Abstract

Rivers of the Terek basin have a number of specific features influencing water flow and sediment regime. For many river basins the increase of water volume and the maximum water level rise are caused by the air temperature rise and the increase of precipitation and characteristic for the last decade. Long summer floods putting over the melted snow of spring flood, large river bed slopes and consequently high rates of water level rise promote the increase of sediment load and intensification of erosive and accumulative processes in different parts of the basin. Erosion processes are more intensive on the right tributaries joining the middle stream of the Terek River. Sediment accumulation takes place in the river mouth area and results in the rise of the absolute marks of the bottom. To protect from floods intensive river diking is conducted in the lower reaches and in the delta of the Terek. The rise of the maximum water levels and its repetition endangers coastal protection constructions and safe vital activities in the plain regions of the Terek basin. Complex study of the river runoff, sediment load and water level oscillations on the rivers of the Terek basin are closely connected with each other and are of important economical significance.

Keywords: the Terek river, water runoff, maximum water level, sediment load, erosion of the river catchment basin