| Trebižat Vrljika (at Imotski), Matica (at Drinovci), Suvaja (at Posušje), Tihaljina (at Peć Mlini), Mlade (at Mlade), Stari(Old) Prokop &(New) Prokop or Kanal (at Jegetina), Trebižat (till mouth), (also at various places) Culuša, Ričina, Rika, & Brina | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Trebižat River inLjubuški | |
  Trebižat confluence withNeretva | |
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| Native name | Rika (Serbo-Croatian) |
| Location | |
| Country | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Cities | Ljubuški,Čapljina |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Peć Mlini |
| • coordinates | 43°20′12″N17°19′24″E / 43.336715°N 17.323457°E /43.336715; 17.323457 |
| Mouth | |
• location | Neretva atStruge nearČapljina |
• coordinates | 43°05′24″N17°42′03″E / 43.0899°N 17.7008°E /43.0899; 17.7008 |
| Length | 51 km (32 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Vrljika→ Matica→ Tihaljina→ Mlade→Trebižat→Neretva→Adriatic Sea |
TheTrebižat (Serbian Cyrillic: Требижат) is a river in the southern part ofBosnia and Herzegovina, and major right tributary of theNeretva River.
Trebižat River is located in the south-western region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Neretva basin and it is a major tributary of the Neretva river. The river rises from the large karstic wellspring within cave inPeć Mlini village. This wellspring is continuation of theVrljika (Matica) river which sunk few kilometers before and on a plain above, at the southeastern end ofImotsko Polje nearDrinovci in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[1]
Trebižat is 51 km long and is the second largest losing (sinking) stream in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose waters drains into the underground and reappear several times at various locations, but as a river the Trebižat sinks only once as the Matica, inestavelle(s) at the southeastern edge ofImotsko Polje near Drinovci, and reappears again in Peć Mlini wellspring as the Tihaljina (later Trebižat), renamed afterwards nine more times. In terms of length, it comes right after the Trebišnjica river which is the largest river of this kind in the world and also a tributary of the Neretva watershed.
Because the Trebižat River disappears and reappears various times and places, the people used to call it different names. At least nine names are regularly used, and few other are known to be used as well – overall some thirteen names are known to be used at different point in times and/or by different communities along its course, at various location and for different sections: theVrljika (from its original wellspring atProložac to Kamenost (Podbablje)), theMatica (from Kamenmost in Croatia toDrinovci in Bosnia and Herzegovina), theTihaljina (from wellspring at Peć Mlini to Mladi), theMlade (from Mlade to Perila), theStari Prokop and theNovi Prokop or theKanal (from Perila to Jegetina), and theTrebižat (from Jegetina, throughLjubuško polje, till confluence with theNeretva in villageStruge nearČapljina); also at various places the river is calledBrina,Culuša,Ričina,Suvaja (atPosušje), andRika.
A special characteristic of Bosnia and Herzegovina's water systems are the plethora of waterfalls dotting the landscape. Among the most beautiful and biggest are the: Štrbački cascade (23.5 m high – quantitatively the biggest waterfall in Bosnia and Herzegovina), Martin Brod on the Una River, Pliva Falls in Jajce (27 m),Kravice Falls andKoćuša falls on the Trebižat River.[2]
The most attractive landmark on the Trebižat River isKravice Falls, located 3 km downstream from the Vitaljina, in Studenci near Ljubuški. Similar toKrka Falls andPlitvice Lakes, Trebižat River is also in a constant process of naturaltufadeposit. It is known thattravertinebarriers andwaterfalls can grow only in water of high purity and quality, so it is not strange that thelandscape of a natural phenomenon that is Trebižat was proposed for protection as aNature Park by concerned NGO's in Bosnia and Herzegovina on more than a few occasions.[citation needed]
Since time immemorial the Trebižat valley was inhabited by men thanks to its advantageous natural environment. Karst provided safe habitat with abundance of caves, fresh waters supply, fertile land with variety of natural produce.During antiquity valley was part of theRoman Dalmatia, inhabited byIllyrians, with farming already at high level of development. Many Roman settlements and farms were discovered in the region, with villas, such asMogorjelo, as focal point of farming life and representative archaeological find, as well as later antiquitybasilikas being excavated in the area.During medieval times area belonged to powerful Bosnian magnate family ofKosača, and later came underOttoman rule. Agriculture was always primary enterprise for the inhabitants of the Trebižat valley and wider region, so is today. Waters of the river playing a key role in it. In recent timeshydroelectric power plantPeć Mlini was built alongside the river's wellspring in Peć Mlini, at the site where Vrljika/Matica sinks and reappears as Tihaljina/Trebižat, practically traversing sink-hole. HPP Peć Mlini generates 2×15.3 MW.[3]
Thewater regime of the Trebižat River is affected by the extraction of its water forhydropower plants,irrigation andfish farming, and the river suffers from somepollution. Trebižat River flows through an area of remarkable ecological value, hosting protected areas such as thetravertine formation around Kravice Waterfall.Although there have been many negativeanthropogenic impacts in recent years on the Trebižat River, especially from hydropower and irrigation exploitation, unchecked urbanization and tourism, the analyses ofaquatic organisms,river ecology andriver morphology still shows a highecoloical diversity, despite high level of endangerment.Various actions are considered with the aim of preserving the Trebižat River and itsriparianecosystem.[4][5]The area was assessed in terms of itsgeography,climate conditions, historicheritage of the river,demography,geology of the river and its tributaries, riverhydrology and morphology,ecological characteristics,river pollution, river use, andriver management.
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| Trebišnjica drainage: sub-basin of the Neretva |
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