El amur river It is a river system located in western Asia. It is considered an international basin because it covers parts of Mongolia, Russia, and China. With a length of 2.824 kilometers, the Amur River is the XNUMXth longest river in the world.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, origin and importance of the Amur River.
Key features
The Amur river basin covers an area of about 1.855 million square kilometers, of which 54% belongs to Russia, 44,2% belongs to the ROC and the remaining 1,8% is in Mongolia. It has an average flow of 10.900 m3/s, dropping sharply in winter to a maximum of 200 m3/s due to the frozen effect of the river bed. One of the most striking aspects of the Amur Basin is its relative anonymity. Despite its importance to the local ecosystem and economy, its distance from the west has prevented it from receiving little attention.
Amur River Climate
The climate in the Amur basin is influenced by the monsoons from the east and the polar air masses from the north. The temperature difference between winter and summer can reach 51°C.
In winter, the northernmost part of the basin has a minimum temperature of -33°C. The highest temperature is reached in summer, affected by the subtropical wind, reaching the highest temperature in July, with a maximum temperature of 22°C.
More than half of the basin's annual rainfall occurs in summer, where climate studies are crucial. Its distribution is uneven: between 600 and 900 mm in the south and areas near the sea, a maximum of 600 mm in its central part and from 300 to 400 mm in the north.
The Amur River is a river fed by rainwater. These come mainly from the monsoon rains. Once it reaches the river, the rain causes flooding that lasts from May to October. The Amur reaches its lowest water level between April and March.
Traditionally it has produced floods in plains and swamps, however, in years of particularly intense rainfall it can flood areas where it flows through channels, causing significant economic losses. In spring it has a second minor flood, caused by the melting of snow that fell along the river in winter.
Contamination
Agricultural practices on the land of the Amur basin have resulted in the contamination of the water that flows into the sea. The state of the water not only endangers plant and animal species, but also renders it useless for human consumption due to its high toxicity.
In 2005, the Amur River suffered from an accidental chemical spill. The incident directly affected one of its tributaries, the Songhua River in China's Jilin province.
An explosion at a chemical plant sent about 100 tons of waste into the river. As a result, the Chinese government had to suspend water withdrawals from the Songhua River, which supplies some 3,8 million people, while it embarked on a campaign to clean and purify this important tributary of the Amur.
A variety of activities in the Amur Basin are considered harmful to the environment, including mining, synthetic rubber, petroleum and pulp processing. The chemicals in watershed waters and sediments that environmentalists are most concerned about are benzene, pyrene, nitrobenzene, and mercury.
The Chinese and Russian governments are jointly monitoring the water quality of the Amur River Basin to reduce its pollution and reduce the impact of its waters on the Pacific ecosystem.
Economics and ecological risk of the Amur River
Fishing is the main economic activity along the Amur River. This activity is a means of subsistence and an important factor in shaping the life of the indigenous peoples of the region. Currently, fishing develops in parallel with river trade due to the establishment of numerous ports on the Amur and its tributaries.
These ports are navigable during the months when the channel is free of ice.. Economic activity on the Amur and its rivers was affected by Sino-Russian diplomatic tensions, especially between 1960 and 1990. The signing of the agreement promotes cooperation between the two countries to expand projects related to the development of nautical, agricultural and hydroelectric
Between 1950 and 1990, the Amur Basin in North China suffered heavy deforestation. On the one hand, the wood is used for domestic supply, on the other hand, the burning prepares the soil for agriculture.
In 1998, the autumn rains were extremely heavy, causing extensive flooding in the area. The lack of vegetation made it impossible to absorb water, which caused large floods with enormous human and material losses. Since this incident, the Chinese government has focused on protecting the forests and trying to prevent flooding.
In a highly competitive market, Russia began clearing its eastern forests to meet the needs of its Asian neighbors, regardless of the role of vegetation in preventing flooding and erosion.
Another problem affecting the basin is overfishing. Two species of sturgeon present in the Amur River have great commercial value and have been listed as endangered species. The remaining specimens do not reproduce fast enough to meet the demand of the world market. There is also the legal fishing, mainly in the middle and lower reaches of the Amur River.
The construction of new dams for flood control and hydroelectric generation are other issues that have united the will of watershed conservationists. Control of the bed of the Amur river and its tributaries endangers the flora and fauna of the ecosystems, of which wetlands are the most vulnerable.
The reservoirs reduce the oxygenation of the water and prevent migratory aquatic species from moving to their mating and spawning sites, putting the survival of these species at risk.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Amur River and its characteristics.