Vashka River
Encyclopedia
The Vashka is a river in Udorsky District of the Komi Republic
and Leshukonsky
and Mezensky District
s of Arkhangelsk Oblast
in Russia
. It is a left and the biggest tributary
of the Mezen River
. It is 605 kilometres (375.9 mi) long, and the area of its basin 21000 square kilometres (8,108.1 sq mi). The principal tributaries of the Vashka are the Mytka (left), the Loptyuga (right), the Yortom (left), the Yevva (right), the Sodzim (right), the Puchkoma (left), the Zyryanskaya Ezhuga (left), and the Chulas (right).
The source of the Vashka is in the south-wast of Udorsky District, close to the border with Arkhangelsk Oblast. The river flows in the general direction of north-west. In the upper course, the Vashka flows in the hilly landscape, and in the lower course it meanders leaving a big number of lakes. The urban type settlement of Blagoyevo is located on the Venyu River, several kilometers east of the Vashka, and the selo of Leshukonskoye
, the administrative center of Leshukonsky District, is located on the left bank of the river just upstream from its confluence with the Mezen.
The Vashka freezes up in late October and remains icebound until early May. The river was used for timber rafting
till 1990s.
The Vashka is navigable downstream from the village of Keba, which is almost the whole course of the river within Leshukonsky District.
and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic
. In 13th century the Novgorod merchants already reached the White Sea
. The Vashka was used by Novgorod merchants as the trading route to the basin of the Pechora River
which was attractive because of the fur. From the Northern Dvina, they went upstream the Pukshenga
, then moved to the Pokshenga
and downstream to the Pinega
. From the Pinega, they used the Yezhuga
, the Zyryanskaya Vashka and the Vashka to get to the Mezen
, and subsequently the Pyoza
and the Tsilma
to get to the Pechora.
After the fall of Novgorod, the area became a part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow
. The middle course of the Mezen, including the lower course of the Vashka, was where Russian and Komi
cultures mixed the most. In the lower course of the Mezen, currently Mezensky District
, Russians dominated, whereas in the upper course, currently Udorsky District, Komi dominated.
Komi Republic
The Komi Republic is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:The republic is situated to the west of the Ural mountains, in the north-east of the East European Plain...
and Leshukonsky
Leshukonsky District
Leshukonsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Leshukonsky Municipal District...
and Mezensky District
Mezensky District
Mezensky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Mezensky Municipal District...
s 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....
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 and the biggest 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 Mezen River
Mezen River
The Mezen is a river in Udorsky District of the Komi Republic and in Leshukonsky and Mezensky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. Its mouth is located in the Mezen Bay of the White Sea. Mezen is one of the biggest rivers of European Russia. It is long, and the area of its basin...
. It is 605 kilometres (375.9 mi) long, and the area of its basin 21000 square kilometres (8,108.1 sq mi). The principal tributaries of the Vashka are the Mytka (left), the Loptyuga (right), the Yortom (left), the Yevva (right), the Sodzim (right), the Puchkoma (left), the Zyryanskaya Ezhuga (left), and the Chulas (right).
The source of the Vashka is in the south-wast of Udorsky District, close to the border with Arkhangelsk Oblast. The river flows in the general direction of north-west. In the upper course, the Vashka flows in the hilly landscape, and in the lower course it meanders leaving a big number of lakes. The urban type settlement of Blagoyevo is located on the Venyu River, several kilometers east of the Vashka, and the selo of Leshukonskoye
Leshukonskoye
Leshukonskoye is a rural locality and the administrative center of Leshukonsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Vashka River. It also serves as the administrative center of Leshukonsky Selsoviet, one of the thirteen selsoviets into which the district is...
, the administrative center of Leshukonsky District, is located on the left bank of the river just upstream from its confluence with the Mezen.
The Vashka freezes up in late October and remains icebound until early May. The river was used for timber rafting
Timber rafting
Timber rafting is a log transportation method in which logs are tied together into rafts and drifted or pulled across a water body or down a flatter river. It is arguably the second cheapest method of transportation of timber, next after log driving...
till 1990s.
The Vashka is navigable downstream from the village of Keba, which is almost the whole course of the river within Leshukonsky District.
History
The area was originally populated by Finno-Ugric peoplesFinno-Ugric peoples
The Finno-Ugric peoples are any of several peoples of Europe who speak languages of the proposed Finno-Ugric language family, such as the Finns, Estonians, Mordvins, and Hungarians...
and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic was a large medieval Russian state which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains between the 12th and 15th centuries, centred on the city of Novgorod...
. In 13th century the Novgorod merchants already reached the White Sea
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
. The Vashka was used by Novgorod merchants as the trading route to the basin of the Pechora River
Pechora River
The Pechora River is a river in northwest Russia which flows north into the Arctic Ocean on the west side of the Ural Mountains. It lies mostly in the Komi Republic but the northernmost part crosses the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. It is 1,809 km long and its basin is 322,000 square kilometers...
which was attractive because of the fur. From the Northern Dvina, they went upstream the Pukshenga
Pukshenga River
The Pukshenga is a river in Kholmogorsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Northern Dvina River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
, then moved to the Pokshenga
Pokshenga River
The Pokshenga is a river in Vinogradovsky and Pinezhsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Pinega River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
and downstream to the Pinega
Pinega River
The Pinega is a river in Verkhnetoyemsky, Pinezhsky, and Kholmogorsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Northern Dvina River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
. From the Pinega, they used the Yezhuga
Yezhuga River
The Yezhuga is a river in Udorsky District of the Komi Republic and in Pinezhsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Pinega River. It is long, and the area of its basin . The principal tributary is the Yeyuga...
, the Zyryanskaya Vashka and the Vashka to get to the Mezen
Mezen River
The Mezen is a river in Udorsky District of the Komi Republic and in Leshukonsky and Mezensky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. Its mouth is located in the Mezen Bay of the White Sea. Mezen is one of the biggest rivers of European Russia. It is long, and the area of its basin...
, and subsequently the Pyoza
Pyoza River
The Pyoza is a river in Mezensky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Mezen River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
and the Tsilma
Tsilma River
The Tsilma is a river in Leshukonsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast and Ust-Tsilemsky District of the Komi Republic in Russia. It is a left and one of the main tributaries of the Pechora River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
to get to the Pechora.
After the fall of Novgorod, the area became a part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Duchy of Moscow or Grand Principality of Moscow, also known in English simply as Muscovy , was a late medieval Rus' principality centered on Moscow, and the predecessor state of the early modern Tsardom of Russia....
. The middle course of the Mezen, including the lower course of the Vashka, was where Russian and Komi
Komi peoples
The Komi people is an ethnic group whose homeland is in the north-east of European Russia around the basins of the Vychegda, Pechora and Kama rivers. They mostly live in the Komi Republic, Perm Krai, Murmansk Oblast, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in the Russian...
cultures mixed the most. In the lower course of the Mezen, currently Mezensky District
Mezensky District
Mezensky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Mezensky Municipal District...
, Russians dominated, whereas in the upper course, currently Udorsky District, Komi dominated.