The Sunzha (Russian: Су́нжа, IPA: [ˈsunʐə]; Chechen: Соьлжа, romanized: Sölƶa; Ingush: Шолжа, romanized: Sholʒə) is a river in North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Chechnya, Russia, a tributary of the Terek. It flows northeast inside the great northwest bend of the Terek River and catches most of the rivers that flow north from the mountains before they reach the Terek. It is 278 kilometres (173 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 12,000 square kilometres (4,600 sq mi). The Sunzha rises on the Northern slope of the Caucasus Major. Its major tributaries are the Assa and Argun. With a turbidity of 3,800 grams per cubic metre (6.4 lb/cu yd), it carries 12.2 million tons of alluvium per year. It is used for irrigation. Cities that lie on the Sunzha include Nazran, Karabulak, Grozny (the capital of Chechnya), and Gudermes. During the First and Second Chechen Wars, the destruction of petroleum reservoirs caused the Sunzha to become polluted with petroleum.

Nomenclature

The origin of the name of the river is disputed. The most probable of versions say Sunzha has come from Mongol-Turkic languages in the deformed type. It is known that Mongols called it Suinchie, Russians Sevenz and in the Chechen language its name got corrective type Solchzha.

There is also other version that before Sunzha Chechens called the river Okhi «Oh'-hi, Оhhи» that means «downwards the river».

See also

• Valerik (river) – historically notable tributary of Sunzha

References

The Sulak (Russian: Сула́к, Kumyk: Сулак (Sulak)/Къой-сув (Qoysuw), Chechen: Ġoysu) drains most of the mountainous interior of Dagestan northeast into the Caspian Sea. It and most of its branches flow in canyons. Its main tributaries are, from north to southeast:

• The Andi Koysu flows north-northeast and joins the Avar Koysu to become the Sulak. A few of its upper tributaries are in Georgia. Near the junction of the two rivers were the Siege of Akhoulgo and the Battle of Gimry.

• The Avar Koysu flows northeast to join the Andi Koysu, forming the Sulak. Its upper tributaries are the northeast flowing Khzanor and the northwest flowing Dzhurmut.

• The Kara Koysu flows northeast and joins the Avar Koysu about 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Gergebil. North of Gergebil is the Irgan dam and reservoir. Its long upper tributaries include the Karalazuger, Tleyserukh and Risor.

• The Kazikumukh Koysu flows north and joins the Kara Koysu at Gergebil.

North of the Sulak basin is the Terek basin and south of it is the Samur basin. To the west is the crest of the Main Caucasian Range of the Caucasus Mountains and to the east are many short rivers that flow down into the Caspian.

The Sulak proper starts at the junction of the Andi and Avar Koysus. It flows northeast into the broad Chirkey Reservoir. It then flows northwest through the narrow Miatli canyon and reservoir. It reaches flat country at Miatli and leaves the last mountains just south of Kizilyurt and enters the Terek-Sulak Lowland about 50 km (31 mi) from its source. Here there are meanders, former channels and canals. It flows northeast about 25 km (16 mi), turns east and reaches the Caspian after about 50 km (31 mi). Its delta is a smaller version of the Terek River delta about 66 km (41 mi) north. The lower Sulak supplies water to Makhachkala through a canal.

In 1735 the Sulak River was stipulated as defining the boundary between the Russian and the Persian empires.

References

Valerik (Russian: Валери́к, Chechen: Валарта/Valargthe) is a little river in Chechnya, a tributary of the Sunzha. The river's lower stream becomes dry in summer. It is 29 kilometres (18 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 35 square kilometres (14 sq mi).

Etymology

The name of the river means "river of the dead" in Chechen. Possibly this river was a border between the Vainakhs and the Iranian peoples who lived in the steppe, and a place of bloody battles. A neighbouring river is named Mardan, which means 'river of the dead' in Ossetic languages.

Battles

In 1840 two battles were fought at the banks of the river between Caucasian Imamate murids and the Russian Imperial Army advancing towards inner Chechnya.

The Russians under Apollon Galafeyev (first battle) and Pavel Grabbe (second battle) defeated the army of Imam Shamil on 11 July and 30 October respectively. After this battle Shamil withdrew from Chechnya and retreated to Caucasian Avaria.

The first battle of the Valerik River is described in Mikhail Lermontov's poem "Valerik". Lermontov was a participant in both battles and gained recognition as a hero, but due to Nicolas I's personal negative attitude towards Lermontov, he was not awarded a medal.

The meaning of Valerik as "the river of the dead" is still used metaphorically: the battle of Komsomolskoye was referred as a "Valerik of the late 20th century".

References

The Argun (Russian: Аргу́н, Chechen: Orga, Georgian: არღუნი - arghuni), also known as Chantiy-Argun, cognate with one of the biggest Chechen teips Chantiy, is a river in the Caucasus. It flows through the northern Caucasus, Georgia, and the Chechen Republic of Russia. It is an affluent of the Sunzha and lies within the river basin of the Terek. It is 148 kilometres (92 mi) long, and has a drainage basin of 3,390 square kilometres (1,310 sq mi). The river has its sources on the northern slopes of the Caucasus in Khevsureti, Georgia. The Argun flows in western Chechnya through Itum-Kalinsky and Shatoysky Districts.

This area was the first place where Chechens established themselves. Many ruins of former villages built in the traditional style can still be seen. The Argun serves as a natural border between the Shalinsky and the Groznensky Districts. The occupation of its valley by the Russians in 1858 was an important event in the last phase of the Murid War. Before the First and Second Chechen Wars the region around the river was populated by numerous farms and houses. The town of Argun is named after the river.

On September 7, 2008, the only bridge crossing the Argun River, connecting northern and southern territories of Chechnya, collapsed. Drivers caught on the bridge escaped without injury. A federal road administration representative linked the accident to abnormal stress from heavy military vehicles.

Description

The Argun River has a length of 148 km and a basin area of 3390 km². The average slope of the river is 17.63 m/km and its average water consumption is 45.6 m³/s. The food source of the Argun River is mixed, and there is no solid freeze-up.

The Argun River originates from glaciers on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range. In its upper reaches, before it merges with the Sharoargun River, it is known as Chanty-Argun. The river then flows through the Argun Gorge in mountainous Chechnya, which is mostly treeless near the source and covered with almost continuous forests further downstream. The mountainous part of the Argun basin and its tributaries form the western part of mountainous Chechnya, the Itum-Kalinsky and Shatoisky districts. This area is one of the original settlements of the Chechen people and is characterized by numerous ancient ruins of auls with traditional tower structures.

Upon reaching the plain, the Argun becomes the border between the Grozny and Shali regions of Chechnya until it flows into the Sunzha River. The valley is densely populated, and before the war, it was characterized by the almost continuous development of private estate-type houses. The city of Argun is located in the lower reaches of the river.

Gallery

References