Tarka — a river in Pavlovsky District, Nizhny Novgorod Region. A right tributary of the Oka. Length: 13 km. Its source lies near the village of Shishkino. It flows through hilly, karst-affected terrain. Outcrops of fine-grained gypsum and anhydrite are found along its banks. The upper course dries up seasonally. The middle and lower courses flow through the city of Pavlovo.
Environmental Situation
Until the second half of the 20th century, the river's waters were notably clean and of good quality. The Tarka divided the Upper and Lower posads of Pavlovo (at that time a selo). Seven bridges spanned the river. Later, the Tarka's channel turned into a drainage ditch, and its banks became heavily littered. Within the city limits of Pavlovo the river is severely polluted and in need of remediation. It flows into the Oka just below the pontoon bridge.
Etymology of the Name
The name Tarka translates from Mordovian as "stopping place." This toponym appears three times within Pavlovsky District: the Tarka River, and the villages of Malaya Tarka and Bolshaya Tarka. The latter was incorporated into the city of Pavlovo in the early 1960s.