Eg River
The Egiin Gol shortly after leaving the Chöwsgöl Nuur
The Egiin gol (Mongolian Эгийн гол ( " Eg'scher River " ), Russian Эгин - Гол ) is the most water left tributary of the Selenge ( Selenga ) with a length of over 500 kilometers. In northern Mongolia (Asia) it drains the largest freshwater lake in the country, the Chöwsgöl Nuur, and then flows through a forested mountain country whose valley floors are occupied by short- grass steppe and serve as pasture for the largely nomadic population.
Course
The headwaters of the largest of the 90 tributaries of Lake Chöwsgöl also represents the actual headwaters of the Egiin Gol Gol dar. The Yihe Horo rises at the southern foot of over 3100 m high summit in the eastern Sayan Mountains. After leaving the lake 1645 meters above sea level at Chatgal (until 1933 capital of the province Chöwsgöl ) flows south of Egiin Gol and into something leaner rainfall area (average 250 mm / yr ) with some slightly salty lakes. Before a low hill that separates the valley from the lower level to Moron, the river turns sharply to the east-northeast and flows in 300 to 500 meters deep valley a to 2700 meter high mountain country with most mittelgebirgsartigem relief. Below the village Erdenebulgan meets the Egiin Gol on coming from the left, twice as rich in water Üür. Nevertheless, the name of the Egiin Gol remains, which thus pivots on the south-eastern direction of flow of Üür. The now in Bulgan aimag running, windungsreicher and narrowing valley is very conveniently away in the only slightly larger Selenga to the confluence. Because of higher here annual precipitation ( 400 mm / a ), the valley is nearly closed covered by boreal forest.
Catchment area and nature area
Given the hydrological dominance of the creek Üür the catchment area is often referred to as Eg- Üür area ( " Eg- Üür - Watershed "). Despite the lower water levels, the Egiin Gol at the confluence with approximately 22,500 km ², a larger part of catchment area than the Üür with around 12,300 km ². The lower Gebietsabflüss the upper Egiin Gol is due to the somewhat less rainfall, the less steep relief, and especially by the large evaporation surface of Chöwsgöl Lake.
The flow regime of the river is significantly affected by the location of the catchment area in cold semi-arid continental climate of Central Asia with permafrost at shallow depths. The mean temperature of the winter months is -20 ° C and indicated as the mean temperature of the summer months, 15-20 ° C. In early November, ice forms on the Egiin Gol, by freezing over the winter. In the spring thaw, usually from mid-May, can occur more than once strong floods. The outflows are concentrated in the summer months (50-70 %) and spring (20 %).
The catchment area of deep, fertile soils are developed in the grasslands often Kastanoseme, in the wetter heights rather podzols. The area of Egiin Gol comprises the largest taiga area of Mongolia and at the same time 10% of the total forest area of the country with typical species such as Siberian stone pine, Siberian larch or silver birch. It is home to reindeer, Siberian musk deer, Taimen (largest salmon fish), great bustard, swan goose, black stork and Eastern Imperial Eagle. To the confluence with the Üür an area of exceptionally high biodiversity has developed.
Culture and economy
At the bottom Egiin Gol little above the confluence with the Selenge there are archaeological sites, the most important of the Xiongnu necropolis with over one hundred graves from five centuries since the third century BC These excavations had been partially started as Notgrabungen as from about was planned in 1990 to dam the Egiin Gol for energy generation and flood control. The basin of the Egiin Gol is already opened up to tourists in a simple manner in the area of Chöwsgöl Nuur. In addition, the river is increasingly being sought downstream of the confluence with the Üür as part of a multi-day fishing - haul tourism '.