Sviyaga (Tat. Zoya, Chuvash. Sĕve, Mar. Sӱ ye) - a river in the Ulyanovsk region and Tatarstan, right tributary Volga River.
The hydronym “Sviyaga” comes from the Turkic “si” or “su” - “water”, and “aga” - “flow”: that is, “flowing water”. According to another version, “Sviyag” in Russian dialects of the 14th century means “wild duck” or from the word “svit”, “curly”. Hence the name of one of the duck species - “wigeon”.
“Sviyaga” comes from the Turkic “si” or “su” - “water”, and “aga” - “flow”: i.e. "flowing water" According to another version, “Sviyag” in Russian dialects of the 14th century means “wild duck” or from the word “twist”, “curl”. The Mari name of the river is Cӱ е в ӱ d.
Sviyaga River 
Geography
Length - 375 km, basin area - 16,700 km². Width 5 - 40 m, depth 0.3 - 4.0 m, current speed 0.1 - 1 m/s.
The river originates on the eastern slope of the Volga Upland in the Kuzovatovsky district and has three sources. The main source is considered to be located on a hill (332m) 5 km southwest of the village of Kuzovatovo. The second source originates near the village of Krasnaya Polyana, and the third to the west of the village of Bayevka. It flows from south to north parallel to the Volga along an asymmetrical elevated undulating plain strongly crossed by numerous deep (sometimes tens of meters) ravines and gullies. The right bank part is more complex in terms of terrain. The river bed is winding, the width at low water is 20 - 30 m, the average depth on the rifts is 0.6 m, on the reaches 1.3 m. It flows into Sviyazhsky Bay Kuibyshev Reservoir.
Hydrology
The river is high-water, the river is fed mainly by snow (up to 52%). The average water flow 26 km from the mouth is 34 m³/s. It freezes in November - early December, opens in April. The hydrological regime is characterized by high floods and low, long-lasting low water periods. The average layer of annual runoff is 50-150 mm, of which 46-64 mm occurs during the spring flood period. Underground supply modules range from 0.5-5.0 to 10.0 l/s km2 (along the main channel). The water in the river is highly mineralized (400-700 mg/l), and its qualitative composition changes from hydrocarbonate-sulfate-calcium (up to the Birlya River) to sulfate-bicarbonate-sodium towards the mouth. Hardness ranges from 1.5 - 3.0 mg-eq/l in spring, to 3.0-6.0 mg-eq/l in low water.
Tributaries
The river has 79 tributaries, 10 of which have a length from 40 to 165 km. The largest of which are: Timersyanka, Tsilna, Karla, Bula, Ulema, Kubnya, Arya, Tosha, Birlya.
Nature
Sviyag is home to 12 species of fish, including: pike, perch, pike perch, crucian carp, bream, silver bream, roach, rudd, bleak, catfish, carp. In the lower reaches of the river, fishing is more productive and environmentally friendly than in the upper reaches. The plankton of the river contains 48 species of rotifers (including 7 rare), 47 species of cladocerans (including 3 rare) and 28 species of copepods (including 3 rare) crustaceans. 58 species of algae and 22 species of benthic organisms
Economic use
The river is of great economic importance for this region, it is a transport route of local importance, an important source of natural water supply, including those used to satisfy various sectors of the national economy.
In the 50s, the river was used for the construction of small hydroelectric power stations, among which the most famous are Deushevskaya and Kiyatskaya. In Sviyag, within the boundaries of Ulyanovsk, significant excesses of the maximum permissible concentration for petroleum products and phenols were noted. As a result, swimming in Sviyag is prohibited in the city.
Since 1978 it has been a natural monument of regional significance in Tatarstan. 
Settlements
Ulyanovsk
Isheevka
Buinsk
Apastovo (village)
Sviyazhsk (village )
Deushevo (village)
Sources of the Sviyaga River
Sviyaga River - tributary Volga, into which it flows within Tatarstan. But its sources, upper and middle reaches are located in the Ulyanovsk region.
The Sviyaga River originates in the Kuzovatovsky district, where it has three sources. Of greatest interest is the main source of the Sviyaga to the southwest of the village of Kuzovatovo, approximately 5 km from it on a hill with an elevation of 332 m above sea level, composed of sandy and rocky deposits of the Paleogene. The important thing is that throughout this entire elevation there are good tall-stemmed pine forests, green moss, lingonberry, and in some places blueberry. There are also many representatives of the wintergreen family - one-sided ortilia, round-leaved, green-flowered and small wintergreens, umbellate wintergreen and sometimes a very rare orchid plant, Neottinantha capulata.
SVIAGA NEAR THE SOURCE - KUZOVATOVSKY DISTRICT, ULYANOVSK REGION
The location of the very source of the Sviyaga is the 102nd forest quarter (although most of the nearest upper reaches of the Sviyaga are located in the 103rd quarter). The source itself originates from a forested waterlogged swamp, which is directly adjacent on all sides by the pine forest described above. In turn, the swamp is fed by a stream that originates nearby in the forest. The current in it is quiet and the water flow is no more than a fraction of a liter per second, but the water is clean and cold. This entire stream, like the swamp, is overgrown along the banks with willow, black alder, and various types of hygrophytic plants. All this is very favorable for the preservation and normal functioning of the source. In addition, there is no significant anthropogenic disturbance of the area here.
To the northeast of the source, the upper reaches of the Sviyaga for several kilometers are also in good condition. They are surrounded by the same green moss pine forest, and Sviyaga itself, in the form of a small but clean stream, flows along the bottom of a deep, very winding and heavily forested ravine with hygrophytic herbaceous vegetation. Thus, in general, this source of the Sviyaga itself is in favorable conditions, and the task is to strictly observe the conservation regime here, the main condition of which should be considered the preservation of green moss pine forests, which are of great water conservation importance.
SIVIYAGA IN THE UPPER REACHES 
However, the situation is worse with the lower upper reaches of this river. Here, over the course of just a few kilometers, three large dams have been created, which intercept most of the water from the source of Sviyaga, with virtually no forest protection on the banks. Of particular concern is the first dam, on the banks of which there is a wood processing plant that pollutes and litters the water. The second dam is cleaner, but on its banks there are also various industrial buildings. Behind the second dam, Sviyaga again takes the form of a small stream and then in the village itself. Kuzovatovo there is a third, largest dam, behind which Sviyaga becomes a small river, flowing for several kilometers along a fairly wide floodplain towards the northeast until it merges with two other sources. This entire area is completely treeless, there are almost no willow trees along the banks of the river, and the floodplain itself in this section is occupied by damp and swampy meadows, and even low-lying swamps, which are subject to intensive grazing. But still, here the upper reaches of Sviyaga are relatively more full-flowing, which is explained by the presence of springs in the village itself. Kuzovatovo, as well as the abundance and proximity of groundwater in the floodplain. To improve the condition of the upper reaches of the Sviyaga, it is necessary to eliminate at least the first two dams, which intercept a lot of water and pollute it. In addition, it is necessary to afforest the Sviyaga floodplain to the northeast of the village. It is covered with moisture-loving trees and shrubs, primarily black alder and willows. Of course, there should be no grazing in the floodplain; it is better to practice haymaking there.
Another source of the Sviyaga is located near the village of Krasnaya Polyana. On the northern outskirts of this village there is a ravine where the source used to be. But currently the ravine is half dry, although it is clear that in the past there was a stream bed here. Water still seeps from the bottom and slopes of the ravine, but there is still no real stream here, only isolated swamps. Only a little further down the ravine, from the left slope of the bank, a spring flows out, which is fenced off in the form of a well. This is the given source of Sviyaga, of course, secondary. A trickle is already starting to flow from here. The ravine where Sviyag originated and originates cannot be considered treeless. There is quite a lot of black alder and bird cherry in it, however, the entire ravine is heavily trampled by cattle. And this is the main reason that most of the springs at the source are trampled and silted, and in most cases they have ceased to function. In addition, a dam was built near the existing source, which is completely unacceptable. In the surrounding area there is forest only on the northern and northwestern sides; on all other sides the area is treeless. Thus, this source of Sviyaga is now in very poor condition. To correct the situation, it is necessary, first of all, to stop grazing in the ravine and eliminate the dam. The log needs to be more densely planted with moisture-loving trees and shrubs. Silted springs must be cleared. The surrounding areas on watersheds need to be afforested with the creation of complex forest plantations.
The neighboring, third source of the Sviyaga, located to the west of the village of Bayevka, is in a slightly better position. It originates from springs on the edge of a very sparse pine forest. The springs are quite powerful, the water is clean. To preserve the springs and increase their capacity, it is necessary to improve and restore the surrounding pine forests. It’s bad that on the western outskirts of the village, directly near the upper reaches of Sviyaga, a livestock breeding complex has been created, the effluents of which pollute the water.
BRIDGE OVER SVIYAGA AT THE CHIPMUNKS 
RAFTING ON THE SIVIYAGA RIVER
The Sviyaga is a right tributary of the Volga, flowing through three landscape zones: steppe, forest-steppe and forest. Along the way there are deep reaches and fast rocky rifts; you will have to overcome several dams, choose a fairway among islands and channels; The last kilometers of the hike will lie along the Kuibyshev Reservoir.
Length of sections of the route: the mouth of Gushchi—Ulyanovsk—40 km, Ulyanovsk—Buinsk—140 km, Buinsk—Burunki—100 km, Burunduki—Sviyazhsk—20 km.
The journey begins with an acquaintance with Ulyanovsk, a large industrial and cultural center of the country, the former Simbirsk, an ancient city founded in 1648 as one of the outposts of the “Zasechnaya Line”. There is a lot here connected with the name of V.I. Lenin: the house where he spent his childhood, the building of the former gymnasium where he studied, the assembly of the nobility where he worked in the library. For the centenary of the birth of V.I. Lenin, a memorial complex was built in Ulyanovsk. You can also visit local history and art museums, and the house-museum of the writer I. A. Goncharov.
People have been traveling around Sviyaga for a long time to relax and get acquainted with the region. V.I. Lenin walked along it in his youth, and in 1935 one of the first planned routes on collapsible kayaks existed here.
The Sviyaga is already quite full of water after the confluence of the left tributary, Guschi. The width is from 15 to 20 m, the depths are sufficient, although wiring may be required on shallow riffles during low water periods. Near the steep Yarov there are deep (up to 4 m) holes where you can try your luck as a fisherman.
During high water, an interesting (and probably difficult) hike will be from the village of Koromyslovka, where you approach from Kuzovatovo station (Barysh - Syzran line).
If the trip is not planned from the upper reaches, then it is better to start from the village of Isheevka: there are many small rifts and low bridges up to it, and, in addition, there are three dams. 1 km below Isheevka there are large rocky rifts. Overnight accommodation is possible 2 km below the dam of the Isheevskoye reservoir.
SIVIYAGA RIVER NEAR ISHEVKA 
Further on, the river flows along a wide floodplain overgrown with bushes, winds strongly, and splits into branches. Near the village of Salmanovka, the right channel dries up in summer. Maksimovka has a deeper right channel, Arbuzovka has a left one, Aleykino has a right one. However, over time, the depth of the ducts changes; it is better to further determine their patency on site. At Teleshovka you need to go right along the narrow riverbed without entering the wide creek. Maksimovka has a large rocky riffle (rapid) with a fast current.
The right bank along the entire route is higher, steep in places, the left bank is flat and lower. Along the banks, meadows and fields alternate with copses.
Below the mouth of the Tsilna, the Sviyaga is divided into branches, along the banks there are oak forests, and near the water there are sandy beaches. Below Stepanovka (in front of the town of Buinsk) there are springs on the right bank. Here in the forest there is a wonderful place to relax.
Soon after Buinsk, the river again divides into channels; near the bridge near the village of Kushtogo, the left channel is fuller, and 4 km lower - the right channel. There are many small rifts near the village of Deushevo, the longest of them (about 2 km) is near the village of Bulym-Bulykhchi. There is a dam near the village of Ivanovskoye. Passage depends on the water level and the preparedness of the group.
Closer to the Chipmunks, the river becomes wider, deeper, calmer, and from the Chipmunks the flow is almost imperceptible. Overnight on the left bank in front of the village. If necessary, you can end your trip in Burunduki and leave for Sviyazhsk or Kazan by boat.
Below the Chipmunks the banks become higher and more picturesque. The bay of the Kuibyshev Reservoir begins. From the waters of the bay, like a wonderful fairy-tale city, Sviyazhsk is growing. 
Sviyazhsk town (originally called Ivan-Gorod) was built in 1551 in four weeks. Ivan the Terrible could not take Kazan for a long time. To prepare for the assault, they decided to quickly and unexpectedly erect a fortress in the immediate vicinity of the enemy’s capital. It was created near Uglich by craftsmen led by Ivan Vyrodnov. Then the fortress was dismantled and floated on barges to the mouth of Sviyaga. The next year, 1552, Kazan fell. The history of Sviyazhsk is reflected in its ancient coat of arms - a golden city is depicted on a blue field on boats.
St. Nicholas Church (1556), built by Pskov craftsmen; 
wooden Trinity Church (XVI century), which now houses the local history museum. 
After Sviyazhsk, if time permits, the journey should be continued to Kazan.
SIVIYAGA RIVER NEAR ISAKOVO 
Sviyaga River, Ziya (in Tatar) - article by Rustem Akhunov
Of course, the most significant rivers of Tatarstan are the Kama and Volga, then we can mention the Kazanka, on the banks of which two significant Tatar fortresses of the Middle Ages were built, these are Archa and Kazan. The next most important and famous river is the Sviyaga River, called Ziya in Tatar. The basin of this river, which is a right tributary of the Volga, is located on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan and the neighboring Ulyanovsk region, the source originates in the Volga Upland. The hydronym of this river among different peoples living in the Sviyaga basin area, having a common consonant root, has a different name in full pronunciation. So, if in Tatar this river is called Ziya (Zeya, Zuya), then the Chuvash call it Syve, and its Mari name is Supe.
To link the description of the Sviyaga River basin to the pre-revolutionary administrative division of the areas it occupies, you can use the publication of M.D. Ruzsky (1887, Kazan). So in the 4th issue of the XVII volume of the Proceedings of the Society of Naturalists at the Imperial Kazan University (The Sviyaga River Basin and its fish), this author gives the following description. The Sviyaga River flows through the Simbirsk and Kazan provinces, occupying its basin: in the first province - Sengileevsky, Simbirsk and Buinsky districts, in the second - Tetyushsky, Sviyazhsky and part of Tsivilsky. The territory of its basin, equal to about 19,350 square versts, is located approximately between 53º31" and 55º48" north latitude and 16º42" and 18º30" east longitude (from Pulkovo) and is limited from the east and north by the middle course of the Volga River, from the southeast - the Usa River basin, then from the south the Syzran River, from the west the Barysha River and other tributaries of the Sura River, and finally, from the northwest by the Tsivilya River basin. In general, it appears to be a black earth plain, although not continuous, with a slope to the north...
The mouth of Sviyaga, after the creation of the Kuibyshev reservoir in 1956, expanded significantly, as did the Volga basin in this part. The riverbed of the Sviyaga, especially near its mouth, runs as a noticeable serpentine, making the surrounding area more picturesque. A significant expansion of the Sviyaga channel led to the appearance of additional branches, in some places separated by large islands. The picturesque surroundings of the Sviyaga River basin are clearly visible from the tops of the hills of the Verkhe-Uslonsky and Kaybitsky districts of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Verkhn.-Uslonsky district,
Quiet Ples district
The bank of the Sviyaga River, where V.I. Lenin went fishing. Postcard from the 1920s. Mezzotint 
Now the most famous cultural and historical object located on Sviyag, attracting the attention of not only local historians, can be considered the complex of the Sviyazhsky monastery, on the reconstruction of the historical appearance of which, instead of preserving the little that remains of the historical appearance of Kazan, the esteemed First is working day and night President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Sharipovich Shaimiev. However, even twenty years ago, priorities were somewhat different. And more significant, on Sviyag there were places where the leader of the world proletariat Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov-Lenin himself went fishing. True, Lenin’s places of Sviyaga are located on the territory of the current Ulyanovsk region. I bring to your attention a Soviet postcard from the late 1920s, depicting Lenin’s places on Sviyag. The image quality here is not important. The photograph was reproduced on a postcard using the mezzotint method, which made it possible to produce mass editions with a quality that was then considered quite acceptable.
The total area of the Sviyaga basin at the turn of the XX-XXI centuries. was 16,700 sq. km, and the length of the river was 375 km. Within the Republic of Tatarstan, the length of the Sviyaga channel is 205 km. In 1978, Sviyaga was declared a natural monument. Long before the creation of the Kuibyshev reservoir, during the times of Tsarist Russia, in geographical descriptions of the Kazan province, Sviyaga was not given much space for mention. It was a beautiful, but not very significant river. The address-calendar and reference book of the Kazan province for 1915 only casually mentions this river a couple of times, however, in one of these cases, as a fairly large river after the Volga and Kama. But the main attention is paid to other rivers, for example, the same Mesha or Sura, Tsivila, Vyatka.
The name of Sviyazhsk, founded as a Muscovite fortress before the capture of Kazan, comes from the Russian name of the river on which the fortress was built. Subsequently, Svizhyask became the center of the county of the same name. But, as Kazan historian M.S. Glukhov-Nogaybek noted, the Tatar name of the river gave reason to some researchers of the past to confuse Sviyaga with Zay, a river of approximately the same length in Trans-Kama. The single mention of the coastal qualities of Sviyaga, in the address calendar and address book of the Kazan province, is associated with the flood valleys it had at that time, due to which silt-loamy-sandy soil predominated in Sviyazhsky district.
Quality land near Sviyaga
Due to the favorable natural conditions necessary for good agriculture, Sviyazhsky district was then classified as the fifth quality category, out of seven general groups (quality categories). The fifth category also included Kazan and Mamadysh districts. The last, seventh, and lowest category included Tsarevokokshay district (now the territory of the RME and the Republic of Chuvashia). And now Sviyaga, which has become much wider and delights with its beauty, forms similar natural conditions. However, the current Kaybitsky district, partly adjacent to the Sviyaga basin, can boast of the richest soils. On its arable land, from a distance it appears blue-black, sometimes almost with a purple tint.
In Tatarstan, the first settlement noticeable on the map that Sviyaga meets on his way to the Volga is the village of Vozzhi. Then, also on the right remains the village of Burtsevo, and on the left the village of Chabry. A little further along the same bank stands the Chuvash Chikildym, on the right is the Chuvash Sarykamysh.
Then, also on the right bank, the Sviyaga meets the villages of Tatarskoye Cherepanovo and Trudovik, and on the left, Starye Burunduki. After 12 kilometers, Kozlovka will be on the left again, then Nemchinovka. Immediately after Nemchinovka, on the right side of the riverbed stands the village of Kiyat.
Then on the left is Yanga-Aul, and a little further on the right is Ak-Kul. Right there, on the left bank, Ivashevka is located. About 3.5 km later, the village of Kugalna will be on the right. Then, for quite a long distance, Sviyaga does not meet any villages near the shore, right up to Stepanovka, which is located on the right, and Bikmurazovo with Nizhny Naratbash, located on the left side of the riverbed. In four kilometers (if measured in a straight line) there will be Cherki-Grishino and Koshchakovo-Cherki. On the left is Ishmyakovo Cherki. Then, still on the left are Cherki Kildurazy. After a few kilometers, Kushtovo, Kulgany and Cherki-Bikbeevo will remain on the right and left. Three kilometers after the village of Kulgany, the village of Deush will be on the left. In the area of the Karatunsky grain collection point (bread collection point), on the left there will be the villages of Bishevo and Sviyazhsky. After three and a half kilometers Bulym-Bulykhchi will remain on the left. After approximately the same distance, Kurmashevo will be on the left, and Shonguty on the right. Then on the right, Sviyaga will meet small Koguzes. After 7-8 kilometers, Zabornaya Polyana will be on the right bank, Berlyash and Novopolyak will remain on the left. Five kilometers after Zabornaya Polyana you will meet Ivanovskoye on the right and Morozova Polyana on the left. Then again the right bank will be met by a village whose name is Patrikeevo. Two and a half km after which Sviyaga will pass between the villages of Novoye Patrikeevo (on the left) and Bychkovsky.
Views of Sviyaga near the bridge on the P-241 highway 
Soon Sviyaga will be met by the bridge of the Ulyanovsk highway R-241. This bridge is located a little over a kilometer from the village with the interesting name Chipmunks. In this village, a stone mosque built at the end of the nineteenth century has been preserved. This mosque was restored in 1991 and is now operational. About eight kilometers after the bridge at Chipmunks, Sviyaga begins to actively divide into branches, the further it goes, the more. Here are the villages of Chulpanikha, Karamyshikha (right) and Buzeyevo Utyakovo settlement (left). Then, Sobolevskoye and Kainki will appear on the right one by one. On the right is Britvino.
Moreover, an important event in the life of one VIP person of the past is connected with the Kainks. In the spring and autumn of 1904, the future minister-chairman of the Provisional Government, Alexander Fedorovich Kerensky, was in this village. It was here, in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the village of Kainki, that A.F. Kerensky married the niece of the Kainki landowner V.P. Vasiliev - O.L. Baranovskaya.
The Kainka landowner V.P. Vasiliev (1818-1900) himself was a famous sinologist (sinologist), academician of the St. Petersburg Academy. In addition, he was the son-in-law of the famous Kazan astronomer, professor of Kazan University I.M. Simonov, who lived in Kainki. The son of the landowner V.P. Vasiliev - A.V. Vasiliev was a mathematician, and the grandson N.A. Vasiliev was a philosopher. About Kerensky’s fiancée, student of the Higher Women’s Courses Olga Baranovskaya, it can be added that she was the daughter of Colonel of the General Staff L.S. Baranovsky. The newlyweds spent the summer of 1904 on the Kainkov estate, and in the fall they returned to the capital of the empire.
Wigeon dividing into branches near Tikhoy Ples 
Three kilometers after the village of Kainki, Lomovka will remain far to the right. Further, on the high hill of the right bank, Sviyaga will be met by Quiet Ples (nowadays it does not exist as a settlement, but there is a summer cottage), Chukhmanka and Krutoy Ravine. On the left bank, dotted with numerous branches, a little to the side there will be the village of Molvino, where a mosque built in 1873 at the expense of the Kazan merchant of the 1st guild M.N. Kazakov has been preserved. Further along the riverbed follows Isakovo, then Mizinovo. On the right are Gavrilkovo, Medvedkovo, Vvedenskaya Sloboda and Petropavlovskaya Sloboda. Opposite Petropavlovskaya Sloboda, on the island stands Sviyazhsk, the last point on the way to the confluence of Sviyaga with the Volga.
Views of the river floodplain and nature near Tikhoy Ples on Sviyag 
The main historical and cultural monuments located in the Sviyaga region have long been included in the republican register. The collection of historical and cultural monuments subject to state protection has been published more than once by republican publications, both under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan. But so far I have managed to record only two architectural and historical monuments included in such registers. This is an old mosque in Burunduki, and an old church near Quiet Ples.
The last kilometers of the Sviyaga flow, on the right it is accompanied by the hills of the Verkhne-Uslonsky region. Which, although not covered with forests, like the hills of the Kaybitsky district, can still please local summer residents and their guests with large field strawberries. Field, i.e. wild, not cultivated in garden plots, which means healthier and more useful. Gentlemen with botanical or entomological predilections will also not be at a loss here. The low vegetation here is diverse and inhabited by interesting representatives of the six-legged fauna.
MOUTH OF THE SIVIYAGA RIVER - ISLAND-GRAD SVIYAZHSK 
In Soviet times, Sviyaga was famous outside the TASSR, although not as a river, but as a brand of refrigerator that took the name of one of the rivers in the Volga region. However, at that time the Sviyaga refrigerator was not the most popular. The priority in popularity since the 1950s was the ZIL refrigerator, then came the Saratov refrigerator, the most popular and popular since the 1960s was the Mir refrigerator, produced by the Zelenodolsk plant named after Sergo. Since 1971, this plant has also produced Sviyaga brand refrigerators. But in the 1960s, the Sviyaga brand did not yet exist. I remember that when moving to a new apartment, my father’s older sister, Rkiya-apa, happily found the “Mir” refrigerator. Moreover, it’s happy, because Dad’s sister won this refrigerator with a lottery ticket, which was then “voluntarily” - forcibly distributed at enterprises. The won Mir refrigerator began to be used no later than 1965, and its compressor broke down only in the summer of 2010. I had to change the relay on this refrigerator once. And that's it - no more repairs! Even the rubber seals on the refrigerator door are still factory, just a little frayed. The refrigerator served well for 45 years. Even German household appliances, which were so impeccable before, could not noticeably compete with such domestic reliability. Now the Zelenodolsk enterprise that produced the MIR and Sviyaga refrigerators has been reorganized into the Pozis Production Association, and its refrigeration and compressor products are in great demand, successfully combining an affordable price with good reliability.
If we return to the descriptions of the Sviyaga River at the end of the nineteenth century, then from M.D. Ruzsky, we can learn that even then the Sviyaga River basin was not rich in forests; real old forests were preserved only on its outskirts. Most of the basin was already occupied by arable fields. This is understandable, black soil. Scattered among these fields were islands of deciduous young forests, “kurens,” as they were called in the Simbirsk province. And pine forests surrounded the Sviyaga River basin from the northwest and west. In Sengileevsky and Simbirsk districts, between forests and arable lands, small areas of the primitive steppe facies were still preserved in places. The low gentle hills of the southern part of the basin (Sengileevsky and Simbirsk districts) are located both in groups and scattered separately and are limited from each other by wide valleys and ravines. The tops of these hills, in some places with outcrops of white chalk, are covered with young deciduous forests, and their slopes are overgrown with grass and especially feather grass. Everywhere the basin area is cut by ravines that have their own drainages. In the south, the ravines are shallow, they can rather be called ravines or deep valleys, and in the northern part and in the middle (Buinsky, Sviyazhsky Tetyushsky bridles) the ravines are deeper than the southern ones, longer, wider and more branched, often bare devoid of vegetation on the bottom and slopes. But everywhere, along the bottom of the ravines, key springs flow, murmuring and foaming.
The coastline of Sviyaga, especially in the Simbirsk province, is winding and has many oxbow lakes, as well as backwaters and creeks of varying sizes, which are especially abundant on the banks of the river in the vicinity of Simbirsk. Both mill ponds, lakes and oxbow lakes, and in general all places in the river where water stagnates or the flow slows down for some reason, are abundantly covered with water lilies and water lilies. In such places there are especially many different kinds of living creatures that make up food for the fish, which are attracted here in large numbers. Mill ponds and deep pools are especially rich in animal and plant life. Often near the mills there are islands in Sviyag, usually overgrown with either meadow grasses, or bushes and trees (willows).
In the Kazan province, the mill dams are low, not solid, and instead of a top they have a wide hole in the middle, through which water flows out in a fast stream with noise and waves. Meanwhile, in the Simbirsk province, the mill dams are solid and built so high that the water does not reach the tops and only occasionally flows down them in the form of a weak stream. In the spring, during floods, when the water level in the river is unusually high, such dams built from manure and brushwood are usually broken by the pressure of water, or are so washed away and deteriorated that they are constantly in need of amendments and restoration. Often such dams are destroyed in the summer, after heavy rains. In some tributaries of the Sviyaga, mill ponds, together with dug ponds, reach a significant size and their dams do not break through during floods. As a result, such reservoirs are isolated, and according to M.D. Ruzsky, some separation of the fauna should occur there.
And then it was believed that mill ponds were harmful to the river, but on the other hand, depending on natural conditions, they contributed to the fertility of the river valley and created favorable conditions for fish spawning. These are now dams of river reservoirs, they work only for the needs of hydropower, completely disregarding the fish spawning season. As a result, favorable conditions for spawning are not created at all, but almost all eggs or fish fry die.
In the description of M.D. Ruzsky at that time, Sviyaga was rich in 33 species of fish, the vast majority of which were also characteristic of the then Volga. These 33 species made up 9 families, of which the most numerous was the carp family, which included 20 species of fish. The perch family was represented by 4 species, there were 3 species of loaches, and one representative each in Sviyag was the species of cod, catfish, salmon, pike, sturgeon and lamprey.
For example, among the carp species M.D. Ruzsky lists crucian carp, tench, gudgeon, silver bream, ide, bleak, roach and chub. True, rudd and dace were not encountered often. Of the breams, red bream and blue bream were common, but eye bream and variety bream were rare. Carp, which does not belong to the indigenous fish of the basin, and minnows were present only in the upper part, and podust and saberfish were present in the lower part. In addition, Ruzsky discovered the bunting (Leocaspius delineatus. Heck.), living only in the oxbow lakes and creeks of the Sviyaga and its tributaries. The asp was found along the entire course of the Sviyaga and in its two tributaries, the Kubna and Bula, sometimes entering the lower reaches of the Gushcha River. Perch and ruffe were found in abundance everywhere, while bersh, which lived in the lower part of the basin, was rare and was not found in the tributaries of the Sviyaga. Pike perch were distributed quite well. and at that time it was difficult to find a river in the Sviyaga basin that did not contain burbot or char. Red loach and spined loach were very common. Catfish and pike were just ordinary here. However, the latter was widespread only in the tributaries of the Sviyaga, rarely found in the main river. Minnows and trout lived only in the upper reaches of small rivers and by that time were already endangered fish species here, especially trout. The sterlet did not belong to the main inhabitants of Sviyaga; it only entered its mouth. And the lamprey was characteristic of only two tributaries of the lower part of the Sviyazhsk basin.
SIVIYAGA RIVER IN VERKHNEUSLONSKY DISTRICT OF RT 
FROM THE HISTORY OF THE SIVIYAGA RIVER
The mouth of the Sviyaga, like its entire course, has been part of the core of Volga Bulgaria since the founding of the state. The Sviyaga (in Tatar Zoya yilgasy, or simply Zoya) was generally considered by the inhabitants of Bulgaria to be perhaps the most important river after the Volga. The river found its way into folklore, which tells, in particular, about the city of Zoya-kalasy, that is, the “City of Sviyag,” which is difficult to identify. The Tatar name simply means "River" (cf. Zeya in Yakutia; the Yakuts are related in language to the Tatars). This is a very archaic sign (cf. Don, Dnieper, Itil - all these words are also translated as “water” or “river”), indicating the great significance of Sviyaga for humans at least since the early Iron Age. The Russian name is not related to the Tatar one, and did not appear earlier than the 14th century. In Russian dialects, “sviyaga” means “wild duck.” There is a version that “Sviyaga” comes from the verb “to twist”. The Russians could have given this name to the river, which they became acquainted with during campaigns in Bulgaria in the mid-14th century, either because there were many ducks on the river, or because it winds, intertwines, and flows tortuously.
The mouth of the Sviyaga lies on the western edge of the ancestral territory of Bulgaria, but deep within the “rear”, since the borders of the lands captured by the Bulgars in the 12th century reached the mouth of the Oka, and the Bulgars’ raids reached modern Tula. Nevertheless. the area was surprisingly sparsely populated. To the east of Sviyazhsk, the nearest major pre-Mongol point is Kazan, and the question is when Kazan actually appeared. To the west, about 20 kilometers away, is the mythical Almenyevskoye settlement, which is persistently identified with the city of Kerman, although we showed at one time that there is no reason for this. Up the Sviyaga, quite far from the mouth, there are two settlements: the now destroyed Gorodishchenskoye, apparently the Bulgar city of Utka, and Lukovskoye, a feudal castle with an adjacent village. On the opposite bank of the Volga, low and inconvenient, there was nothing. There were no excavations at the site of Sviyazhsk itself.
This apparent undervaluation of the territory may be due to many factors. Firstly, a guide to the Volga for 1903 says that the climate in Sviyazhsk is very unhealthy: due to the humidity, infectious diseases spread easily. In the Middle Ages this could have been fatal. Secondly, Vladimir Rus' in the 12th century often fought with Bulgaria, penetrating deeply into its territory. The Bulgars, in turn, tried to settle along the Kama, to the east, away from Rus'. It is not for nothing that a place like Cheboksary (west of Sviyazhsk) appeared only in the era of the Golden Horde.
Thirdly, the pagan Bulgars, the ancestors of the Chuvash, most likely lived here. Both the Golden Horde and Bulgaria were Islamic states. However, they never managed to convert everyone to Islam. The Chuvash are the same Bulgars who, back in 922, keeping their faith, migrated from Bulgar to the east. The Russians baptized them, of course, but even so far it is extremely superficial. At the same time (see below), it was the Chuvash who came to the people of Ivan the Terrible after the construction of Sviyazhsk - which means this was their land. The Chuvash, judging by the fact that their language has survived in a preserved state to this day, were outcasts among Muslims and Christians. Consequently, the mouth of Sviyaga remained a “blank spot” due to religious prejudices. Neither capital nor warriors penetrated into this area: the former had nothing to do here, the latter were not allowed in by the warlike Chuvash until the era of the Golden Horde. So psychologically I am ready to believe in the temple, or kiremet, built by the Chuvash on Round Mountain, although I have no archaeological or written evidence.
There could be a fourth reason for the emptiness of the Sviyaga mouth. You can usually hear that Sviyaga played colossal trade importance in the Golden Horde. Indeed, the Sviyaga flows in the opposite direction of the Volga, almost parallel to it, and in Simbirsk it approaches it even up to 2 kilometers. If you are ascending the Volga, going against the current, it makes sense to enter Sviyazhsk by portage at Simbirsk, and, moving with the flow, exit again to the Volga at Sviyazhsk. It is believed that from these foundations, first the Golden Horde Simbir was founded, then the Russian Simbirsk. But isn’t it logical that some kind of settlement was placed not only at the “entrance”, but also at the “exit”?
Not entirely logical. At the beginning of the 20th century, Sviyaga from its mouth was navigable only 40 versts. Even if in the Middle Ages Sviyaga was fuller. Even though the ships of that time required shallower depths. Doubts remain. Next, where was our wanderer actually heading? If to Vladimir Rus, then it’s understandable. But before the Mongols, they fought with Russia more often than traded. You can go down to Kazan by making a detour, however, even if Kazan existed, it was a tiny village, and going from the mouth of Sviyaga to Bulgar is not worth the candle. And lastly: why is this hypothetical trade route not marked with fortifications, caravanserais and treasures? Most likely, the above “buts” did not allow one to “deceive” the Volga with the help of Sviyaga.
Rest on the river:
If you are planning to relax on your day off, and certainly on the river, then you will not regret that you came here. A beautiful river, clean, uncluttered banks, peace and quiet. I advise you to drive a little further than the traffic police checkpoint and turn into the village of Isakovo. There, driving a little more along the dirt road, the beautiful oxbow rivers will open up to your view. Of course there are mosquitoes, but what can you do if they weren’t there, there wouldn’t be any fish. The road after the rain is lousy and I don’t recommend going out on a classic or front-wheel drive, I didn’t see a tractor in the village.
Fishing on the river:
I would not say that there are few fish in the river. There is all the standard fish (pike, perch, pike perch, crucian carp, bream, silver bream, roach, rudd, bleak) supplemented by catfish, carp, bersh and asp. If you look at the map, you will see that Sviyaga widens greatly in front of the bridge, you will also see two islands on the map, that’s where we fish, next to the bridge on the right there is a sandbank where a predator comes to feed from early morning and late evening. It bites on spoons , jig, and wobblers. An asp often rises along the riverbed, which can be clearly seen in calm, windless weather by its characteristic splashes, but we have not yet been able to catch it. Maybe you'll have better luck. A little to the left of the bridge, a cape popularly nicknamed “Cow” juts out into the river. There you can hook catfish weighing 1-2 kilograms on bottom tackle. On numerous oxbow lakes, in the summer in July - June - August, it is excellent to catch pike up to 2 kilograms with wobblers (floating), and perch also takes well. They don't take crucian carp in the summer, but they bite well in August - September. Bream should be caught on the riverbed with bait on a side fishing rod, but more often you come across large silver bream.
MOUTH OF THE SIVIYAGA RIVER - VOLGA RIVER 
ECOLOGY, ANIMAL AND PLANT WORLD
Within the city limits, Sviyaga forms a picturesque vast, heavily swampy floodplain. On the banks there are thickets of willows and alders, and in some places there is black poplar or sedge.
Near the water there are reeds, cattails and lake reeds. The yellow egg capsule has become a widespread species on Sviyage, forming large flowers with a pleasant smell on the surface of the water. This plant, however, has long symbolized betrayal and deceit. In the middle of the last century, one of the most widespread aquatic plants on Earth appeared and took root in Sviyag - Canadian Elodea. Because of its ability to grow very quickly and fill water bodies, it is called “water plague.”
The river gives life
Zoologists count more than two thousand species of animals in the Sviyaga floodplain, but more than one and a half thousand of them are insects. It’s hard to imagine relaxing on the river without the sound of mosquitoes, the swift flight of dragonflies, and the elegant gliding of water striders across the surface of the water. In the water, reels, meadow snails, and pond snails lazily crawl along the bottom, and pearl barley and toothless clams locked in their shells freeze motionless.
In the spring, after ice drift, Sviyaga, like all bodies of water, comes to life and begins to ring with different voices - amphibians and birds arrange a roll call. Most often, the characteristic croaking of lake and pond frogs is heard. In total, seven species of amphibians can be found along the banks of Sviyaga. Of the three species of reptiles that live here, meeting the marsh turtle, the rarest species in the region, can be considered a great success. On the contrary, the common snake and sand lizard are typical inhabitants of the coast.
About 150 species of birds are recorded along the banks of the river within the city of Ulyanovsk. In summer, the most common species are the black-headed gull, common tern, oriole, river cricket, marsh and garden warblers, gray and garden warblers, common lentils and many others. Waterfowl include mallards, clumsy corncrakes and moorhens.
There are much fewer mammals associated with the river in the city - 14 species.
ICE DRIVE ON SIVIYAG 
In Sviyaga and its floodplain, the water vole and the American invader, the muskrat, are common. The region's largest rodent, the beaver, is rarer. The European mink and otter disappeared from the city of Sviyaga about 30 years ago, but the hedgehog, wood mouse, weasel, and black polecat still stand the test of the urban environment. Closer to the outskirts of the city you can meet large and cautious ungulates - wild boar and roe deer.
The older generation of Ulyanovsk remembers Sviyaga very well with sandy beaches and delicious fish. And now there are a lot of roach, perch and bleak in the reservoir. Chub, common gudgeon, asp, and common sculpin are common on the rapids. In quiet overgrown areas, silver crucian carp, tench, and pike feed.
The ability to self-clean is not unlimited
Unfortunately, over the past 30 years there have been significant changes in the composition of the ichthyofauna of the city river. One of the most voracious fish has penetrated into Sviyaga - the rotan firebrand, which eats the eggs and juveniles of fish and amphibians. The number of most fish species has decreased significantly, some species (catfish, bersh) have practically disappeared.
The main reason is increased pollution of the river. Effluents from enterprises are carried into Sviyaga; outdated treatment facilities cannot cope with water purification. A sore point for the city is the lack of storm drainage, as a result of which water from the streets of our city flows freely into the river.
Any body of water is capable of self-purification, but Sviyaga, due to the powerful anthropogenic load and reduced water exchange, unfortunately, cannot cope with this task. Moreover, polluted Sviyaga is like a double-edged sword. The population does not use Sviyaga water directly for drinking, but we must not forget that near Kazan it flows into the Volga (more precisely, into the Kuibyshev Reservoir), which carries its waters to our glorious city. And the Volga, by the way, is the main source of drinking water supply for Ulyanovsk.
The city's environmental services are fighting hard to save Sviyaga. Within Ulyanovsk, to preserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of the river floodplain, two specially protected natural areas have been created: the Black Lake ecological park and the Sviyazhsk ecological and recreational zone.
The Black Lake eco-park hosts the traditional Earth Day and World Environment Day holidays, which annually bring together hundreds of schoolchildren, students, environmentalists, and environmentalists.
SIVIYAGA RIVER IN ULYANOVSK 
SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Rustem Akhunov
http://rustik68.narod.ru/rt/elga-ziya.html
http://www.skitalets.ru/books/korobkov_miheev/11_sviyaga.htm
http://www.uleygrad.ru/
Wikipedia website
http://archeologia.narod.ru/kazan/Swi/swi.htm
http://www.chiricovo.ru/index.php/Nature/svijaga.html
http://fishing-home.narod.ru/sviaga.htm
http://monomax.sisadminov.net/main/view/article/987
http://www.photosight.ru/photos/2369869/
Vadim Khomyakov, Valery Romanov, Max Guryev, Radik Safin
www.airfoto.cheb.ru
PHOTO OF NOMADERS.
The river originates on the eastern slope of the Volga Upland near the village. Kuzovatovo (Ulyanovsk region), flows into the Kuibyshev reservoir 37 km above Kazan. The length of the river is 375 km, the basin area is 16.7 thousand km2 - the 10th largest tributary of the Volga by basin area and the 9th longest tributary of the Volga. The average density of the river network is 0.39 km/km 2 . Main tributaries: Bula, Kubnya (left). There are about 500 lakes and reservoirs in the Sviyaga basin with a total area of 11 km2.
The river basin is located within an elevated, hilly plain with a dense network of ravines and gullies. The river flows from south to north parallel to the Volga, but in the opposite direction. Sviyaga and Volga are separated by a narrow watershed. The climate of the basin is moderate continental and arid. The average January temperature is -6.8°C; July +22°С. About 580 mm of precipitation falls annually. The river basin has sufficient moisture. It is located in the forest-steppe and deciduous forest zone.
The Sviyaga valley is wide, with a well-developed floodplain and a series of terraces above the floodplain. The river is flat, the channel meanders, and single branches are often found in the lower reaches. The right bank is hilly, in some places it drops steeply to the water's edge, and is subject to gully erosion. The left bank is floodplain. The river bed is composed mainly of sand. In the middle course, the depth of the channel on the rifts is not less than 0.5 m, on the reaches - up to 1.5 m. The width of the river is 20–30 m. At the mouth section, the river is backed up by the Kuibyshev reservoir.
The average long-term water flow 26 km from the mouth is 34 m 3 /s (flow volume 1.073 km 3 /year). The river is fed predominantly by snow (up to 52% of the annual water flow). Eastern European type of water regime. Spring flood (lasting up to 15 days) is combined with low summer-autumn and winter low water. Minimum water flow 0.65 m 3 /s. In summer, the river may dry out in some areas. Autumn ice phenomena occur in late November - early December. The river opens in April - early May.
Water turbidity is relatively low during low water periods and increases significantly during spring floods and floods. Water mineralization is increased (400–700 mg/l). According to the chemical composition, the water belongs to the hydrocarbonate class with a high content of sulfates in the upper reaches of the river and the calcium group. In the lower reaches the water is of the sulfate class and sodium group. The quality of water corresponds to moderately polluted, and within urban areas – highly polluted.
The river waters are used for industrial and municipal water supply. There are several small hydroelectric power stations operating on the river (Deushevskaya, Kiyatskaya, etc.). Navigable on the lower 62 km. Attractive for lovers of water tourism. The river is home to silver bream, asp, crucian carp, rudd, bream, perch, catfish, pike perch, roach, bleak, pike, etc. At the confluence of the Sviyaga into the Kuibyshev Reservoir, the village is located on the island. Sviyazhsk, founded in 1551 as a fortified city. Numerous monuments of temple architecture from the 16th–18th centuries have been preserved here. The city of Ulyanovsk is located on the river.
N.I. Alekseevsky, K.F. Retheum
***
Petr Alexandrov
From the poem "SIMBIRSK"
...The majestic Volga, queen river,
And Sviyaga is azure, pure,
They laid their shores near it,
And their silver surface is mirror-like.
As soon as the dawn breaks, they are both on fire,
And his beauty is reflected in them,
And, caressing, they hug him,
These quiet rivers are beautiful.
Behind Sviyaga there are villages, and further – meadows
They get lost in the boundless expanse;
Their green expanse was torn apart by the river
And it flows capriciously - wriggles...
1898
***
Vladimir Pyrkov
SIVIYAGA (1; further in the same place)
Childhood falls in love with small rivers. Large ones, exalted by epics and songs, are fully appreciated by youth, mature middle ages, their solemn expanses, their universal thoughtfulness, their stormy rebellion are stunning for a child... Streams and rivulets caress children like affectionate kittens, their rolling little bells are intertwined with infant laughter , their yellow egg capsules and January white lilies are available to the swimmer in seedlings, their lively minnows and pipe cleaners hover near the boys' - thread and cork - gear, their moisture - oh, how welcome it is in the July heat!
We will not say that our Sviyaga is a river from the category of completely tamed or unknown, at the mouth it is navigable, its name no, no, but it will suddenly flash in a history textbook, but still - with all its makeup, the property of an accommodating character, a craving for green meadows and secret springs, meandering and winding, Sviyaga is from the constellation of small rivers of Russia. Or does it seem so to us, who know its beginning, its beautiful chorus, its origins?..
Sviyaga originates from the slopes of Surskaya Shishka, where, by the way, the run-up of Sura, Barysh, Inza comes from... (however, the Kuzovatovites claim that Sviyaga originates in their forests). In the area of the city it clings to the banks of the Volga - here two kilometers only separate one river from another. But the Volga is aimed at the Caspian floodplains illuminated by lotus, and Sviyaga is aimed at the North Star...
***
SIVIYAGA RIVER
(“Materials for the geography and statistics of Russia, compiled by officers of the General Staff”, compiled by A.O. Lipinsky; volume 20 “Simbirsk province”, part 1; St. Petersburg, 1868)
...Sviyaga originates from the main internal ridge near the village of Bayevka; several streams and small rivers, emerging from forest swamps, make up its upper reaches... From the village of Koromyslovka it already takes the form of a significant river and flows in a north-easterly direction to Simbirsk... Having approached the Volga at a distance of two versts near Simbirsk, Sviyaga makes 5 versts to the west bend and, turning north, goes along the western slopes of the Volga coastal ridge... The length of the Sviyaga flow through the Simbirsk province is 210 versts...
Near Simbirsk, the right bank of the Sviyaga - the crown of the Simbirsk Mountain - rises above the river by almost 40 fathoms... The left bank of Simbirsk is a low plain, forming in places significant swampy spaces and flooded meadows. There are many deep lakes in the Sviyaga valley...
The river bottom is sandy and muddy... Therefore, Sviyazhsk water, despite its excellent quality and softness, has a swampy taste...
The width of Sviyaga at low water is insignificant..., in Simbirsk the width reaches 12 fathoms [about 25 m]... During the flood, Sviyaga overflows the low banks and floods the low-lying part of the valley..., in the middle reaches near Simbirsk it spills by 100 fathoms, at Laishevka by 250 ; in the lower reaches, in some places, two versts.
The Sviyaga with its tributaries is of great importance for the region; There are many factories, factories and mills built on it, from which grain goes to the Volga piers...
***
From the SIMBIRSK COLLECTION of 1868
...Sviyaga begins in the mountains of Sengileevsky and Karsun districts and flows into the Volga in the Kazan province near Sviyazhsk; flows from south to north almost parallel to the Volga... There is no navigation or rafting along the Sviyaga, and the river has only the value of mechanical force in the construction of mills...
Residents of Simbirsk take water mainly from Sviyaga. Only residents of the foothill streets use the Volga water... The healthiest of the Simbirsk waters are: Sviyazhskaya and Volzhskaya... Since the Volga and Sviyaga flow along the outskirts of the city under the mountain, the use of water, especially for the poor inhabitants of the inner streets, can be associated with great difficulties...
***
S.T. Aksakov
From “NOTES ABOUT FISHING”, 1847.
... About twenty years ago, in the Sviyaga River, which flows right next to Simbirsk, carp suddenly appeared, first of medium size and large, and later many small ones also appeared. I don’t claim to be true, but I was told that in the upper reaches of this river some landowner had a huge pond that had not gone away for forty years, in which he raised carp (carp) in abundance, but suddenly this pond burst, the carp left and spread throughout the whole river. Of course, the closest thing to the carp was from the Volga, into which the Sviyaga flows, but why didn’t they come before? Be that as it may, the appearance of carp opened up a new excellent fishing for Simbirsk fishermen-hunters...
***
P.L. MARTYNOV (2; further in the same place)
...Although the mountains. Simbirsk is located in a narrow space between two rivers, the Volga and Sviyaga, however, city residents suffer from a lack of good drinking water... A happy exception in this regard is the southern outskirts of Simbirsk, the Tut settlement, located on the very bank of the Sviyaga river, where the depth of the river reaches largest size, why there is never a shortage of good water here...
...With the installation of a water supply system, the Simbirsk residents still did not receive good water; this is explained partly by the incorrect design of the filter, partly by the unsuccessful choice of location for installing the water intake in the Sviyaga River, very close to the city mill dam, which significantly delays the flow of water. In 1885, the sanitary commission... described the Sviyazhsk pond, from which the water supply system takes water, in this way: “it represents a stagnant lake, which has only an upper, narrow current, while the most significant mass of water in it does not change, except during the water flow.”
Everything that is brought from a significant part of the city during the rains, everything that flows down from the factories (next to the water intake, on the banks of the Sviyaga, there is the distillery of the merchant Susokolov and public baths, and a little higher upstream is the brewery of the merchant Sachkov), remains in the basin of the pond and finds no way out. In addition, in the spring, all the ice, with all the impurities on it, sits on the bottom of the pond and increases the already huge layer of silt that forms the bottom of the pond. During the spring flood, for at least three weeks, we drink, instead of clean river water, a thick solution of manure that has not yet had time to settle to the bottom of the pond...
***
V. PYRKOV:
...Moscow street ran straight into Sviyaga, in the mornings a fresh fog floated over the wooden mansions from the river, blowing into the city from the dewy floodplains, the western breeze smelled of cool flowers, the chilliness of a living stream, and a surprisingly close miracle - a June river! And the water that the water truck delivered to the residents smelled as pleasant as the breath of a child, like mint.
Dmitry Ilyich Ulyanov recalled: “My father subscribed for the entire season for certain hours in the bathhouse of a certain Ruzsky. I remember that the surname of the owner of the public bath was Koch, and it used to be that my father, seeing from a distance the German language teacher Steinhauer going there to swim, shouted to him as a greeting: “The German is going to the German, and the Russian is going to Ruzsky!”...
Anna Ilyinichna also recalled this: “We paid for two hours - morning and evening - in one private bath, and during this time two shifts had to bathe: the father with the boys and the mother with the girls. The two parts of the family met somewhere halfway to Sviyaga - on a quiet, grassy slope of Pokrovskaya Street”...
***
From the memoirs of E.A. MAMAYEVA
(“Living Life”, M., 1998)
...Swimming in Sviyag brought great pleasure in the summer. Where Moskovskaya Street ended at the river, there were baths and a large boat dock for riding on the river above the dam. Money was required here, and all this was inaccessible to me. My friends and I ran along the shore below the dam, across a large red bridge crowded with carts, through the village of Tut, and ended up on a sloping sandy shore, where a lot of children were floundering. I quickly learned to swim, swam for so long that I came out of the water blue, trembling, and pulled my dress over my wet body to quickly warm up, since there was no thought about a towel then...
In the spring, the river attracted us with ice drift. I ran headlong to the dam and watched with pleasure as large and small ice floes piled onto the dam and collapsed from it into the foamy water...
***
P.L. MARTYNOV:
Mill on the Sviyaga River. This mill has existed for a long time, but there is no exact information about the time of its construction. In 1838, it was significantly repaired and leased to the merchant Krylov, from whom it passed to the merchant F.V. Krasnikov... In 1887, the city accepted the mill from Krasnikov in such a form that only 800 rubles were offered for further renting it, in view why the Duma instructed the city government to operate the mill economically, but in the spring of 1887 the mill dam was washed away, and its repair cost 1,604 rubles. At the same time, at the initiative of the medical society, the question arose about the complete destruction of the city mill dam, because the existence of the pond formed as a result of the dam in Sviyaga was recognized as harmful in sanitary terms... In 1893, the Simbirsk Department of Public Works built a new wooden collapsible dam, with devices for passing ice and draining water, spending 20,000 rubles on this, but after the spring flood of Sviyaga, in 1894 year, this dam was almost completely broken, and the city filed a petition with the government for the issuance of benefits for its correction. On December 27, 1896, the highest permission was given to allocate 15,000 rubles to help the city to repair the dam...
***
ON SVIYAG… (3)
“Simbirsk Provincial Gazette”, April 1895:
On April 8, on the Sviyaga River, near the Susokolov plant, the son of the engineer Mergeevsky, the son of the hereditary honorary citizen D. Sapozhnikov and the son of the nobleman D. Machevarianov, in order to ride along the Sviyaga, took a boat..., on which we went to the dam of the city mill, where the sluices were open for release of spring water. A real whirlpool is formed here - water rushes into the spans with noise and foam and... continues to boil with terrible force, heading into the span of the bridge built below the dam. As they approached the dam, the boat began to be taken into the lock... At this time, prisoners were working on the dam and shouted: “What are you doing?” The answer was heard from the boat: “The daring man doesn’t think.” Not even a few minutes had passed before the boat tilted and the swimmers fell into the water.
Merzheevsky was pulled out of the water by non-commissioned officer Muchnikov; Sapozhnikova - guards Mikhailov and Plokhov. Private Rozenkov rushed after Machevarianov, who swam several times to the drowning man in a boat, but could not save him. The strong current, whirlpool and uneven bottom made it impossible to find the body.
From a REVIEW of the work of the rescue station on Sviyag for 1895:
Three posts with booths for sailors were built near Simbirsk: opposite the vocational school, near the city baths and on the island opposite Soldatskaya Street. To maintain the watch, 6 sailors were hired, who are on duty at posts throughout the day. On holidays and Sundays, from 6 pm to 12 am, a boat with two sailors cruises towards the St. Andrew's Mill. Its purpose is to prevent accidents that could happen to boaters.
“VOLZHSKIE NEWS”, February 1910:
We are told that the water in Sviyag from the provincial center to Isheevka is completely unsuitable for use not only by people, but even by livestock. Those traveling below Isheevka made ice holes for the horses to drink, but from under the ice there came a stupefying stench, and the horses did not drink the water. At the beginning of December, the ice hole was filled with dead fish; the peasants who came running caught more than 150 pounds of it. These are, so to speak, the fruits of Russian industry.
"REVIVAL", August 1918:
For the “water-drinking” inhabitants of Simbirsk, disappointment set in again. The water level, which had risen, dropped again, and Sviyaga became shallow again. The long-awaited boating... has sunk into oblivion, and fishing now attracts few hunters, since fellow Red Army soldiers greatly deprived Sviyaga of fish through hand grenades.
From a NOTE of the Simbirsk provincial plan dated February 27, 1924:
Fishing grounds are exploited haphazardly, without any system. The fishery industry has fallen into complete decline, and it will take a long time to restore it. And now no one is probably able to say when fish will appear in Sviyag...
***
(1) V. Pyrkov “Sviyaga”. “Ulyanovsk Komsomolets” dated February 4, 1979, reprinted with abbreviations in the magazine “Volga”, 1980, No. 4.
(2) P.L. Martynov “The city of Simbirsk for 250 years of its existence”, 1898.
(3) Based on the book: D.S. Tocheny, N.G. Tochenaya “Strokes of Simbirsk-Ulyanovsk history”, Ulyanovsk, 2017.
***
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Simbirsk from the Sviyaga River.
Postcards from the early twentieth century.
Simbirsk from Sviyaga. Susokolov Distillery.
UOKM 
Simbirsk Sviyaga River.
UOKM 
D.I. Arkhangelsky. The Sviyaga River near Simbirsk. 1924. 
D.I. Arkhangelsky. Bath on Sviyag. 1920s 
A.Kh. Tsygvintsev. Dam on the Sviyaga River in Simbirsk. 1900s
Central Theater Museum named after. A.A.Bakhrushina 
The dam of the city mill on Sviyag. View from the right bank towards Konno-Podgorodnaya Sloboda.
S.L. Sytin “Simbirsk through the eyes of photographers and historians”, Ulyanovsk, 1999. 
Wooden bridge over Sviyaga. Photo by F.A. Kaganin. 1890s
UOKM. 
On Sviyag.
V.N. Alekseev “In Lenin’s homeland”, GIZ, M.-L., 1926. 
M.I.Kozmin. "On the Sviyaga River." 1945. 
Natural features of protected areas:
The length of the river is 377.4 km (within the Republic of Tatarstan 161.2 km). The catchment area is 17 thousand km2. It flows through an asymmetrical elevated undulating plain, strongly crossed by numerous deep (sometimes tens of meters) ravines and gullies. Its right bank part is higher and more complex in relief; the left bank is less high and calmer, occupies 73% of the total area and has small relief contours. The catchment is 8-16% covered by forest. The river valley before the river confluences. Selda (Ulyanovsk region) is straight and slightly sinuous up to the mouth, trapezoidal or vaguely defined. The river floodplain is high located, continuous, mostly two-sided, wide (from 1-2 km in the middle reaches, to 4.5-5 km in the lower reaches), flat, dry, hummocky in places, swampy in the area from the river. Biryuch to the river Tsilna with small, heavily overgrown old rivers. The channel is winding, in some places it branches, forming islands (especially below the village of Kiyat). A large number of tributaries (79), 10 of which have a length from 40 to 165 km, form a river network with a density of 0.28-0.33 km/km2. The sources of many left-side tributaries are located in the Republic of Chuvashia. The river is high-water, the tributaries are regulated (47 ponds with a total volume of 30.9 million m3). The river is fed by mixed water, mainly snow (up to 52%). The hydrological regime is characterized by high floods and low, long-lasting low water periods. Of the 18 water-measuring posts monitoring the river regime on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan, 4 posts are currently operating (Sviyaga - Buinsk, Kubnya - Chuteevo, Karla - Tingash, Ulema - Alaberdino). The distribution of runoff within the year is uneven. With an average annual runoff of 50-150 mm, 46-64 mm occurs during the spring flood period, which lasts about 26 days. Maximum expenditures were observed in 1979 near the village. Koromyslovka (74 m3/sec), near the village. Vyrypaevka (822 m3/sec), near the village. Ivashevka (1560 m3/sec). Spring ice drift is often accompanied by congestion at sharp turns of the river. Sometimes the floodplain is flooded before the bulk of the ice has passed. Then the ice moves along the floodplain, sometimes it stops on the shallows and melts on the spot. The low water is stable (13.7 m3/sec at the mouth). Underground supply modules range from 0.5-5.0 to 10.0 l/s km2 (along the main channel). The winter period is characterized by long (140 days) stable freeze-up (ice thickness 90-95 cm). There is no stable freeze-up where groundwater flows out. The qualitative composition of the water changes along the length of the river from hydrocarbonate-sulfate-calcium (up to the Birlya River) to sulfate-bicarbonate-sodium towards the mouth. The water is soft in spring (1.5-3.0 mg-eq/l) and moderately hard during low water (3.0-6.0 mg-eq/l), increased mineralization (400-700 mg/l) throughout the year . River water is inhabited by 48 species of rotifers (including 7 rare), 47 species of cladocerans (including 3 rare) and 28 (including 3 rare) copepods of planktonic crustaceans, 58 species of algae, 22 species of benthic organisms, 12 species of fish.
Over a long stretch of the river, self-purification is passive. The river plays a vital role in the economic activity of the region, is a transport route of local importance, and an important source of natural water supply. It has economic, cultural and everyday significance. The Sviyaga basin is located on the territory of three constituent entities of the Russian Federation (Ulyanovsk region, the Republic of Tatarstan and Chuvashia). The river's water resources are used to satisfy various sectors of the national economy. The water resources of Sviyaga play an important role in the national economy of the Republic of Tatarstan, being the only source of water supply for this region. As a result of wastewater discharges into the river network, the water of Sviyaga during 2004-05. had a high complexity of contamination and was characterized as “dirty” (4 “a” quality class) based on 10 ingredients.
Sviyaga is a river in Russia. It flows through the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Ulyanovsk region. The latter contains its source, upper and middle reaches. Sviyaga is the right tributary of the river. Volga, it flows into the main artery on the territory of Tatarstan. In the lower reaches of the river you can meet many fishermen. But within the city limits of Ulyanovsk its waters are very polluted. After inspection by the relevant authorities, petroleum products and phenol were discovered; it is for this reason that swimming in it is strictly prohibited.
a brief description of
Sviyaga is a river that has a length of 375 km. It is interesting in the sense that it has three sources. The main one is located on a hill near the village of Kuzovatovo, the second - with. Krasnaya Polyana, third - village. Baevka. The drainage basin area is more than 16 thousand square meters. km. The width along the entire length of the river varies from 5 to 40 m. The bottom near the banks is sandy, closer to the center there are silt deposits. Sviyaga is a river whose length is quite large, but it has a very calm character. Its flow speed does not exceed 1 m/s. Along its banks you can find forests, meadows, and fields. The coastline is mostly low; in some places there is bushy vegetation that reaches almost to the water itself. The Sviyaga has a fairly winding channel, its maximum depth reaches 4 m. There are 13 settlements on the banks of the river. The largest city is Ulyanovsk. It is in this area that there are significant environmental problems. Many small hydroelectric power stations have been built on it. In 1978, Sviyaga became a natural monument of regional significance in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Features of the river
Sviyaga is a river, a photo of which can be seen in the article; it has 79 tributaries. The largest of them are Tosha, Karla, Bula, Birlya and others. The basin includes about 500 artificial reservoirs and lakes. Sviyaga and Volga flow parallel to each other. But their currents have different directions. The waters of Sviyaga move from south to north. There are many rifts and reaches on the river. In these places the depth is small - from 50 cm to 1.5 m. Closer to Ulyanovsk, wetlands form on it. Given the climate, the river freezes in November and opens in mid-spring. Replenishes the water supply due to precipitation, mainly snow. The flood begins in the spring and lasts about 15 days. At this time, the river floods to more than 15-20 m.
Rest
Sviyaga is a river of flat type. In the upper reaches it is narrow and shallow. Therefore, it is advisable to come here for swimming or fishing only during rains or high water. It is then that the channel widens significantly. You can spend the night not only on the meadow shores, but also in the forest belt. In the summer season, many people pick berries and mushrooms. In the middle reaches, the size of the river changes. It becomes full of water, its channel expands. For relaxation, you can choose any place where there are sandy beaches. The only thing is that the left bank is more suitable for a beach holiday, as it is flat. On the right side there is a hilly terrain, which is cut by ravines. However, this particular coastline is covered with dense mixed forest. But the best place on the river is considered to be the area where it flows into the Volga. Here the water is perfectly clean and perfect for swimming.
Fishing
Sviyaga is a river that is popular among fishing enthusiasts. The most suitable location is considered to be the site located in the Republic of Tatarstan. Fishermen will not be bored here. The river is home to large numbers of fish species such as pike, perch, roach and others. You can go fishing by boat. Many also fish from the shore. However, there is one caveat: it is impossible to catch large specimens in small areas of the reservoir. Most often on Sviyag they catch chub and pike using a spinning rod, which live here in large numbers. Fans of other types of fish will also not be left idle - they can use gear for roach, perch or ide.
Ski resort "Kazan"
In Tatarstan, a resort area is considered to be a place where three large water arteries connect. These are the Volga, Sulitsa and Sviyaga (river). "Kazan" is a ski resort founded in this area. Here you can have a great time with both family and friends. The territory has a well-developed infrastructure, and guests are offered a variety of entertainment programs. The resort itself is located in an area with unique nature. Thanks to the climate, you can ski here until the end of March. The length of the trails is almost 3 kilometers. There are 3 of them in total. They have three difficulty levels. The height difference is more than 1000 meters. You can go not only skiing, but also snowboarding.
Recreation center "Golden Fish"
On the Sviyaga River in Ulyanovsk there is a recreation center “Golden Fish”. Two towers for guests were built on it. The first, small, accommodates 6 people, the second is larger, designed for 20 tourists. The cost of living is from 7,000 to 15,000 rubles. Many vacationers come here to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations. The recreation center has a kitchen, a banquet hall and a cafe. Guests also have access to a sauna, playgrounds, fishing, skiing and horse riding.