Chuiskaya steppe is an intermountain basin in the southeast of Altai in the upper reaches of the Chuya River. Located in the Kosh-Agach region of the Altai Republic . The length of the basin is 70 kilometers, the width is 10–40 km. The bottom of the basin is concave and is located at altitudes of 1750-1850 m above sea level. Chuiskaya steppe is a weakly wavy plain, in which semi-deserts predominate. The basin is composed of glacial and lake-river sediments. The Chui steppe is bounded on all sides by mountain ranges: the Kuraisky in the north, the Severo-Chuisky and Yuzhno-Chui ridges in the west, the Saylyugem ridge in the south and the Chikhachev ridge in the east.
| Chui steppe | |
|---|---|
 Camels in Chui steppe | |
| Specifications | |
| Absolute height | 1750-1850 m |
| Dimensions | 10-40 × 70 km |
| Rivers | Smelling |
| Location | |
| A country |
|
| The subject of the Russian Federation | Altai |
Chuiskaya steppe on the map of the Altai Republic | |
Content
Climate
Chui steppe has a harsh climate. She is the driest and coldest in the Altai Mountains. The frost-free period lasts 50–65 days. In the Kosh-Agach region, the average monthly temperature in January is −32 ° C, July - 13.8 ° C. The average annual temperature is −6.7 ° C, the minimum winter temperature in some years drops to −62 ° C [1] , and in summer the maximum reaches 31 ° C.
The annual precipitation is 80-150 mm. During the summer period, about two-thirds of the annual amount falls out.
The basin has permafrost soils 15–90 m thick, which is explained by the cold climate [2] .
| Climate of Kosh-Agach (norm 1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicator | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average temperature, ° C | −27.3 | −23.4 | −11.8 | 0,0 | 7.4 | 12.8 | 14.8 | 12.7 | 6.6 | −2.6 | −15.5 | −23.7 | −4.2 |
| Precipitation rate, mm | 3 | one | one | four | eight | 21 | 38 | 26 | eight | four | four | four | 122 |
| Source: FSBI "VNIIGMI-WDC" | |||||||||||||
Hydrology
From the Chikhachev ridge, the Kyzylshin and Yustyd rivers flow into the hollow, which, merging, form the Chuya river. In the northwest, on the left, it takes the Chaganuzun River. On the territory of the Chui steppe, these rivers have a calm course and a flat character.
Within the basin there is a large number of small lakes with a flat bottom. Depth does not exceed 5 m, mirror areas range from 100 m² to 1 km². Most lakes are closed, characterized by fresh, brackish and even salty carbonate , sulfate , sulfate - chloride composition of water. During geological studies in some lakes, silt deposits related to therapeutic mineral muds were found. Similar muds have been studied and are widely used in Khakassia , on Utichye-3 Lake, where the Lakes of the Shira resort operates. [2]
The natural world
Flora
On the desert plateau of the Chui steppe, salt and drought-resistant vegetation predominates. A significant group of steppe vegetation is represented by hard-stemmed grasses , shrubs, and shrubs . Of the grassy species, quite rare in Altai are found: eastern feather grass , desert wheatgrass , large-flowered keleria , rock sedge , Chuisky worm, and others. Among the bushes there are caragana , wormwood , starfish , potentilla , cornflower , volodushka . Along the shores of numerous lakes, ordinary reed grows. Among stone placers, four-sheeted and cold rhodiola are sometimes found [2] .
Fauna
The fauna of the Chui steppe is original and has specific features. The cat-manul , the steppe fox Korsak , and zeren are still preserved here. Numerous species of rodents live in burrows ( voles , woodchucks , jerboas , ground squirrels , Dzungarian hamster ) and hare-like ( Altai , Mongolian and Daurian grouse, as well as tolai hare , well adapted to local conditions).
There are a lot of ducks on the steppe lakes, among which cinder prevails. Less common are the Indian goose , black-throated loon , whooper swan . Along the shores of the reservoirs there are a gray crane , a bell-crane , a tern , a white wagtail . In open areas, the common steppe and field larks , hoopoe , steppe horse , Kamenka-dancer . There are also several species of birds of prey: common kestrel , field harrier , and in the highlands - white - headed vulture , saker , black vulture .
Of the reptiles in the Chuiskaya steppe, the common and steppe vipers , Pallasov muzzle , patterned snake and nimble lizard live.
The rivers are rich in fish , especially grayling . In the upper reaches of the Chui and lakes of the Chui steppe, Ottoman is found in large numbers [2] .
Population
Settlements in the Chui steppe:
- Kosh-Agach - the district center of the Kosh-Agach region of the Altai Republic
- Kokoria
- Beltir
- Ortolyk
- Jana aul
- Mukhor Tarahata
- Tebeler
- Actal
On the steppe from northwest to southeast, to the border with Mongolia , the Chuysky tract
Natural Disasters
In September 2003, an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale occurred near the western edge of the basin, near the village of Beltir , which was almost completely destroyed. Landslides and landslides were near the epicenter.
Gallery
Yustyt River in the steppe
Saline
Chui steppe
Mounds in the Chui steppe
Tarkhatinsky megalith
Deer stone
Chui steppe
Steppe landscape
Top view of the Chui steppe
Barrows in the steppe
Steppe panorama
Steppe early in the morning
Steppe lake
Shamanistic rite
Shamanistic rite
See also
Uimon Steppe
Notes
- ↑ Climate - Altai Tourist. Tourist portal
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 T.A. Akimova, T.I. Zlobina, O.E. Polunina. Sights of the Altai Mountains. - Barnaul: Five Plus, 2008 .-- S. 182−184. - ISBN 978-5-9900731-8-0 .
Links
- Description of the Chui steppe
- Chui steppe, Altai Mountains . Russian Mongolia, Russian Tibet. Ancient Siberian runes, mounds, stone