Markhachan

The Markhachan (Мархачан) is a river of Sakha Republic, Russia, a tributary of the Lena. It is 248 km long, and has a drainage basin of 4350 km2.

The river flows across sparse larch taiga in an uninhabited area of Olyokminsky District. In the International scale of river difficulty the Markhachan is a Class III destination for rafting and kayaking.

Course
The Markhachan has its source in a thermokarst area of the Lena Plateau, near the sources of the Chyna. The river heads mainly southwards along its course, parallel to the Markha in the west. In its last stretch it meanders strongly in the floodplain. Finally it joins the left bank of the Lena 1914 km from its mouth. The Markhachan freezes in the second half of October and stays under ice until the middle of May. There are about 200 small lakes in its basin.

Tributaries
The largest tributaries of the Markhachan are the 41 km long Somogo from the left, and the 60 km long Magany-Yurekh (Маганы-Юрэх) and the 50 km long Ulakhan-Egeleekh (Улахан-Эгэлээх) from the right.

Fauna
Grayling and lenok are some of the main fish species found in the river.