Beaches of Western Siberia
The near-water rest prevails among all the types of summer recreation, and summer season is preferable for vacation. Regional water bodies are the most popular among the holidaymakers. They are close to the place of residence and less expensive. Based on the statistics available, it is impossible to determine the number of beaches and visitors in the regions as well as to count all the places of near-water rest and to assess their quality. There are no data and methods for simultaneous estimation of a large number of recreational water bodies. It is evident that water recreational resources of Russia are poorly understood. However, the inclusion of recreation in the list of the priority developing sectors of water use calls for the immediate comprehensive analysis of the situation in this field. The most reliable results can be obtained only on a basis of the data on legally functioning beaches in the regions. The paper presents the results of the analysis of legally functioning beaches of Western Siberia, a vast region in the center of Russia. The region is rich in water resources, and its climate is favorable for summer holidays. A diversity of Siberian beaches and the kinds of near-water recreation is shown. The natural characteristics and data on the quality of services at the legally functioning coastal sites are given.