| Tyukyan | |
| Pushpin Map: | Russia Sakha Republic |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Mouth location in the Sakha Republic, Russia |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 66.1719°N 116.7406°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 320m (1,050feet) |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 63.5633°N 119.7533°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 97m (318feet) |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Length: | 747km (464miles) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 30m3/s |
| Basin Size: | 16300km2 |
The Tyukyan (Russian: Тюкян; Yakut: Түүкээн Tüükeen) is a river in the Republic of Sakha in Russia. It is a left hand tributary of the Vilyuy, and is 747km (464miles) long, with a drainage basin of 16300km2.[1]
There are no permanent settlements by the river, but its source lies close to Eyik village in Olenyoksky District. After flowing across desolate areas it only reaches the inhabited Verkhnevilyuysky District about 50km (30miles) upstream from its mouth.[2]
See also: Khoro, Verkhnevilyuysky District, Sakha Republic. In 1634, Russian Cossacks, headed by Voin Shakhov, established a winter settlement at the confluence of the rivers Vilyuy and Tyukyan. This settlement served as the seat of administration of the surrounding area for several decades, after which it was moved to the Yolyonnyokh area 45km (28miles) down by the Vilyuy River.
The Tyukyan has its source close to the west of lake Eyik, in the eastern part of the Central Siberian Plateau in a swampy area near the Tyung basin, just south of the Arctic Circle, at an elevation of about 320m (1,050feet). It flows roughly southeastwards and eastwards. When it reaches the Central Yakutian Lowland it begins to meander strongly among swamps and small lakes, flowing roughly southwards, until it meets the left bank of the Vilyuy near Verkhnevilyuysk.[3]
There are numerous thermokarst lakes in the lower Tyukyan river basin. The main tributaries of the Tyukyan are the 85km (53miles) long Tenkelyakh (Тэнкэлээх) and the 349km (217miles) Chilii (Чилии) from the right.[4] The Tyukyan freezes between mid October and late May.[5]