Upper Neretva

Upper Neretva
Gornja Neretva
Protected section of the Upper Neretva canyon, Ćepa (1006 m).
Etymology"Nera-Etwa" is Celtic for "Divinity that flows" referring to the Neretva River ; Latin: Narenta, Narona, Naro for English: Narrative, Gurgle.
Nickname(s)Nera; Emerald River; Modra rijeka (English: Purple River)
Location
CountryBosnia and Herzegovina
RegionSouth-East Central Bosnia and Herzegovina
DistrictKonjic, Kalinovik, Gacko
CityKonjic
Physical characteristics
SourceGredelj
 • locationLebršnik, South-East Central Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
 • elevation1,227 m (4,026 ft)
MouthAdriatic
 • location
Ploče, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Croatia
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length90 km (56 mi), EW
Discharge 
 • average34.5 m3/s (1,220 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River systemDinaric Alps
Tributaries 
 • leftJezernica, the Živašnica (also known as the Živanjski Potok), Ladjanica, Župski Krupac, Bukovica, Šištica, Konjička Bijela
 • rightJezernica (also known as the Tatinac), Gornji i Donji Krupac, Ljuta (also known as the Dindolka), Jesenica, Bjelimićka Rijeka, Slatinica, Račica, Rakitnica, Konjička Ljuta, Trešanica, Neretvica
  • Total length of the Neretva is 230 km, and part of the river, which is the subject of this article, Upper Neretva, is 90 km. Also, the Neretva changing direction from East–West to North–South, after the exit from the Upper Neretva river section of its course.

Upper Neretva (Serbo-Croatian: Gornja Neretva), is the upper course of the Neretva river, including vast mountainous area surrounding the Neretva, with numerous human settlements, peaks and forests, numerous streams and well-springs, three major glacial lakes near the river and even more scattered across the mountains of Treskavica and Zelengora, in a wider area of the Upper Neretva with its flora and fauna.

Geographically and historically area has distinct features, while the Neretva is divided into three common hydrological sections: upper, middle and lower.[1]

The Neretva has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams (as higher than 15 meters)[2] and their storage lakes, but it still recognized for its natural beauty,[3] diversity of its landscape and visual attractiveness.[3][4]

  1. ^ "Hydrological characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina". [Hydro-meteorological institute of Federation of B&H]. Archived from the original on 2009-03-23. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
  2. ^ "Methodology and Technical Notes". IUCN - Watersheds of the World. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2009-07-15. A large dam is defined by the industry as one higher than 15 meters high and a major dam as higher than 150.5 meters
  3. ^ a b "Transboundary management of the lower Neretva valley - The Neretva river - background". [Ramsar Convention on Wetlands]. Retrieved 2009-03-18. ..international acknowledgement of the Neretva river unique beauty and the diversity of its landscape through Ramsar Convention - Neretva River (description can be read in the first sentence of the second paragraph)
  4. ^ "Living Neretva". [WWF - World Wide Fund]. Retrieved 2009-03-18.