The Baksan () is a river in
Kabardino-Balkaria
Kabardino-Balkaria (), officially the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, is a republic of Russia located in the North Caucasus. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 904,200. Its capital is Nalchik. The area contains the highest mountain in ...
in Russia. It flows east northeast and joins the
Malka just before that river joins the northwest bend of the
Terek. The Baksan is long, with a
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
of .
Course
The Baksan River is a 169 km long river with a catchment area of 6800 km². It originates from the
glaciers
A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...
Azau Bolshoi and Azau Maly in the
Elbrus region and its food source is mainly glacial, snow and underground. The river experiences high water levels during July and August.
The Baksan River has several notable tributaries, the largest of which are the
Cherek and
Chegem
Chegem (; ; , ''Çegem'') is a town and the administrative center of Chegemsky District of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Russia, located north of Nalchik, at the elevation of about . Population:
History
Originally called Chegem Pervy ( ...
rivers, which merge into the Baksan just upstream from its confluence with the
Malka River. In the upper reaches of the Baksan and its tributaries, there are several climbing camps such as
Baksan, Dzhan-Tuugan, and Elbrus, as well as the Elbrus National Park and the Terskol Observatory.
The cities of
Tyrnyauz and
Baksan are located along the Baksan River, while the city of
Prokhladny lies opposite the point where it meets the Malka River. In the lower reaches, the Baksan is used for irrigation purposes and has a hydroelectric power station built on it, known as the Baksan Hydroelectric Power Station.
The Baksan River also has an increased level of contamination.
Gallery
File: Stormy Baksan.jpg, Stormy Baksan
File: Forest on the bank of Baksan.jpg, Forest on the bank of Baksan
Notes
References
External links
Vimeo Video of Baksan River
Rivers of Kabardino-Balkaria
{{NorthCaucasus-river-stub