Kuloy River (White Sea)
Encyclopedia
The Kuloy is a river in Pinezhsky
and Mezensky District
s of Arkhangelsk Oblast
in Russia
. Its mouth is located in the Mezen Bay
of the White Sea
. It is 235 kilometres (146 mi) long, and the area of its basin 19000 square kilometres (7,335.9 sq mi). The principal tributaries
of the Kuloy are the Kyolda (left), the Nemnyuga
(right), and the Soyana
(left). In the upper course, the Kuloy is known as the Sotka River; the total length of the Sotka and the Kuloy is 350 kilometres (217.5 mi).
In the low course, the Sotka approaches the middle course of the Pinega River
and passes within several kilometers from the Pinega. In this place, close to the settlement of Pinega
, the Kuloy-Pinega Canal
was constructed in 1926—1928, however, currently the canal is pretty much neglected. Below the mouth of the canal the river is known as the Kuloy; above the mouth, the river is known as the Sotka. The lower 208 kilometres (129.2 mi) of the course of Kuloy, downstream from the selo of Kulogory, are navigable; the course adjacent to the canal is not navigable anymore. There is no passenger navigation on the Kuloy.
The river basin of the Kuloy is huge and includes almost all the area in the north-east of Arkhangelsk Oblast
between the White Sea and the Mezen and Pinega rivers. This area is spread over five districts, Pinezhsky, Mezensky, Primorsky
, and minor areas in Leshukonsky
and Kholmogorsky Districts.
From the confluence of the canal, the Kuloy flows north, crosses from Pinezhsky District into Mezensky District, where it accepts the Nemnyuga from the right. Below the mouth of the Soyana, the valley of the Kuloy starts broadening and turns into the estuary
, which turns north-east and enters the Mezen Bay. The selo of Dolgoshchelye is located at the right bank of the estuary.
and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic
. In 13th century the Novgorod merchants already reached the White Sea
. The Kuloy was used by Novgorod merchants as the trading route to the basin of the Pechora River
.
From the Northern Dvina, they went upstream the Pinega and took the boats by land to the Kuloy
at the place where the canal now is. The boats then were taken from the Kuloy to the Mezen.
The selo of Dolgoshchelye, in the estuary
of the Kuloy, is a historical pomor fishermen village.
Pinezhsky District
Pinezhsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Pinezhsky Municipal District...
and Mezensky District
Mezensky District
Mezensky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Mezensky Municipal District...
s of Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
in 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...
. Its mouth is located in the Mezen Bay
Mezen Bay
The Mezen Bay is located in Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Northwestern Russia. It is one of four large bays and gulfs of the White Sea, the others being the Dvina Bay, the Onega Bay, and the Kandalaksha Gulf. The Mezen Bay is the easternmost of these, as it lies to the south of...
of the White Sea
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
. It is 235 kilometres (146 mi) long, and the area of its basin 19000 square kilometres (7,335.9 sq mi). The principal tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Kuloy are the Kyolda (left), the Nemnyuga
Nemnyuga River
The Nemnyuga is a river in Leshukonsky, Pinezhsky, and Mezensky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Kuloy River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
(right), and the Soyana
Soyana River
The Soyana is a river in Primorsky and Mezensky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Kuloy River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
(left). In the upper course, the Kuloy is known as the Sotka River; the total length of the Sotka and the Kuloy is 350 kilometres (217.5 mi).
In the low course, the Sotka approaches the middle course of the Pinega River
Pinega River
The Pinega is a river in Verkhnetoyemsky, Pinezhsky, and Kholmogorsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Northern Dvina River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
and passes within several kilometers from the Pinega. In this place, close to the settlement of Pinega
Pinega
Pinega is a settlement, formerly a town, in Pinezhsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Pinega River . It serves as the administrative center of Pinezhsky Selsoviet, one of the seventeen selsoviets into which the district is administratively divided...
, the Kuloy-Pinega Canal
Kuloy-Pinega Canal
Kuloy-Pinega Canal is a canal connecting the Kuloy River and the Pinega River in Northern Russia at their closest points. The length of the canal is...
was constructed in 1926—1928, however, currently the canal is pretty much neglected. Below the mouth of the canal the river is known as the Kuloy; above the mouth, the river is known as the Sotka. The lower 208 kilometres (129.2 mi) of the course of Kuloy, downstream from the selo of Kulogory, are navigable; the course adjacent to the canal is not navigable anymore. There is no passenger navigation on the Kuloy.
The river basin of the Kuloy is huge and includes almost all the area in the north-east of Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
between the White Sea and the Mezen and Pinega rivers. This area is spread over five districts, Pinezhsky, Mezensky, Primorsky
Primorsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast
Primorsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Primorsky Municipal District...
, and minor areas in Leshukonsky
Leshukonsky District
Leshukonsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Leshukonsky Municipal District...
and Kholmogorsky Districts.
From the confluence of the canal, the Kuloy flows north, crosses from Pinezhsky District into Mezensky District, where it accepts the Nemnyuga from the right. Below the mouth of the Soyana, the valley of the Kuloy starts broadening and turns into the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, which turns north-east and enters the Mezen Bay. The selo of Dolgoshchelye is located at the right bank of the estuary.
History
The area was originally populated by Finno-Ugric peoplesFinno-Ugric peoples
The Finno-Ugric peoples are any of several peoples of Europe who speak languages of the proposed Finno-Ugric language family, such as the Finns, Estonians, Mordvins, and Hungarians...
and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic was a large medieval Russian state which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains between the 12th and 15th centuries, centred on the city of Novgorod...
. In 13th century the Novgorod merchants already reached the White Sea
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
. The Kuloy was used by Novgorod merchants as the trading route to the basin of the Pechora River
Pechora River
The Pechora River is a river in northwest Russia which flows north into the Arctic Ocean on the west side of the Ural Mountains. It lies mostly in the Komi Republic but the northernmost part crosses the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. It is 1,809 km long and its basin is 322,000 square kilometers...
.
From the Northern Dvina, they went upstream the Pinega and took the boats by land to the Kuloy
Kuloy River (White Sea)
The Kuloy is a river in Pinezhsky and Mezensky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast in Russia. Its mouth is located in the Mezen Bay of the White Sea. It is long, and the area of its basin . The principal tributaries of the Kuloy are the Kyolda , the Nemnyuga , and the Soyana...
at the place where the canal now is. The boats then were taken from the Kuloy to the Mezen.
The selo of Dolgoshchelye, in the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Kuloy, is a historical pomor fishermen village.