Geomorphology

The characteristic geomorphological structure of the Braslav Poozerie arose during the Poozerie (Valdai, Würm) glaciation. The accumulation of Braslav glacial deposits is associated with a large stadial stop (Braslav stage) of the Poozerie glacier. Its long-term stable position was due not only to climatic reasons, but also to the peculiarities of the pre-anthropogenic surface of the region.

The territory of the national park is confined to the Braslav Upland and the Polotsk Lowland. Most of the territory belongs to the central part of the Braslav Regional Glacial Upland, the formation of which dates back to the end of the Poozerskaya Glacial Epoch.

The modern relief of the Braslav Upland is characterized by the absolute and relative youth of relict glacial and fluvioglacial forms. This is expressed in a number of features:

1. the wide distribution of primary forms of glacial-fluvial accumulation - esker ridges and kame hills, planted on a moraine base and preserving a beautiful external appearance;
2. numerous dry evorzional basins located among large-hill moraine relief;
3. flat areas of the leveling surface at a height of more than 150 m;
4. dry valleys of glacial water runoff with typical hanging mouths over modern lakes;
5. numerous fresh glacial basins occupied by lakes;
6. poorly developed and few river valleys.

The freshness of the relief of the upland is also evidenced by the significant steepness of the slopes (reaching 20-30°), the morphological diversity of the hills and ridges, the waviness of the ridges, and the good expression of small forms.

With relatively low absolute heights of the modern surface – 150-200 m (maximum height – 210.8 m in the east, near the village of Sutorovshchina), the territory of the upland is characterized by significant dissection.

Deep erosion and the processes of formation of modern valleys are manifested very weakly. Valleys of small rivers, streams and channels are often almost not expressed and are located on a low-lying surface created by a glacier. Even the most significant river of the studied region - Druika, the left tributary of the Western Dvina, acquires the formed appearance of a valley only when it exits the Braslav Lakes system.

In general, the relief is exceptionally diverse. Marginal glacial formations, esker-kame complexes, sanders, areas of lake-glacial lowland, which are complicated by troughs, thermokarst and evorzion basins, are widespread. The main background of the modern surface of the Braslav Upland is created by the lake-hilly type of relief.

Numerous lake basins, characteristic of the Braslav Upland, are usually connected by small rivers, streams, ditches and channels, thus forming entire lake systems (the largest are Braslav and Boginskaya).