[11] The district is located on both banks of the Northern Dvina and its main right tributary, the Vychegda.

The Northern Dvina and the Vychegda divide the district into three comparably sized areas.

The rivers in the southeastern corner of the district (i. e., areas south of the town of Koryazhma) drain into the Lala, a tributary of the Luza, in the basin of the Yug.

The area in general was populated by speakers of Uralic languages and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic.

In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, the area was included into Archangelgorod Governorate, and Solvychegodsk was designated as one of the cities.

In 1918, the area was transferred to the newly established Northern Dvina Governorate, and in 1924 the uyezds were abolished in favor of the new divisions, the districts (raions).

Kotlassky District was formed on June 25, 1924 and included areas of former Solvychegodsky and Velikoustyugsky Uyezds.

[13] In 2010, there were ninety-six farms in the district,[14] producing meat (beef and pork), milk, cereals, and potatoes.

[17] There is also a small private museum devoted to the fictional author Kozma Prutkov, who, according to the official biography, was born in Solvychegodsk.