Vitim (river)

The first Russian to explore the river was probably Maksim Perfilyev in 1639–40, who brought back reports of the upper Amur River. Formerly, because of its swift current, goods were hauled overland from Chita to Romanovka. There boats were built, floated down the river, and broken up at their destination. This lasted until the late 1940s. Vitim impact event The Vitim event occurred in the Vitim River basin near Bodaybo on 25 September 2002. The event is described as to be caused by a bolide. The event was similar to Tagish Lake. ==Course==

Going upstream: Vitim town where the Vitim joins the Lena. Mama and Mama Airport, about south of Vitim. A muscovite mica mine from 1705 until the late 1930s. Now a small settlement. Mamakan, on a west-flowing stretch south-southeast of Vitim. In 1963 a 86MW dam on the Mamakan River was completed, one of the first dams built on permafrost. Bodaybo, just upstream, a gold mining center founded in 1864. Upstream, the port of Luzhki was the start of a road to the Lena gold fields. From here upstream the river goes crookedly east and then south. About upstream from Bodaybo are the Delyun-Uran Rapids and after more, the Parama Rapids. About or so upstream, the Vitim is crossed by the Baikal Amur Mainline between Taksimo and Kuanda. Upriver there are more rapids and goldfields. South through the Stanovoy Mountains toward Chita, then west into the Vitim Plateau east of Lake Baikal. The river peaks in June and freezes from November to May. Tributaries The main tributaries of the Vitim are, from source to mouth: • Konda (right) • Karenga (right) • Kalakan (right) • Kalar (right) • Tsipa (left) • Bambuyka (right) • Muya (left) • Kuanda (left) • Bodaybo (right) • Mamakan (left) • Mama (left) ==See also==