforgettable moments of unity with nature.

Lena, Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma are the main waterways of Yakutia. Where does the Indigirka River flow? What are the large tributaries of the Indigirka River? Food and economic use of the Indigirka River - all answers to questions in 33 facts and 12 photographs.

The river flows into the Kolyma Bay, East Siberian Sea.
Indigirka, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is one of the largest rivers in Siberia.
In terms of the catchment area of rivers, the Indigirka basin ranks third in Yakutia (after the Lena and Kolyma) and 10th in Russia.
To get to the Indigirka River, you need to move along the M56 Magadan-Yakutsk highway and the Ust-Nera-Kadykchan highway.
The area is sparsely populated. The main settlements on the river are Chokurdakh, Khonuu, Belaya Gora, Ust-Nera, Oymyakon.
The Indigirka River freezes in October and remains under the ice until May-June. Some believe that this is the coldest river on the planet.
The harsh winter of this area, the Oymyakon depression, became world famous as the cold pole of the northern hemisphere. The average January temperature is about -50 ° C, and an absolute minimum of -71.2 ° C was recorded in 1926.
The Indigirka River is located in a zone of permafrost, for its area are characteristic education accumulations of giant ice.
Indigirka is navigable for 650 miles, but only from June to September when ice-free.
The main pier on the river:
⦁ Honuu
⦁ Druzhina
⦁ Chokurdakh
⦁ Tabor
Gold mining in the Indigirka river basin has been going on for decades. Ust-Nera is a gold mining center and the largest settlement on the river.
Indigirka is teeming with fish. The most valuable are whitefish, vendace, wild boil, muksun, whitefish (nelma), omul, grayling.
The village of Russkoye Ustye is located in the delta of the Indigirka River. Russian settlers live here, whose ancestors came here several centuries ago. Historians believe that the Russian Ustye was settled in the early 17th century by the Pomors.
Ivan Rebrov reached Indigirka in 1638. Elisey Buza first laid a land route along the Indigirka river system in 1636-42. At about the same time, Postnik Ivanov ascended along a tributary of the lower Lena, crossed the Verkhoyansk ridge along the water of the upper Yana, and then crossed the Chersky ridge along the Indigirka water. In 1642 Stadukhin reached Indigirka by land route from the Lena.
The village of Zashiversk on Indigirka was an important colonial outpost in the Arctic Circle, in the early days of Russian colonization. It was left in the 19th century.
Chapel in Zashiversk
Other historical settlements, long abandoned - Podchiversk, Poloustny, Yandinskoe Zimovye. These are the polar cities of Kitezh. They fell into decay as soon as the fur-bearing animal was exterminated.
Baron Eduard von Toll conducted geological surveys in the Indigirka basin (among other Far Eastern Siberian rivers) on the instructions of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1892-94. Within one year, the expedition covered 25,000 km, of which 4200 km passed along the river with geodetic surveys on the way.
Indigirka forms large delta consisting of several streams.

Each such branch of the river is designated as Protoka on Russian maps. 100 kilometers before reaching the East Siberian Sea, the river is divided into 3 main channels:
⦁ Russian-Ustinskaya Protoka
⦁ Middle Duct
⦁ Kolyma Channel
Indigirka descends from the Verkhoyansk ridge, flows from south to north, its length is 1726 km. Indigirka is divided into two stages: upper mountain (640 km) and lower plain (1086 km). The water level (river depth) has a variability of 7.5 - 11.2 meters.
After the confluence of the Tuor-Yuryakh and Taryn-Yuryakh rivers, the Indigirka flows in the lower part of the Oymyakon highlands, cuts through a series mountain ranges ridge Chersky. The flow velocity is 2-3.5 m / s.
When passing the Chemalginsky ridge, the Indigirka river flows in a deep gorge, forming rapids; flow speed 4 m / s. This place is not even suitable for rafting.
From the mouth of the Mama River, from the Momo-Selenyakhskaya depression, the lower part of the Indigirka begins. The riverbed is widening. In the plain, the Abyisky lowland, the section of the Indigirka is very winding.
On the Yano-Indigirskaya lowland, the width of the Indigirka is 350-500 m. These are straight long stretches.
Indigirka feeds on rain and melt water.
The main tributaries of the Indigirka are: Moma, Badyarikha, Selenyakh, Uyandina, Allaiha, Borelekh.
The name of the river, from the Evens "indigir" - means "indi people". Indy is an Evenk family. The Evenks also designated it with the word "lama" - it means "a river flowing into the sea." In the Yukaghir language, the word "laame" means "dog". Therefore, the Yukaghirs understood the name of the river as "the river of the dog."
Economic activity in the Indigirka basin is limited to fishing, reindeer husbandry, collection mammoth bone mining gold.
Indigirka is the only transport artery in the region.
The river flows to the Arctic Ocean - a distant, wild, uninhabited river.
Yukaghirs, Evens, Yakuts and Russians live here.
The settlement of Ust-Nera is located at the intersection of two transport arteries - Indigirka and Kolyma highway (the only highway connecting Yakutsk with Magadan).
Indigirka works as a transport highway in summer and winter. All cargo transportation between the villages is carried out by the winter road on Indigirka. And summer navigation is possible only for small boats - from Ust-Nera to a place called "Indigirskaya pipe" (here the river enters a narrow gorge of the Chersky ridge).
Indigirka is a landscape photographer's paradise. The river has amazingly beautiful landscapes. From aesthetic sights: Labynkyr Lake, Oymyakonsky Kisilyakhi (granite miraculous outliers / on Evenks, Kigilyakh - humanlike), the mouth of the Inyali River, Indigirskaya pipe (Moldzogoyidokh valley), Chibagalakh river mouth, Sogo-Khaya mountain.

The Indigirka River is located in Yakutia and is part of the East Siberian Sea.

Historical reference

The river got its name from the generic Even name indigir, which means people of the indi clan. The development began by the Cossacks in the first half of the 17th century.

Source

The mouth of the river is formed by two reservoirs, these are Tuora-Yuryakh and Taryn-Yuryakh, which originate in the Khalkan Mountains. It flows down the territory of Yakutia, and near the Allaikhovsky region of the republic flows into the sea.

Specifications

The Indigirka River is divided into:

Upper mountainous section (640km)
Lower plain (1,086 kmZ).

Indigirka river photo

The banks of the river are mountain highlands, ridges, chains, and then abruptly give way to depressions and lowlands. The pool was formed on the site of rocks that froze long ago under the influence of low temperatures and climatic conditions. There are many alluvial soils near the shores.

The length of Indigirka is more than 1.7 thousand kilometers, with a basin area of 360 thousand square kilometers. The depth ranges from 7.5 to 11 meters. The width is different on the upper and lower sections of the river - from 500 meters to 20 kilometers. There are many rapids, estuaries, deltas in the basin. The river is separated from the sea by a small shallow bay.

The climate is sharply continental. In winter average temperature-40 degrees, +14 degrees in summer. Summer is short and winter is long. Average speed of the current is 3m / s. Flowing into the East Siberian Sea, it forms a delta with an area of 5,500 square kilometers.

Indigirka on the map

Indigirka on the map photo

River mode

Indigirka's food is mixed, it is carried out due to snow, rain, ice melting. High water is typical in spring and summer. In winter, the entire river freezes, as the water temperature drops to minus 50. The river is covered with ice in October, the river opens up in late May, early June.

Flora and fauna

The river passes through taiga, tundra, forest-tundra and arctic forests. The local ichthyofauna is very rich in fish - 29 species, including:

Cheer;
Omul;
Sturgeon;
Nelma;
Vendace;
Chum salmon;
Pink salmon;
Muksun.

Cities

On the banks of the river there are a lot of settlements, both large and small, most of which are located in Momsky, Abyisky. Allaikhovsky and Oymyakonsky districts. Most major cities Oymyakon, White Mountain, Chokurdah, Honuu are considered.

Indigirka river. Oymyakon city photo

Tributaries

Large tributaries are located in the upstream and downstream, which are located on the right and left banks. For example, Nera, Moma, Uyandina, Allaiha, Elgi are large sleeves. Chiya, Arga-Yuryakh, Talbykchan, Taskan, Berelekh are considered to be much smaller tributaries.

Economic activity

Mineral resources are extracted: coal, gold. Fishing and reindeer husbandry are well developed. Indigirka is read as one of the most important water transport artery in the North-East of Russia.

Tourism on the river

Travelers who visit Yakutia go fishing and rafting, kayaking in the summer.