Daugava River
| Daugava | |
|---|---|
 The Daugava in Riga during winter |
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| Origin | Russia |
| Mouth | Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea |
| Basin countries | Belarus, Latvia, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia |
| Length | 1,020 km (630 mi) |
| Source elevation | 221 m (725 ft) |
| Mouth elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Avg. discharge | 678 m3/s (23,900 cu ft/s) |
| Basin area | 87,900 km2 (33,900 sq mi) |
The river Daugava or Western Dvina or Dzvina (Latvian: Daugava, Russian: Западная Двина́ (Zapadnaya Dvina), Belarusian: traditionally Дзвiна or newly Заходняя Дзвіна, IPA: [zaˈxodnʲaja dzʲvʲiˈna]), not to be confused with Northern Dvina, is a river rising in the Valdai Hills, Russia, flowing through Russia, Belarus, and Latvia, draining into the Gulf of Riga in Latvia, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The total length of the river is 1,020 km (630 mi). It was connected during 19 century by a canal to the Berezina and Dnieper rivers. The Daugava forms part of the international border between Latvia and Belarus.
There are three hydroelectric dams on the Daugava River - Rīgas HES just upstream from Riga or 35 km from the mouth of the river, Ķegums HPP another 35 km further up or 70 km from the mouth, and Pļaviņas HPP another 37 km upstream or 107 km from the mouth. A fourth one, Daugavpils HES, has been planned but has faced strong criticism. Belarus currently plans to build several hydroelectric dams on the Belarusian part of Daugava River.
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Etymology
The Latvian name for the river, "Daugava" originated from the ancient Baltic words for "the great water" (daudz ūdens). The names for the Daugava in other languages; Dyna - Двина - Дзьвіна - Dźwina -Düna - Dvina; originated from the Finno-Ugric name Vīna-Väinä, for passage-to-the-sea. This name is mentioned in the Viking sagas and the Chronicle of Nestor.
Cities, towns and settlements by the Daugava River
Russia
Andreapol, Zapadnaya Dvina and Velizh.
Belarus
Ruba, Vitsebsk, Beshankovichy, Polatsk with some Dvina stones strewn in the vicinity, Navapolatsk and Dzisna.
Latvia
Krāslava, Daugavpils, Līvāni, Jēkabpils, Pļaviņas, Aizkraukle, Jaunjelgava, Lielvārde, Kegums, Ogre, Ikšķile, Salaspils and Riga.
Crossings of the Daugava River
Belarus
Kirov Bridge, Vitebsk.
Latvia
Southern Bridge, Island Bridge, Railway Bridge, Stone Bridge and Shroud Bridge, Riga.
Main tributaries
- Aiviekste
- Pałata
- Kasplya
- Mezha
- Dysna
References
Richard C. Frucht; Aldis Purs. Latvia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 115. http://books.google.com/books?id=lVBB1a0rC70C&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=daugava+river&source=bl&ots=EE89_FHPO6&sig=_HB_nZYD4egfMXwU02qh7VCeAwo&hl=da&ei=2n9zSr7pLsOM_AaytejoAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=daugava%20river&f=false. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
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