The Irtysh is the longest tributary river in the world (the Missouri takes second place). It flows through China (525 km), Kazakhstan (1,700 km) and Russia (2,010 km). The area of the basin is 1,643 km . The sources of the Irtysh are located on the border of Mongolia and China, on the eastern slopes of the Mongolian Altai ridge. From China, under the name of the Black Irtysh, it enters Kazakhstan, goes through the Zaisan basin, flows into the lake Zaisan. At the mouth of the Black Irtysh is a large delta. Many rivers flow into Zaisan from the Rudny Altai, the Tarbagatai and Saur ridges. Repeatedly reinforced by these waters, the Irtysh flows out of Lake Zaisan to the northwest, through the Bukhtarma and Ust-Kamenogorsk hydroelectric power plants. Downstream are the Shulbinskaya HPP and the city of Semey. Just above Pavlodar, the Irtysh water is picked up by the Irtysh —Karaganda canal, flowing to the west.
The source of the Irtysh is located very high, the upper flow is in a mountainous area. Here the river banks are mostly treeless, rocky or representing mountain steppes, occasionally there are areas overgrown with taiga. Closer to the exit from the mountain zone, there are places where the river runs among long swamps and sands. Approximately following the Shulba reservoir, the mountains are replaced by a plain - starting from here and all the way to Omsk, the river flows among the steppes — here the Irtysh forms countless channels, islands, distributaries and oxbow lakes, the river floodplain is a typical flood meadows, in some places overgrown with dense bushes.
Ichthyofauna of the Irtysh River is highly diverse. The most common types of fish are ide, roach, pike, perch, bream, walleye, sturgeon, carp, burbot. There are nelma, whitefish, sturgeon and other kinds of fish. It is worth noting that some species of fish were inhabited artificially, such as trout, ripus, silver carp and carp. The diversity of fish species makes for entertaining fishing. Here they fish with various gear, from ledgering to fly fishing.
Many fans of wild recreation and camping come to the Irtysh River. It is fairly easy to find picturesque places with nice beaches (not too far from the cities).
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