Ljubljanica

Ljubljanica
The Ljubljanica in Ljubljana
Map
Location
CountrySlovenia
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationRetovje45°57′5″N 14°17′41″E / 45.95139°N 14.29472°E / 45.95139; 14.29472, Ljubija45°57′11″N 14°18′0″E / 45.95306°N 14.30000°E / 45.95306; 14.30000, Bistra
 • coordinates45°56′51″N 14°20′3″E / 45.94750°N 14.33417°E / 45.94750; 14.33417
 • elevation300 m (980 ft) [1]
Mouth 
 • location
Podgrad
 • coordinates
46°4′11″N 14°38′20″E / 46.06972°N 14.63889°E / 46.06972; 14.63889
 • elevation
260 m (850 ft) [1]
Length41 km (25 mi) (including Little Ljubljanica) [1]
Basin size1,860 km2 (720 sq mi) [2]
Discharge 
 • average25 m3/s (880 cu ft/s) (at the source near Vrhnika), 55 m3/s (at the outflow in Moste)
Basin features
ProgressionSavaDanubeBlack Sea

The Ljubljanica (pronounced [ljuˈbljáːnitsa]), known in the Middle Ages as the Leybach,[3] is a river in the southern part of the Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, lies on the river. The Ljubljanica rises south of the town of Vrhnika and flows into the Sava River about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) downstream from Ljubljana. Its largest affluent is the Mali Graben Canal.[4] Including its source affluent the Little Ljubljanica (Slovene: Mala Ljubljanica), the river is 41 km (25 mi) in length.[1] The Little Ljubljanica joins the Big Ljubljanica (Slovene: Velika Ljubljanica) after 1,300 m (4,300 ft) and the river continues its course as the Ljubljanica.

The Ljubljanica is the continuation of several karst rivers that flow from the Prezid Karst Field (Slovene: Prezidsko polje) to Vrhnika on the surface and underground in caves, and so the river is poetically said to have seven names (six name changes): Trbuhovica, Obrh, Stržen, Rak, Pivka, Unica, and Ljubljanica.

  1. ^ a b c d Rivers, longer than 25 km, and their catchment areas, Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
  2. ^ "Sava River Basin Analysis Report" (PDF). International Sava River Basin Commission. September 2009. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF, 9.98 MB) on 17 July 2010.
  3. ^ Snoj, Marko (2009). Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen. Ljubljana: Modrijan. p. 239.
  4. ^ "Občinski program varnosti občine Brezovica" [Municipal programme of the Municipality of Brezovica] (in Slovenian). 2010. p. 35. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2010.