Volga Delta

The Volga Delta is the fan-shaped network of river channels, islands, and wetlands where the Volga enters the Caspian Sea in southwestern Russia.

Volga River: Europe’s longest river, flowing through Russia into the Caspian Sea. Its branching mouth forms the delta.
Astrakhan Nature Reserve: A Russian protected area established in 1919 to conserve wetlands in the Volga Delta. It protects representative delta habitats and wildlife.
Volga–Kama Cascade: A system of large dams and reservoirs constructed on the Volga and Kama rivers. Its regulation of river flow changes the timing and volume of water reaching the delta.
Volga Delta Ramsar site: A wetland site of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention in the Volga Delta. Its designation recognizes the delta’s extensive wetlands and waterbird habitat.
Caspian Sea: The world’s largest inland body of water, bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Its fluctuating water level shifts the delta’s shoreline.
Caspian seal: A seal species endemic to the Caspian Sea. Its populations depend on the delta and wider Caspian ecosystem.
Volga River pollution: Contamination of the Volga by industrial, agricultural, and municipal sources. Pollutants carried downstream can affect delta waters and habitats.
Ilmen lakes: Shallow lakes and lagoons characteristic of parts of the lower Volga region. They illustrate the delta’s patchwork of aquatic habitats.
River delta: A landform built from sediment deposited where a river enters a standing body of water. The Volga Delta is a large, active example of this landform.
Caspian fisheries: Commercial and subsistence fishing in the Caspian Sea and its tributary waters. Delta channels and wetlands provide spawning and nursery habitat for fish.

Linked from 2 pages

Tyuleny ArchipelagoRelated: It is a major northern Caspian landform that helps define the archipelago’s regional setting.