Chuia

a river in the Altai, in Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast; a right tributary of the Katun’ of the Ob’ River basin. The Chuia is 320 km long and drains an area of 11,200 sq km. It is a typical mountain river in its upper course. It subsequently crosses the Chuia and Kurai basins, where it branches; farther downstream, it flows through a narrow valley. The Chuia is fed primarily by snow, with high water occurring between May and September. The mean flow rate is 42.1 cu m per sec. The Chuia freezes over in October or early November, and the ice breaks up in late April or in May. Freeze-up is variable. A hydroelectric power plant is situated on the Chuia, and the Chuia Road runs along the river.

(also Bol’shaia Chuia), a river in the Buriat ASSR and Irkutsk Oblast, a right tributary of the Lena. The Chuia is 512 km long, as measured from the source of the Bol’shaia Chuia. The Chuia proper—the segment below the confluence with the Malaia Chuia—is 52 km long. The river drains an area of 18,400 sq km. It rises in the Synnyr Range and crosses the Severo-Baikal Highland. The Chuia is fed primarily by rain and has a mean flow rate of 206 cu m per sec. The Chuia freezes over in October, and the ice breaks up in May.