Vuoksi River

The Vuoksi River is a river that runs from Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland to Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia in the northernmost region of the Karelian Isthmus. The river reaches Lake Ladoga in three branches: an older major northern branch at Priozersk (Käkisalmi), a minor branch a few kilometers north of it, and a new southern branch, the Burnaya River, which has become the mainline in terms of water discharge, 50 kilometers (31 mi) southeast.

The former northern distributaries have only drained the lower sections of the Vuoksi basin since 1857, and they are not supplied by Lake Saimaa. The northern and southern branches are essentially two independent river systems that might become separated during dry seasons.

The Vuoksi River is known for its rapids, such as Imatrankoski in Imatra and rapids near Losevo hamlet (Kiviniemi). Losevo is a popular location for kayak, canoe, and catamaran contests because of the quick convergence of the Vuoksi and Suvanto/Lake Sukhodolskoye.

A project to destroy the rapids at Losevo and turn the River Burnaya, Lake Sukhodolskoye, and lower portions of Vuoksi into a navigable canal is currently being discussed in Russia, which would connect Lake Ladoga to the Gulf of Finland and allow oil tankers to bypass the River Neva and the city of Saint Petersburg.

Length: 162 km