Daugava (river)

"Daugava" redirects here. For other uses, see Daugava (disambiguation).

Daugava
Other name	Western Dvina, Russian: Западная Двина (Západnaya Dviná), Belarusian: Заходняя Дзвіна ([zaˈxodnʲaja dzʲvʲiˈna]), German: Düna
Origin	Valdai Hills, Russia
Mouth	Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea
Basin countries	Belarus, Latvia, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia
Length	1,020 km (630 mi)
Source elevation	221 m (725 ft)
Mouth elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Avg. discharge	678 m3/s (23,900 cu ft/s)
Basin area	87,900 km2 (33,900 sq mi)

The drainage basin of the Daugava

Daugava sunset in Riga.

The Swedish army bombarding the fortress of Daugavgriva at the Daugava's estuary in Latvia.

Not to be confused with Northern Dvina.

The River Daugava or Western Dvina is a river rising in the Valdai Hills, Russia, flowing through Russia, Belarus, and Latvia, draining into the Gulf of Riga in Latvia, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The total length of the river is 1,020 km (630 mi): 325 km (202 mi) in Russia, 338 km (210 mi) in Belarus, and 352 km (219 mi) in Latvia. It became connected to the Berezina and Dnieper rivers in the 19th century by a canal, which no longer functions. The Daugava forms part of the international border between Latvia and Belarus.

According to C. Michael Hogan, the Daugava river began experiencing environmental deterioration in the era of Soviet collective agriculture (producing considerable adverse water pollution runoff) and a wave of hydroelectric power projects.

There are three hydroelectric dams on the Daugava – Rīgas HES just upstream from Riga or 35 km (22 mi) from the mouth of the river, Ķegums HPP another 35 km (22 mi) further up or 70 km (43 mi) from the mouth, and Pļaviņas HPP another 37 km (23 mi) upstream or 107 km (66 mi) from the mouth. A fourth one, Daugavpils HES, has been planned but has faced strong opposition. Belarus plans to build several hydroelectric dams on the Belarusian part of Western Dvina.

Geography

The total catchment area of the river is 87,900 km² (33,900 sq mi), 33,150 km² (12,800 sq mi) of which are within Belarus.

Etymology

The Latvian name for the river, "Daugava" originated from the ancient Baltic words for "the great water" (daudz ūdens). The names for the Daugava in other languages; Dyna – Düna – Двина – Дзьвіна – Dźwina – Dvina - Väina have an unclear origin. This name is mentioned in the Viking sagas and the Chronicle of Nestor. According to the Max Vasmer's Etymological Dictionary, the toponym Dvina clearly cannot stem from a Uralic language, and it possibly comes from Indo-European word which used to mean river or stream.

Cities, towns and settlements

Russia

Andreapol, Zapadnaya Dvina and Velizh.

Belarus

Ruba, Vitsebsk, Beshankovichy, Polatsk with Boris stones strewn in the vicinity, Navapolatsk, Dzisna, Verkhnedvinsk, and Druya.

Latvia

Krāslava, Daugavpils, Līvāni, Jēkabpils, Pļaviņas, Aizkraukle, Jaunjelgava, Lielvārde, Kegums, Ogre, Ikšķile, Salaspils and Riga.

Crossings

Belarus

Kirov Bridge, Vitebsk.

Latvia

Southern Bridge, Island Bridge, Railway Bridge, Stone Bridge and Shroud Bridge, Riga.

Dams of Rīgas HES, Ķegums HPP and Pļaviņas HPP

Vienības tilts, in Daugavpils and also bridges in Jēkabpils and Krāslava. Ferry crossing in Līvāni.

Main tributaries

• Aiviekste
• Pałata
• Kasplya
• Mezha
• Dysna
• Pērse

Further reading

• C.Michael Hogan. 2012. Daugava River. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P.Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC