Editing Selenga (section)

== River course ==
The Selenga River is {{convert|1480|km|mi}} long and is formed from the convergence of the [[Ider river|Ider]] and [[Delger mörön|Delger]] rivers. It flows from Mongolia and into east-central Russia, acting as the main tributary of Lake Baikal. The Delger River flows from the Sangilen Mountains, "found on the border between Mongolia and the Russian republic of Tyva", while the Ider's headwaters are located in the Hangyn Mountains in central Mongolia. Upon the meeting of the Delger and Ider Rivers, the Selenga River moves northeast from Mongolia and joins with the Orkhon River at Suhbaatar. The river then continues north into Russia. Once in Russia, the river turns eastward towards Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia and then goes northwards to Tataurovo. The Selenga proceeds to move westwards and then "flows through a delta into Lake Baikal."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Selenga River {{!}} river, Asia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Selenga-River|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref>

=== Climate ===
A powerful Siberian anti-cyclone is the major influence on the climate of the Selenga basin. It is formed in September and October and disappears in April and May.<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal|last1=Kasimov|first1=Nikolay|last2=Shinkareva|first2=Galina|last3=Lychagin|first3=Mikhail|last4=Kosheleva|first4=Natalia|last5=Chalov|first5=Sergey|last6=Pashkina|first6=Margarita|last7=Thorslund|first7=Josefin|last8=Jarsjö|first8=Jerker|date=2020-07-28|title=River Water Quality of the Selenga-Baikal Basin: Part I—Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Dissolved and Suspended Metals|journal=Water|volume=12|issue=8|pages=2137|doi=10.3390/w12082137|issn=2073-4441|doi-access=free}}</ref> Due to the anti-cyclone, the 448,000-km<sup>2</sup> river basin is prone to a climate of harsh winters, which consist of sunny days and low air temperatures, and warm summers. The river experiences "...extended summer floods and short occasional (event-driven) floods in the other seasons."<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":9"/>

The section of the Selenga River from Suhbaatar to its mouth is ice-free from May to October. Travel across the river is possible during this period. From November to April, the river is covered with ice.<ref name=":0" /> The ice drift lasts from 3–6 days. From May to September, in spring and early summer, snowmelt enables maximum discharge.<ref name=":9"/>

For 80–90 days, starting in mid-June, the basin area experiences the summer season with precipitation totaling {{convert|250| - | 300|mm|in}}. This is in contrast to autumn and winter, in which rainfall is typically {{convert|150| - |200|mm|in}}. In mid-September, autumn begins, lasting for about 65 days.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Central Asia: Northern central Mongolia, stretching slightly into southern Russia {{!}} Ecoregions {{!}} WWF|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/pa0816|access-date=2020-11-02|website=World Wildlife Fund}}</ref>