Gorky Reservoir

Gorky Reservoir
Gorky Reservoir
Coordinates	57°00′N43°10′E
Type	Hydroelectricreservoir
Primary inflows	Volga
Basincountries	Russia
Max. length	430 km (270 mi)
Max. width	16 km (9.9 mi)
Surface area	1,591 km2(614 sq mi)
Max. depth	22 m (72 ft)
Water volume	12.9 km3(10,500,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	84 m (276 ft)
Settlements	Yaroslavl,Kostroma,Kineshma,Yuryetets

Gorky Reservoir(Russian:Го́рьковское водохрани́лище), known colloquially asGorky Sea(Russian:Го́рьковское мо́ре), is anartificial lakein the central part of theVolga Riverin Russia,formed by a hydroelectricdamofGorky Hydroelectric Station(now calledNizhny Novgorod Hydroelectric Station) built in 1955 between the towns ofGorodetsandZavolzhyeand filled in 1955 – 1957. It spans for 430 km from the dam ofRybinskto the dam of Gorodets throughYaroslavl,Kostroma,IvanovoandNizhny Novgorodoblasts ofRussia.While it is relatively narrow and follows the natural riverbed of Volga in the upper part, it becomes up to 16 km wide downstream the town ofYuryevets.

The reservoir takes its name from the former name of the city ofNizhny Novgorod(actually situated some fifty kilometers downstream the dam),Gorky.An industrial town of Zavolzhye was built on the right bank of the Volga along with the construction of the dam.

The filling of the reservoir resulted in the relocation of a number of villages and towns, such asChkalovsk.