The Or River and River Rafting in Kazakhstan -
The Or is a river in the Ural River basin.
Geographical Location
It flows through the Mugalzhar and Khromtau districts of Aktobe Region, in Kazakhstan. Its length is 332 km, and its drainage area is 18,600 km2.
River Beginning
It originates from springs in the northwestern mountains Mugadzhary (Chile, Terisbutak, etc.) and flows from the left side into the Ural River near the city of Orsk (Russia).
Tourist Information
The valley is wide (1-3 km), reaching 18-20 km at the mouth. The channel length reaches 5 m, downstream - 80 m. The river has 14 large and small tributaries. The main industries are Kamysakty and Oysylkara. Sediments are partially filled with groundwater. In April, the water level rises to 5 meters. The average annual flow rate ranges from 4.05 m³/s (near the village of Kopa) to 13.0 m³/s (near the village of Mailitobe). The water is fresh in the spring and slightly hard in the summer. The river water is used for household needs, livestock farming, gardening, and fish farming.
Rafting on the Or River
Currently, due to the very low water level, the river is half as thin as it was 15-20 years ago. And fish are very scarce. The government of Kazakhstan needs to limit fishing or strictly control spawning season, as illegal fishing has increased and fish stocks in the river have declined.
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