Water Resources:

Lake Nero – Rostov-Velikii is located on the bank of Lake Nero. “Nero” from the Ugro-Finnic languages is translated as “swampy” or “silty.”

The history of the Lake dates back to the Glacial Epoch, but nobody knows exactly how old the lake is – 20, 30, 40, and even 60 thousand years. Once it was navigable and connected Rostov-Velikii and the Volga. Nowadays its area is 54 sq-km, length of the shore line is 45 km, depth is about 3 meters, silt stratum is estimated from 6 to 20 meters, and the silt reserve is about 250 million tons. The lake is full of pike, perch, pike-perch, cruciam, roach, and ruff.

Lake silt has been used as organic manure and favors rich harvests. The Rostov-Velikii region is a motherland of northern truck farming. Even in the 14th Century Rostov-Velikii citizens were vegetable suppliers to the Tsar’s table. Peter the First kept Rostov-Velikii citizens in mind when he decided to found a pharmaceutical industry; he sent their market-gardeners to Holland for training. Lake Nero is wonderful in all seasons. All city holidays take place on its banks. The favorite holidays, both for its citizens and guests are: Winter Holiday, “By a Wave of the Wand”, Maslennitza, Day of Youth, and City Day.

Other Lakes:

Lake Chashnitzkoe (Karashchaya Administration) – a lake without drainage, maximum depth is 10 meters, a silt reserve up to 4.5 meters deep, habitat of rare kinds of animals and plants, place for relaxation, has water protection significance.

Lake Lovetzkoe – a typical shallow lake with silt reserves, a habitat of rare kinds of animals and plants, has relaxation and water protection significance.

Rjumnikovskoe (Perovskaya Administration) – a lake without drainage, in the Rjumniko-Osoevskaya Hollow, of peat origin, 7 meters deep, a habitat of rare species of plants and animals, has water protection significance, is used for recreation.

Rivers:

Sara River – the main tributary of Lake Nero, winter hole for all fishes living in Lake Nero, recreational significance.

Ishnya River – a Lake Nero tributary, a habitat of pike, perch, roach, in Spring it is used for spawning by ide.

Ustje River – famous for bream, chub, pike, perch, roach fishing, has a nice spawning ground, desmen’s reserve, has developed amateur and sport fishing.

Veksa River – the only river flowing from Lake Nero, is used for amateur and sport fishing.

Nature Reserves in the region:

Ustjevsky – zoological, clesmen.

Monasheskoe Usochishe – on the bank of the River Sara, birch and aspen groves, has recreational importance.

Sahatskoe Boloto (Marsh) – a typical swamp of running water hollows, birch and willow sphagnum classifications, 15 kinds of rare plants, a place of Grey Crane nesting.

Natural Monuments:

Park in Petrovskoe Village – more than 100 years old, a picturesque region of birch and fir trees.

Forest Park, Station Itlar (Shalyapin Summer House) – a former dacha (summer house) of painter K. A. Kolovin: a valuable natural complex of the River Nepl Valley, of sanitary, cultural, aesthetic, and recreational significance.

Sarskoe Torphoboloto (peat bog) – an up-river pine, bush, and sphagnum swamp with a lot of cranberries, a typical swamp massive of running water hollows, habitat of rare kinds of animals and plants, registered by international projects aimed at Telma swamp protection.

Park in Voronino Village – an old park with a pond, a monument of garden-park art (manorial estate).

Forest Park in Aleviytzino Village – an ancient park with a pond, venerable lime trees, Siberian pine, oak, Black Pine, etc. (manorial estate).

Salt Spring (Istochnik) “Varnitzy” – a unique salt spring, habitat of rare plants.

Tehanovsky Pine Deciduous Forest (Nikolskaya Administration) – a place of recreation.

Crane Swamp (Rostov) – Pulohma River river-head, 8000 years old, a place of Grey Crane nesting, rich in cranberries and rare plants.

Zonino Swamp (Polechje) – 3000 years old, situated on the Lake Nero east-side lowlands, rich in mineral nutrition, including chlorine-sulphate waters, is registered with international projects aimed at TELMA Swamps protection.