Daugava
Encyclopedia
Northern Dvina
The Northern Dvina is a river in Northern Russia flowing through the Vologda Oblast and Arkhangelsk Oblast into the Dvina Bay of the White Sea. Along with the Pechora River to the east, it drains most of Northwest Russia into the Arctic Ocean...
, is a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
rising in the Valdai Hills
Valdai Hills
The Valdai Hills are an upland region in north-west of central Russia running north-south, about midway between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, spanning the Novgorod, Tver, Pskov, and Smolensk Oblasts....
, 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...
, flowing through Russia, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, and Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, draining into the Gulf of Riga
Gulf of Riga
The Gulf of Riga, or Bay of Riga, is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia. According to C.Michael Hogan, a saline stratification layer is found at a depth of approximately seventy metres....
in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, an arm of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. The total length of the river is 1020 km (633.8 mi): 325 km in Russian Federation, 328 km in Belarus, and 367 km – in Latvia. In the 19th century, it was connected by a canal to the Berezina and Dnieper rivers (canal is currently not functioning). The Daugava forms part of the international border between Latvia and Belarus.
There are three hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s on the Daugava River – Rīgas HES
Rigas HES
Riga's Hydroelectric Power Plant is located just beyond Riga's southern border. It is geographically located in the town of Salaspils. Total installed power generating capacity is 402 MW. There are six generators, two transformers and two 330 kV power lines .-History:The Riga...
just upstream from Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
or 35 km from the mouth of the river, Ķegums HPP
Kegums Hydro Power Plant
The Ķegums Hydro Power Plant is the oldest hydropower plant on the river Daugava and the third largest in Latvia located in Ķegums. The complex consist of two power plants. The first plant was built from 1936 to 1940...
another 35 km further up or 70 km from the mouth, and Pļaviņas HPP
Plavinas Hydro Power Plant
The Pļaviņas Hydro Power Plant is the biggest power plant in Latvia and one of the biggest hydroelectric power plants in the European Union. It is located in Aizkraukle on the river Daugava. It has ten individual turbines with installed total capacity of 868.5 MW.The construction aroused an...
another 37 km upstream or 107 km from the mouth. A fourth one, Daugavpils HES
Daugava 1 Hydro Power Plant
The Daugavpils hydroelectric power station was a proposed hydro power project in Daugavpils, Latvia. It was to have 10 individual turbines with a nominal output of around 30 MW which will deliver up to 300 MW of power....
, has been planned but has faced strong criticism. Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
currently plans to build several hydroelectric dams on the Belarusian part of Western Dvina.
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-UgricFinno-Ugric languages
Finno-Ugric , Finno-Ugrian or Fenno-Ugric is a traditional group of languages in the Uralic language family that comprises the Finno-Permic and Ugric language families....
name Vīna-Väinä, for passage-to-the-sea. This name is mentioned in the Viking sagas and the Chronicle of Nestor.
Belarus
RubaRuba
Ruba is an urban settlement in the Vitebsk Oblast of Belarus. It is subordinated to the ispolkom of Zheleznodorozhny District of Vitebsk....
, Vitsebsk, Beshankovichy, Polatsk
Polatsk
Polotsk , is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina river. It is the center of Polotsk district in Vitsebsk Voblast. Its population is more than 80,000 people...
with Boris stones
Boris stones
Boris Stones , also called Dvina Stones , are seven medieval artifacts erected along the bank of the Western Dvina between Polotsk and Drissa, Belarus. They probably predate Christianity in the area, but were inscribed in the 12th century with text and an image of Christ...
strewn in the vicinity, Navapolatsk
Navapolatsk
Navapolatsk is a city in Vitsebsk Province, Belarus, with a population of 107,458. Founded in 1958, it is located close to the city of Polatsk and the name literally means "New Polatsk".- History :...
, Dzisna
Dzisna
Dzisna , is a town in the Vitsebsk Voblast of Belarus. It's located on the left bank of the Daugava River, near the confluence of Dysna. It has 2,700 inhabitants . The towns population has declined over the years; early in the 20th century it had close to 10,000 inhabitants....
, Verkhnedvinsk
Verkhnedvinsk
Verkhnyadzvinsk or Verkhnedvinsk is a city in Belarus in the northwest of Vitsebsk Region; it is the administrative center of the Verkhnyadzvinsk raion. Until 1962, it was named Drysa...
, and Druya
Druya
Druya is a historic townlet in Vitebsk Oblast, Belarus, about 30 km northeast of Braslaw, located on the left bank of the Daugava River, at the mouth of the Drujka River, opposite the Latvian parish of Piedruja...
.
Latvia
KrāslavaKraslava
Krāslava is a major town in Krāslava municipality, in the Latgalia region of eastern Latvia.-History:* Krāslava was an important hillfort on the waterway from Variags to Greeks since early Middle Ages, part of the orthodox Principality of Jersika in 13th century.* In 1558 was mentioned for the...
, Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
, Līvāni
Livani
Līvāni is a town in central Latvia. It is situated at the junction of the Dubna and Daugava rivers, approximately 170 kilometers east of Riga, the capital....
, Jēkabpils
Jekabpils
Jēkabpils is a city in Selonia, Latvia roughly halfway between Riga and Daugavpils. The Daugava River runs through the town, and the ancient valley, branches, and islands of the river are considered picturesque...
, Pļaviņas
Plavinas
Pļaviņas is a town in Latvia. The town is located on the Daugava river.-See also:*List of cities in Latvia*Pļaviņas municipality...
, Aizkraukle
Aizkraukle
Aizkraukle is a town in Vidzeme region in Latvia, the administrative centre of Aizkraukle municipality on the right bank of the Daugava River.-History:Aizkraukle before the World War I was formerly known by its German name of Ascheraden...
, Jaunjelgava
Jaunjelgava
-See also:*List of cities in Latvia...
, Lielvārde
Lielvarde
Lielvārde , population 6328, is a town in Vidzeme, Latvia, the administrative centre of Lielvārde municipality on the right bank of the Daugava river, 52 km southeast of Riga.-History:...
, Kegums
Kegums
-Sport:Ķegums has been host to the Latvian Sidecarcross Grand Prix numerous times and will be hosting it again in 2010, on 8 August.In the 2009, Ķegums also hosted the Latvian Motocross Grand Prix.-See also:*List of cities in Latvia...
, Ogre
Ogre, Latvia
Ogre is the principal town of Ogre District in Central Latvia, 36 km east of the capital Riga, situated at the confluence of the Daugava and Ogre rivers...
, Ikšķile
Ikškile
Ikšķile is a town in Latvia, the administrative centre of Ikšķile municipality. It was the first capital of the catholic bishopric of Livonia, known by the German name of Üxküll. Saint Meinhard, known from the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, was the first bishop of Üxküll. In 1197 Berthold of...
, Salaspils
Salaspils
Salaspils is a town in Latvia, the administrative centre of Salaspils municipality. The town is situated on the northern bank of the Daugava River 18 kilometers to the south-east of the city of Riga.-History:...
and Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
.
Latvia
Southern BridgeSouthern Bridge
The Southern Bridge crosses the Daugava river in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The bridge was constructed between 2004 and 2008, and was opened on November 17, 2008...
, Island Bridge
Island Bridge, Riga
The Island Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Daugava river in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The bridge was built in the period from 1975 to 1977.- References :...
, Railway Bridge
Railway Bridge, Riga
The Railway Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Daugava river in Riga, the capital of Latvia.The first iron railway bridge in Riga, over 600 ftm long, was erected in 1871-1872 for Riga - Jelgava railroad....
, Stone Bridge and Shroud Bridge, Riga.
Main tributaries
- AivieksteAiviekste RiverThe Aiviekste is a river in Latvia. It begins at Lake Lubāns and drains into the Daugava . The Aiviekste is the largest tributary of the Daugava in Latvia. The Aiviekste, along with the Pededze River, forms the border between Vidzeme and Latgale.-Tributaries:*Pededze River*Balupe River...
- Pałata
- KasplyaKasplya RiverKasplya is a river in Russia and Belarus, a left tributary of the Daugava River. Its length is 224 km, the first 157 km in Russia , and the rest in Belarus . It starts from Lake Kasplya at , and joins the Daugava in the town of Surazh...
- MezhaMezha River (Western Dvina)Mezha is a river in Tver Oblast, Russia. It flows out of the Valdai Hills and continues west into the Western Dvina. The town of Nelidovo is located along the Mezha....
- DysnaDysnaDysna is a river that flows through Lithuania and Belarus into the Daugava River near the town of Dzisna.The river originates from Lake Parsvėtas, near Dūkštas, Ignalina district municipality. It flows through Lake Dysnai and Lake Dysnykštis. Near Kačergiškės it turns east and for 39 km flows...
- PērsePersePerse may refer to:* Perse, Persa or Perseis, an Oceanid, a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys in Greek mythology, wife of Helios* The Perse School, an independent co-educational school in Cambridge, England...