| Ibar River |
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| west morava basin | |
| rivers of serbia | |
| rivers of montenegro | |
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It belongs to the Black Sea drainage basin. It's own drainage area is 8.059 km&2, average discharge at the mouth 60 m³/sec and it's not navigable. UPPER COURSE It originates from six springs on the Hajla mountain in eastern Montenegro. It flows generally north-east, passing through Ibarac, Rožaje , Radetina and Bać, after which it enters Serbia. Passing through the most southern part of Sandžak , it flows through several small villages, but this is one of the least populated areas of Serbia. In this whole area, river has no major tributaries, but many short streams flow into it from surrounding mountains. Also, in this part, it represents the route of the one of two main road connecting Serbia and Montenegro (Jadranska magistrala). At some point, near the village of Vitkovići, it turns south and enters Kosovo And Metohija . MIDDLE COURSE Continuing to the south, river passes through Gazivode, , Slatina, Sočanica, Leposavić , Dren and Lešak, entering the central Serbia proper at the village of Donje Jarinje. At Gazivode, river is dammed, creating artificial Hydrosystem, which was suppose to regulate Ibar-Sitnica-Lepenac watercourse (including ecological protection, irrigation and power production). At Kosovska Mitrovica, river enters a minerals and ores rich area of western slopes of Kopaonik mountain, which it will follow for over the next 100 km. Area is especially rich in lead, zinc and silver (Stari Trg, Trepča and Leposavić mines). Right on it's elbow turn, the Ibar receives it's longest (right) tributary, Sitnica . LOWER COURSE Flowing to the north, still following western side of Kopaonik, river reaches Raška , Brvenik, Bela Stena, Baljevac, Ušće , Bogutovac, Mataruška Banja , Žiča and Kraljevo, finally emptying into the Zapadna Morava. Here, river receives it's major tributaries: Raška , Studenica and Lopatnica, from the left, and Jošanica . In this section, river carved 40 km long and 550 m deep Ibar gorge (Serbian: Ибарска котлина/Ibarska kotlina), which is natural route for major road in this part of Serbia, ''Ibarska magistrala'' (Serbian: Ибарска магистрала; Ibar highway) and it's famous for it's ''pinched meanders'' and gigantic whirlpools. Whole area, 110 km long (meridionaly stretched) and 15-20 km wide, is known as ''Ibarski kraj'' (Serbian: Ибарски крај), and it's popularly divided in several colorful named valleys:
This is a continuation of Kopaonik's mining rich area, including findings of iron ore (Kopaonik, Raška), nickel (Kopaonik), asbestos (Brvenik), magnesite (Bela Stena) and hard coal (Baljevac, Ušće and Jarando). The Ibar gained notoriety as being the most polluted river in Serbia (together with it's major tributary, Sitnica), especially for frequent spills of extremely poisonous phenol, which causes constant problems for population of Kraljevo, since the city uses river's water for public waterworks. SEE ALSO REFERENCES
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