Bolaq

The Bolaq (Tatar: Болак; Russian: Булак) is a canal that once flowed from the northern part of Birge Kaban to Kazanka.

The first arched stone bridge was built in 1907 by the project of Lev Kazimirovich Khrshchonovich.

In the 1940s–1950s five bridges of reinforced concrete were built, the embankment was covered with iron grate, slopes were matted by the project of Ü.G.

With the infill of Kuybyshev Reservoir and the constructing of check dams the lower stream of Bolaq was covered up with earth and divided from Kazanka in 1955–56.

In 1967 the subterranean channel, 546 metres (1,791 ft) long, was constructed to connect Bolaq and Volga.

As natural the level of Bolaq and Qaban is much lower than that of Kuybyshev Reservoir, pumps throw out the effluent water.

In the 1980s Bolaq was considered to be a dead reservoir, as the poisoned by chemicals plants water of Qaban penetrated the channel.

The earliest human history of the area is unclear, but probably, Bolaq played major role in fishing and transporting, as well as defense.

A district, named Köräyeş settlement of first half of the 16th century, was situated at the bank of Bolaq.

By Aksakov, the traditional fair on the Bolaq was preserved, but unlike the Taşayaq it had only local significance.

In 1918 national-democratic movement tried to establish Idel-Ural State, but Bolsheviks arrested chairmen of the congress, proclaimed those republic.

Later Bolaq saw industrialization of the 1930s and deindustrialization of the 1990s, increase of cars in the 2000s, that was reflected on channel's ecology.

Bolaq had a tributary, a brook that had flowed from a former lake in the modern Paris Commune public garden.

Embankments and bridges are usually decorated with flags, balloons and posters of the coat of arms of Tatarstan, and many booths and open-air cafés are installed here.