Biryuk (river)

The Biryuk (Бирюк; Бүүрүк, Büürük) is a river in Yakutia (Sakha Republic), Russia. It is a tributary of the Lena with a length of 267 km and a drainage basin area of 9710 km2.

The river flows across an uninhabited area of the Olyokminsky District. Biryuk village is located by its left bank, close to its confluence with the Lena 52 km from Olyokminsk.

Course
The Biryuk is a left tributary of the Lena. It is formed in the Lena Plateau. The river heads in a roughly southern direction across a taiga area. In its lower course it bends to the south before the Lena floodplain and flows slowly and meandering in a swampy channel. Finally it meets the Lena 2160 km from its mouth near Biryuk village and 18 km downstream from the mouth of the Cherendey.

The largest tributary of the Biryuk is the 144 km long Melichan (Меличан) that joins it from the right. There are lakes in its basin, including relatively large Ebye Kyuel. The river freezes yearly between October and May.