Kama (river)

The Kama is a massive river located in Russia. It is also known by the name Chulman. This river is a major part of the Russian landscape. It serves as the longest left tributary of the Volga River. A tributary is a smaller river that flows into a larger one. The Kama is also the largest tributary of the Volga by discharge. Discharge refers to the amount of water flowing through the river. At the point where they meet, the Kama actually has a larger discharge than the Volga. This makes the Kama a very powerful part of the regional water system.

The river follows a complex and winding path through several regions. It begins in the Udmurt Republic near the area of Kuliga. From there, the water flows northwest for a long distance. Near Loyno, the river changes direction and flows northeast. It then turns south and west as it enters Perm Krai. The Kama continues its journey through the Udmurt Republic once more. Finally, it flows through the Republic of Tatarstan. The river ends its journey when it meets the Volga south of Kazan.

Historically, the Kama was vital for transportation and travel. Before railroads were built, people used portages to move between river basins. A portage is a land path used to carry boats from one river to another. These paths connected the Kama to the Pechora and the Northern Dvina basins. In the early 19th century, engineers built the Northern Ekaterininsky Canal. This canal was meant to connect the upper Kama to the Vychegda River. The Vychegda is a tributary of the Northern Dvina. However, the canal was mostly abandoned after only a few years because of low use.

Humans have significantly altered the river by building several large dams. These dams create massive bodies of water called reservoirs. At Perm, the Kama Hydroelectric Station uses a dam to form the Kama Reservoir. Near Chaykovsky, the Votkinsk Hydroelectric Station creates the Votkinsk Reservoir. At Naberezhnye Chelny, the Nizhnekamsk Hydroelectric Station forms the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir. These structures change how the water moves through the landscape. They also provide power and store water for the surrounding areas.

A very large number of rivers flow into the Kama. These tributaries come from both the left and right sides. Some of the largest tributaries include the Veslyana, the Vishera, and the Chusovaya. Other major rivers that join the Kama are the Belaya and the Vyatka. The river system is so large that its drainage basin covers 507,000 square kilometers. This vast network of water helps define the geography of the region. The many different streams all contribute to the Kama's massive total volume.

There is a scientific debate regarding the primacy of the Volga and the Kama. Some people argue over which river is more important. However, scientific facts show that the Volga flows into the Kama. One reason is that the bed of the Kama is lower. This allows the Volga to empty into it. The source of the Kama is also higher at 331 meters. In contrast, the source of the Volga is only 228 meters. While the Volga has a larger drainage basin of 604,000 square kilometers, the Kama remains the dominant flow at the confluence. At this meeting point, the Kama has a discharge of 4,100 m3/s, while the Volga has 3,500 m3/s.

Geology provides even more evidence for the Kama's importance. Experts have proven that the valley of the Kama is more ancient than the Volga valley. Long ago, there was a river called the Paleo-Kama. At the time the Paleo-Kama existed, the Volga did not exist. Later, geological changes occurred in the Earth. These changes caused the Volga to join the Kama at right angles. Looking at a map, the meeting point of the two rivers looks like a continuation of the Kama canal. This shows how deeply the Kama is connected to the shape of the land.