Beloyarsk Reservoir, Sverdlovsk Region

The largest and deepest reservoir in the Sverdlovsk region, a popular place for recreation and fishing, is the Beloyarsk Reservoir (or simply Beloyarka).

The Beloyarsk reservoir was created on the Pyshma River in 1956-61, 75 km from its source. The length of the dam was 260 meters, height 22 meters. In 1958, Pyshma was blocked by a dam, and on March 14, 1961, the hydroelectric complex was fully put into operation. Thus, it took 6 years to create the Beloyarsk reservoir.

The length of the Beloyarsk reservoir is more than 20 km, width – up to 4 km. Area – 38.6 sq. km. Water volume is 265 million m3. Located at an altitude of 200 m above sea level. The reservoir is recharged from the Pyshma River, as well as from the Gagarskoye groundwater deposit, snow and rain supply.

The maximum depth reaches 22 meters, and the average is 8-9 meters. The rivers Pushkarikha, Cheremshanka, Chernaya, Marya, and Lipovka flow into the Beloyarsk Reservoir. It is a landscape reserve with a water protection zone.

The reservoir is intended for cooling reactors and technical water supply to the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant . It supplies the BNPP power units with circulating and process water. 60 thousand tons of circulating water are consumed per hour just for cooling the condensers. Process water is used to cool pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, fans and other devices. Water from the station passes through the cooling system and enters the reservoir through the waste (warm) channel. The water temperature in the heating zone in summer is on average 6-7 degrees higher than background values.

Pine and birch forests grow along the banks of the reservoir. In summer you can camp here with tents, swim, sunbathe, and fish. The bottom is muddy, sandy or rocky in places. The most picturesque part of Beloyarka is located near the dam. Beautiful cliffs rise here. The dam itself is impressive in its size and height. This is a strictly guarded facility, with fences and video cameras everywhere.

The reservoir has good fishing, which always attracts many fishermen. Fishing is complicated only by the driftwood lying at the bottom. fish are found here : roach, bream, carp, pike, perch, pike perch, ruffe, burbot, tench, crucian carp. From time to time there are even cases of catching piranhas. But not because these tropical predators have settled in Beloyarka, but because these fish are simply released here from home aquariums by owners who find it difficult to maintain grown pets.

Silty sapropel predominates at the bottom; flooded soil, sandy-silty and sandy soils are also found. In 2010, work began to prevent the rapid proliferation of blue-green algae. Other algae - varieties of chlorella - were released into the reservoir.

Competitions in sport fishing, windsurfing, sailing, etc. are often held in Beloyarka. Music festivals are held in summer. Many recreation centers have been built on the right bank of the reservoir.

On the left (eastern) bank of the reservoir lies the city of Zarechny, and not far from it on the same bank is the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant. In the first years of operation, the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant dumped radioactive waste into a swamp connected to a reservoir. However, as environmentalists found out, this did not affect local fish, so they can be eaten without fear of radiation. By the way, among the wonders of the Yekaterinburg Museum of Nature is a huge pike weighing 17 kg, caught in the Beloyarsk Reservoir in 1974.

The BNPP discharges warm water into the reservoir, so in winter the reservoir does not freeze in places. Ice fishing enthusiasts need to be extremely careful.

Geography

Coordinates: 56°54′02″ N. latitude, 61°15′29″ e. d.
Altitude above sea level: 212 m.
Coastal landscape: dry, swampy in places, mostly overgrown with forest. In the western part of the reservoir there are the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant and the village of Zarechny (closer to the dam).
Settlements on the banks: Zarechny

Territorial location

COUNTRY: RF . Region: Sverdlovsk region . Districts: Berezovsky, Zarechny.

Interactive map

Ecology

The ecological situation at the reservoir cannot be called favorable: the Pyshma River flowing into it is polluted by industrial and urban wastewater from large settlements located on its banks (Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Yekaterinburg and Berezovsky). In terms of the degree of pollution, the water of this river corresponds to class V - “extremely dirty”.

The nuclear power plant, located on the eastern shore, pollutes the environment with radionuclides that penetrate into groundwater, seep into the reservoir and settle in bottom sediments, and then get into fish with food and accumulate in it. This is eloquently evidenced by the results of the Rosatom commission conducted several years ago. More details about this can be found in the article “Beloyarsk Reservoir: Radiation, Ecology and Fish”; all accidents with the release of radioactive substances that occurred at the station over the entire period of its existence are also listed here.

Another unpleasant moment in the ecology of Beloyarka is the tons of garbage that vacationers and fishermen leave behind. It contaminates both the shores and the ice in winter. Getting into the water and decomposing, it quite well “enriches” it with harmful substances.

Cool fishing spots

Considering the length of the reservoir and the close proximity of the BNPP treatment facilities, it is not possible and necessary to fish everywhere. Experienced fishermen prefer to fish on the western bank - the opposite bank from the station, in the upper reaches of the reservoir and in bays - the confluence of streams and rivers. It is better to fish from a boat - there is more opportunity to fish areas inaccessible from the shore.

Among local fishermen, the most catchy areas are considered to be the areas near the pumping station, at the dam, on the inlet channel, on Cheremshanka, on the Black Bay.

The pumping station located in the upper reaches is especially popular due to excellent access to the reservoir, many good fishing spots and distance from the nuclear power plant. Here is a verified map of fishing spots on the Beloyarsk Reservoir.

Upper Beloyarka, Pumping station

Cherny and Cheremshanka bays, Inlet channel

Blue and Warm bays, Dam, Beloyarka backwaters

Fishing in muddy water in spring

Rest and swimming in Beloyarka=»Rest>

There are no equipped beaches on the Beloyarsk reservoir, since it is technical and essentially not intended for swimming. We should not forget about the ambiguous environmental situation, which is aggravated by vacationers and fishermen who leave behind garbage.

However, there are many wild beaches in Beloyarka and they are in great demand in summer. Tourists not only rent houses on the pier and camp sites, but also come to relax with tents.

Weather at the Beloyarsk reservoir in Zarechny

Fishing on the Beloyarsk Reservoir

Types of fish: perch
ruff
zander
roach
bream
silver bream
dace
tench
silver crucian carp
golden crucian carp
carp
pike
whitefish
burbot

Fishing spots

Fishing is possible throughout the entire reservoir - both from the shore and from a boat. Knowledgeable fishermen prefer to fish in the upper reaches of the reservoir and in bays - at the confluence of tributaries.

Fishing Features

The fish in Beloyarka are noticeably larger than in other surrounding reservoirs (of course, due to the effects of radiation), and are quite numerous. This attracts crowds of fishermen to the reservoir. Most often they catch perch, roach, bream and pike perch, and pike is somewhat less common. The reservoir is especially popular in winter.

However, sensible fishermen believe that the Beloyarsk Reservoir is by no means the best place for fishing. No matter how “fishy” it may be, you should not expose yourself to the risk of getting an extra dose of radionuclides into your body (comment from the editors of Urochishche: we adhere to the same point of view, which is why we have never been to Beloyarka and will never go there).

Bite forecast

White amur

There is no bite for grass carp. Grass carp are found in deep places.

How to get there (get there)

The following is a list of entrances (approaches) to the reservoir - 2 options.

Upper reaches (Beloyarsk recreation area)

Coordinates: 56°55′16″ N. latitude, 61°13′05″ e. d.
Distance from Yekaterinburg: 45 km.
Delivery option: any car.
How to get there: from Yekaterinburg you should go to the city of Berezovsky, after passing which you should move to Sarapulka. Next, along the forest road along the high-voltage line you can get to the shore of the reservoir.

Cheremshanka Bay

Coordinates: 56°50′43″ N. latitude, 61°14′30″ e. d.
Distance from Yekaterinburg: 45 km.
Delivery option: any car.
How to get there: from Yekaterinburg you should take the Tyumen Highway. Before reaching the village of Boyarka, you need to turn left and move along the main direction - along the western shore of the reservoir. After some time there will be recreation centers, then the quality of the road will deteriorate (passable by a regular car only in dry weather).

Fishing in the winter season

Not all fishermen understand the delights of winter fishing. It's cold, but that's not a problem. Warm clothes, feet in felt boots, hands in fur mittens will not allow the body to freeze, and silence, fresh frosty air, winter beauty around and the abundance of fish under the ice warm the soul of a real fisherman.

You can use a float to catch roach, bream and bream. A jig is suitable for perch, and a vertical lure is suitable for pike perch. Particularly successful fishing on the Pestovsky Reservoir occurs immediately after the first frost (this time is called “first ice”) and on the last ice in the spring. In the latter case, expect a good catch of perch and bream. Perch and roach fishing is good in the first two weeks of December. Places near the fishing base are popular for this.

And from mid-December to the first ten days of January is the bream fishing period. The peculiarity of this kind of fishing is that large bream are usually more active at night, so fishermen arrive at the place in the evening, drill holes and feed them. And at night there is fishing. If there are severe frosts and a biting wind, then set up tents directly above the holes.

In Tishkovsky Bay, fishing for perch, roach and ruffe does not stop all winter. Many people know such places. For some reason, one place is called a “paddling pool” and it is located near the road bridge, not far from the Vyaz River bed flowing into the reservoir, and the other place is near the Kogotka River.

Fishermen are also attracted to catching bream and roach directly from the ice near the Mikhalevskie Islands. There, even in summer, a winter fishing rod is more effective than summer fishing rods when fishing from a boat.

Photos

Photo 2. Beloyarsk reservoir. Author: gladkova21.

Photo 3. Sandy bottom in the coastal zone. Author: gladkova21.

Photo 4. “Almost the sea.” Author: to4et.

Photo 5. Sunset at the Beloyarsk Reservoir. Author: Dasha Eraleva.

Photo 6. BNPP. Author: borh-84.

Beloyarsk Reservoir: recreation centers

Over the years, the reservoir has been increasingly improved: boat stations are being built, boat parking areas and approaches to the reservoir are being improved, good beaches and places to rent catamarans, skis, sleds and other arsenal for spending time productively appear.

There are also more and more recreation centers appearing: “Izumrud”, “Beloyarka”, “Zeleny Bor”, “Forget-Me-Not”, “Svetlaya” and “Laguna”. They are ready to open their doors to new travelers and lovers of Ural nature at any time of the day or night. The cost of their services is quite acceptable: the minimum is 1300 rubles, the maximum is 6 thousand rubles. The price varies depending on the choice of house.

On the territory of these guest complexes there are sports grounds for various games, board games, sports equipment, baths, swings, ice slides and gazebos. It is this infrastructure that will allow you to spend your holiday as comfortably as possible when visiting the Beloyarsk Reservoir. If you want to create a feeling of unity with nature, you can use a tent. There are excellent camping spots along the coastline.