This program explores the characteristics of a great river system as we travel its length, from its source between Moscow and St. Petersburg to its delta on the Caspian Sea. The program examines many of the river’s characteristics, from the reservoirs formed by a series of huge hydroelectric dams to the concentration of heavy industry on the river and the resulting pollution, and explores the river’s vital importance to commerce. Boatmen, ecologists, marine biologists, and sturgeon fishermen also contribute their impressions of life on and around the Volga. (20 minutes)