The Mezha (russian: Межа) is a river in
Nelidovsky,
Zharkovsky, and
Zapadnodvinsky District
Zapadnodvinsky District (russian: Западнодви́нский райо́н) is an administrative and municipalLaw #4-ZO district ( raion), one of the thirty-six in Tver Oblast, Russia. It is located in the west of the oblast and borders w ...
s of
Tver Oblast
Tver Oblast (russian: Тверска́я о́бласть, ''Tverskaya oblast'', ), from 1935 to 1990 known as Kalinin Oblast (), is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Tver. It was named after ...
and
Velizhsky District of
Smolensk Oblast
Smolensk Oblast (russian: Смоле́нская о́бласть, ''Smolenskaya oblast''; informal name — ''Smolenschina'' (russian: Смоле́нщина)) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative centre is the city ...
in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...
. It flows out of the
Valdai Hills
The Valdai Hills (russian: Валда́йская возвы́шенность, Valdáyskaya vozvýshennost'), sometimes referred to as just Valdai (russian: Валда́й, Valdáy), are an upland region in the north-west of central European R ...
and continues west into the
Daugava
The Daugava ( ltg, Daugova; german: Düna) or Western Dvina (russian: Западная Двина, translit=Západnaya Dviná; be, Заходняя Дзвіна; et, Väina; fi, Väinäjoki) is a large river rising in the Valdai Hills of Russ ...
(Western Dvina). The town of
Nelidovo and the urban-type settlement of
Zharkovsky are located along the Mezha. It is long, and the area of its basin . Its main tributaries are the
Bereza, the
Luchesa, the
Obsha
The Obsha () is a river in Sychyovsky District of Smolensk Oblast and Oleninsky, Belsky, and Zharkovsky Districts of Tver Oblasts, Russia. It is a left tributary of the Mezha ( Western Dvina basin). It is long, and the area of its basin . Th ...
, and the
Yelsha (all left).
The source of the Mezha is in the north-western part of Nelidovsky District, within the
Central Forest Nature Reserve, a highly protected natural area. It flows south, downstream of the town of Nelidovo turns southwest and crosses into Zharkovsky District. It accepts the Obsha from the left and turns west. Downstream of the urban-type settlement of Zharkovsky it turns northwest. Further downstream, the Mezha flows southwest making the border between Zharkovsky and Zapadnodvinsky Districts, and west making the border between Tver and Smolensk Oblasts. The mouth of the Mezha is the triple point where Tver, Smolensk, and
Pskov Oblast
Pskov Oblast (russian: Пско́вская о́бласть, ') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the west of the country. Its administrative center is the city of Pskov. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 67 ...
s meet.
The drainage basin of the Mezha includes the whole area of
Belsky District Belsky District is the name of several administrative and municipal districts in Russia.
Districts of the federal subjects
*Belsky District, Tver Oblast, an administrative and municipal district of Tver Oblast
Renamed districts
*Belsky District, ...
of Tver Oblast, the major parts of Nelidovsky and Zharkovsky Districts, the western part of
Oleninsky District, also of Tver Oblast, and the eastern part of Zapadnodvinsky District, as well as the western part of
Sychyovsky District and northern parts of
Kholm-Zhirkovsky,
Dukhovshchinsky,
Demisovsky, and Velizhsky Districts of Smolensk Oblast.
References
{{reflist
Rivers of Tver Oblast
Rivers of Smolensk Oblast