BELAYA

BELAYA, Agidel, left tributary of the Kama River, the largest river of the RB. Length — 1,430 km, basin area — 142 thous. km². Sterlitamak in spring period accounts for 79% of annual runoff, the city of Ufa — 65%. According to the nature of physical and geographical conditions, the basin is divided into mountain, submontane and plain parts. The mountain p. is represented by ridges Uraltau, Kraka, Bashtau, Yurmatau. The river in the upper reaches flows through a low swampy valley. Downstream the river flows through a deep valley 200—500 m wide with steep, abrupt, sometimes perpendicular indigenous banks 150—200 m high. Karst is developed. In the submontane part the left bank is represented by forest­steppe and steppe complexes, the right bank — by mixed forests on low mountain ridges. Below the mouth of the Ufa River there is a plain river. When it flows through the vast floodplain, the R. meanders. B. is navigable in its middle reaches. Beloretsk Reservoir and Yumaguzino Reservoir were built on the river. The towns of Be­ loretsk, Meleuz, Salavat, Ishimbay, Ster­ litamak, Ufa, Blagoveshchensk, Birsk, Durtyuli, Agidel are located on the B. River.