Daugava River

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Daugava
RigaDaugava20060206Blorg.JPG
The Daugava in Riga during winter
Origin Russia
Mouth Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea
Basin countries Belarus, Latvia, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia
Length 1,020 km (630 mi)
Source elevation 221 m (730 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)
Daugava sunset in Riga.
Daugava in Riga summer.
The Swedish army bombarding the fortress of Daugavgriva at the Daugava's estuary in Latvia.

The river Daugava or Western Dvina or Dzvina (Latvian: Daugava, Russian: Западная Двина́ (Zapadnaya Dvina), Belarusian: traditionally Дзвiна or newly Заходняя Дзвіна, IPA: [zaˈxodnʲaja dzʲvʲiˈna]), not to be confused with Northern 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). It is connected by a canal to the Berezina and Dnieper rivers.

There are three hydroelectric dams on the Daugava River - Rīgas HES just upstream from Riga or 35 km from the mouth of the river, Ķegums HPP another 35 km further up or 70 km from the mouth, and Pļaviņas HPP another 37 km upstream or 107 km from the mouth. A fourth one, Daugavpils HES, has been planned but has faced strong criticism. Belarus currently plans to build several hydroelectric dams on the Belarusian part of Daugava River.

Contents

[edit] Cities, towns and settlements by the Daugava River

[edit] Russia

[edit] Belarus

[edit] Latvia

[edit] Crossings of the Daugava River

[edit] Belarus

[edit] Latvia

[edit] Main tributaries

[edit] References

Richard C. Frucht; Aldis Purs. "Latvia". Eastern Europe. ABC-CLIO. pp. 115. http://books.google.com/books?id=lVBB1a0rC70C&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=daugava+river&source=bl&ots=EE89_FHPO6&sig=_HB_nZYD4egfMXwU02qh7VCeAwo&hl=da&ei=2n9zSr7pLsOM_AaytejoAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=daugava%20river&f=false. Retrieved 2009-08-01.