Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of benthic communities in the studied part of the river were estimated as common for streams of the Karelian region. Maximal biomass was revealed in the fast flow sites down to limnic parts of the river. As a functional characteristic, the trophic structure was examined. Seven trophic groups were found and three types of communities accoding to their domination were distinguished. Predators dominated (more than 30% of the total abundance) in the first community type on sites with high velocity, collectors were the main group in the hydraulic stress zones and active filter feeders dominated in the third community type in the limnic parts of the river.