The
Katun River (, ) is a river in the
Altai Republic and the
Altai Krai of
Russia. It forms the
Ob River as it joins the
Biya River some southwest of
Biysk. The Katun River is long, and its
drainage basin covers . It originates in the Katun
glaciers on the southern slope of
Belukha Mountain. The river freezes up in the late November or early December and breaks up in the early or mid-April. The Katun River has a few tributaries:
Argut River,
Chuya River, Koksa River and Sema River. The river is navigable. The upper reach of the Katun River flows down the distant and sparsely populated area, but a few kilometers downstream near the Kujus village, the coastal population density grows steadily and the area downstream of the Ust-Sema village is the most populated. There are numerous buildings, holiday camps and various guest houses in the pine forest near the village.