The Angren (Russian: Ангрен; Uzbek: Ohangaron; Persian: آهنگران), also known as the Akhangaran or Achangaran, is a river in eastern Uzbekistan. It is a right-bank tributary of the Syr Darya and flows through the Tashkent Region.
Geography
The Angren originates from the confluence of the Aktashsay and Urtalyksay rivers on the southwestern slopes of the Chatkal Range of the Western Tian Shan mountains. It has a length of 223 kilometres (139 mi) and a drainage basin area of 5,260 square kilometres (2,030 sq mi). In its upper reaches, the river cuts through a deep canyon on the Angren Plateau. The valley then broadens near the village of Turk and joins the Chirchik valley downstream. The river flows through the town of Angren and empties into the Syr Darya south of Bekabad.
Hydrology
The Angren is fed primarily by snowmelt and rain. The average discharge near the village of Turk is approximately 22.8 cubic metres per second. Peak flow occurs in spring (April to June) due to snowmelt, while summer and autumn flows drop significantly. The maximum recorded discharge was 460 m³/s on 8 April 1959.
Infrastructure
A major dam, the Akhangaran Dam, is built on the river upstream of the city of Angren. It is an embankment structure completed in 1986, with a height of 100 metres. The associated Akhangaran Reservoir has a total capacity of 260 million cubic metres. Downstream, the Tuyabuguz Dam (built in 1963) impounds the Tuyabuguz Reservoir (also called the Tashkent Sea), which has a capacity of 250 million cubic metres. A 12 MW hydroelectric power plant was commissioned at the Tuyabuguz Reservoir in 2019.
Etymology
The name Angren derives from the Uzbek Ohangaron, the plural form of ohangar ("blacksmith"), ultimately from Persian, reflecting the historical presence of ironworking and metal craftsmanship in the river valley. The name is also rendered as Akhangaran (Tajik variant) and Achangaran.
Economic Importance
The Angren River plays a vital role in irrigating agricultural lands in the Tashkent oasis, supporting crops such as cotton and wheat. Its waters are also used for industrial purposes, including coal mining operations in the Angren coal basin—one of Central Asia's largest lignite-producing areas—and for supplying thermal power plants.
References
- Great Soviet Encyclopedia, "Ангрен (река в Узб. ССР)"
- Wikipedia, "Angren (river)"
