Sheksna River
Encyclopedia
The Sheksna is a river in Belozersky
, Kirillovsky
, Sheksninsky
, and Cherepovetsky District
s of Vologda Oblast
in Russia
. It is a left tributary
of the Volga River
. It is 139 kilometres (86.4 mi) long, and the area of its basin 19000 square kilometres (7,335.9 sq mi). The principal tributaries of the Sheksna are the Sizma (left) and the Kovzha (right).
According to the Max Vasmer
's Etymological Dictionary, the origin of the name of the river is unclear, but it may originate from Finno-Ugric languages
.
The urban-type settlement of Sheksna and Sheksninsky District are named after the river.
The source of the Sheksna is in the southeastern end of Lake Beloye. The river flows south and subsequently turns east. It joins the northern part of the Rybinsk Reservoir
of the Volga near the city of Cherepovets
. Cherepovets, as well as the urban-type settlement of Sheksna, are located on the Sheksna.
Most of the present course of the river was accomodated as the Sheksna Reservoir
, with the dam constructed in Sheksna. Previously, the length of the Sheksna was some 400 kilometres (248.5 mi), and the mouth of the river was located in the city of Rybinsk
, Yaroslavl Oblast
. The part of the river between Cherepovets and Rybinsk disappeared when the Rybinsk Reservoir
was constructed between 1935 and 1947. Currently, the only natural stretch of the course of the Sheksna is located between the urban-type settlement of Sheksna and the city of Cherepovets.
The river basin of the Sheksna comprises vast areas in the west and in the northwest of Vologda Oblast, including parts of Vytegorsky
, Vashkinsky
, Kirillovsky, Belozersky, Sheksninsky, and Cherepovetsky Districts, as well as minor areas in Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast
. This area includes the towns of Kirillov and Belozersk
, as well as the urban-type settlement of Chyobsara
and the selo of Lipin Bor
, the administrative center of Vashkinsky District.
The Sheksna is a part of the Volga-Baltic Waterway
and is used for both cruise and cargo traffic. Both the Northern Dvina Canal
, which connects the basins of the Volga and the Northern Dvina via Lake Kubenskoye
, and the Belozersky Canal
, bypassing Lake Beloye, connect to the Sheksna.
Belozersky District
Belozersky District is the name of several administrative and municipal districts in Russia. The name literally means "pertaining to white lakes".*Belozersky District, Kurgan Oblast, an administrative and municipal district of Kurgan Oblast...
, Kirillovsky
Kirillovsky District
Kirillovsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-six in Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Kirillovsky Municipal District...
, Sheksninsky
Sheksninsky District
Sheksninsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-six in Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Sheksninsky Municipal District...
, and Cherepovetsky District
Cherepovetsky District
Cherepovetsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the 26 in Vologda Oblast, Russia....
s of Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is Vologda. The largest city is Cherepovets.Vologda Oblast is rich in historic monuments, such as the magnificent Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Ferapontov Convent , medieval towns of Velikiy Ustyug and Belozersk, baroque...
in 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...
. It is a left tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Volga River
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
. It is 139 kilometres (86.4 mi) long, and the area of its basin 19000 square kilometres (7,335.9 sq mi). The principal tributaries of the Sheksna are the Sizma (left) and the Kovzha (right).
According to the Max Vasmer
Max Vasmer
Max Vasmer was a Russian-born German linguist who studied problems of etymology of Indo-European, Finno-Ugric and Turkic languages and worked on history of Slavic, Baltic, Iranian, and Finno-Ugric peoples....
's Etymological Dictionary, the origin of the name of the river is unclear, but it may originate from Finno-Ugric languages
Finno-Ugric languages
Finno-Ugric , Finno-Ugrian or Fenno-Ugric is a traditional group of languages in the Uralic language family that comprises the Finno-Permic and Ugric language families....
.
The urban-type settlement of Sheksna and Sheksninsky District are named after the river.
The source of the Sheksna is in the southeastern end of Lake Beloye. The river flows south and subsequently turns east. It joins the northern part of the Rybinsk Reservoir
Rybinsk Reservoir
Rybinsk Reservoir , informally called the Rybinsk Sea, is a water reservoir on the Volga River and its tributaries Sheksna and Mologa, formed by Rybinsk Hydroelectric Station dam, located on the territories of Tver, Vologda, and Yaroslavl Oblasts. At the time of its construction, it was the largest...
of the Volga near the city of Cherepovets
Cherepovets
Cherepovets is the largest city in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the bank of the Rybinsk Reservoir of the Sheksna River, a tributary of the Volga River. Population: 311,869 ; It is served by Cherepovets Airport.-Location:...
. Cherepovets, as well as the urban-type settlement of Sheksna, are located on the Sheksna.
Most of the present course of the river was accomodated as the Sheksna Reservoir
Sheksna Reservoir
The Sheknsna Reservoir or the Sheksninskoe Reservoir is a water reservoir on Sheksna River and Lake Beloye, in Belozersky, Vashkinsky, Kirillovsky, and Sheksninsky Districts of Vologda Oblast in Russia...
, with the dam constructed in Sheksna. Previously, the length of the Sheksna was some 400 kilometres (248.5 mi), and the mouth of the river was located in the city of Rybinsk
Rybinsk
Rybinsk is the second largest city of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, which lies at the confluence of the Volga and Sheksna Rivers. Population: It is served by Rybinsk Staroselye airport.-Early history:...
, Yaroslavl Oblast
Yaroslavl Oblast
Yaroslavl Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , which is located in the Central Federal District, surrounded by Tver, Moscow, Ivanovo, Vladimir, Kostroma, and Vologda Oblasts. This geographic location affords the oblast the advantages of proximity to Moscow and St. Petersburg...
. The part of the river between Cherepovets and Rybinsk disappeared when the Rybinsk Reservoir
Rybinsk Reservoir
Rybinsk Reservoir , informally called the Rybinsk Sea, is a water reservoir on the Volga River and its tributaries Sheksna and Mologa, formed by Rybinsk Hydroelectric Station dam, located on the territories of Tver, Vologda, and Yaroslavl Oblasts. At the time of its construction, it was the largest...
was constructed between 1935 and 1947. Currently, the only natural stretch of the course of the Sheksna is located between the urban-type settlement of Sheksna and the city of Cherepovets.
The river basin of the Sheksna comprises vast areas in the west and in the northwest of Vologda Oblast, including parts of Vytegorsky
Vytegorsky District
Vytegorsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-six in Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Vytegorsky Municipal District...
, Vashkinsky
Vashkinsky District
Vashkinsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-six in Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Vashkinsky Municipal District. It is located in the northwest of the oblast and borders with Vytegorsky District in the north, Kirillovsky District in the east,...
, Kirillovsky, Belozersky, Sheksninsky, and Cherepovetsky Districts, as well as minor areas in Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
. This area includes the towns of Kirillov and Belozersk
Belozersk
Belozersk , known as Beloozero until 1777 , is a town and the administrative center of Belozersky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia, situated on the southern bank of Lake Beloye, from which it takes the name...
, as well as the urban-type settlement of Chyobsara
Chyobsara
Chyobsara is an urban locality in Sheksninsky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located from Vologda. Municipally, it is incorporated as Chyobsarskoye Urban Settlement, one of the two urban settlements in the district. Population: -History:The settlement was founded as a railway station in 1898...
and the selo of Lipin Bor
Lipin Bor
Lipin Bor is a rural locality and the administrative center of Vashkinsky District, Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the northern shore of Lake Beloye. It also serves as the administrative center of Lipinoborsky Selsoviet, one of the twelve selsoviets into which the district is administratively...
, the administrative center of Vashkinsky District.
The Sheksna is a part of the Volga-Baltic Waterway
Volga-Baltic Waterway
The Volga–Baltic Waterway, formerly known as the Mariinsk Canal System , is a series of canals and rivers in Russia which link the Volga River with the Baltic Sea...
and is used for both cruise and cargo traffic. Both the Northern Dvina Canal
Northern Dvina Canal
The Northern Dvina Canal is a 64 km long canal in Vologda Oblast in Russia. It connects the Volga-Baltic Waterway to the Northern Dvina River through its tributary, the Sukhona River...
, which connects the basins of the Volga and the Northern Dvina via Lake Kubenskoye
Lake Kubenskoye
Kubenskoe Lake is a large and shallow lake in Vologda Oblast of Russia, situated at the height of 109 metres above mean sea level, stretching for 60 km from north-west to south-east....
, and the Belozersky Canal
Belozersky Canal
The Belozersky Bypass Canal is a canal around the south-western part of Lake Beloye in Vologda Oblast in north-western Russia. It connects Kovzha River to Sheksna River, and is part of the Volga–Baltic Waterway....
, bypassing Lake Beloye, connect to the Sheksna.