Onega River traditionally explained as related to Finnish "Enojoki" - the main river, stream. In terms of both area of the basin and the average discharge, the Onega is the third river basin of the White Sea (behind the Northern Dvina and the Mezen. The river basin of the Onega is spread over the west of Arkhangelsk Oblast, north-west of Vologda Oblast, and also includes minor areas in the east of Republic of Karelia. The Onega basin includes some of the biggest lakes of Arkhangelsk and Vologda Oblasts, such as Lake Vozhe, Lake Lacha, Lake Lyokshmozero, Lake Kenozero, Lake Undozero, and Lake
Arkhangelsk Oblast of the Northern Dvina and the Onega. The railroad construction gave the momentum to the population and exploitation of these areas. A branch from Konosha eastwards to Kotlas and further to Vorkuta was constructed in the 1940s to facilitate the transport of coal from the Komi Republic. From Kotlas, another branch continues south to Kirov. A branch from Obozersky to the west, to Onega and further to Belomorsk, was built during World War II to secure the transport of goods from the harbour of Murmansk to central Russia. A piece of railroad between Arkhangelsk and Karpogory was also built in