| Blagoevgradska Bistritsa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Rila |
| • elevation | 2,546 m (8,353 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Struma River |
• coordinates | 41°59′17.88″N 23°4′9.84″E / 41.9883000°N 23.0694000°E |
• elevation | 321 m (1,053 ft) |
| Length | 41 km (25 mi) |
| Basin size | 234 km2 (90 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Struma→ Aegean Sea |
The Blagoevgradska Bistritsa (Bulgarian: Благоевградска Бистрица) is a river in south-western Bulgaria, a left tributary of the Struma. It is 41 km long and drains the southwestern parts of the Rila mountain range.[1]
Geography
Blagoevgradska Bistritsa takes its source about 300 m southeast of the summit Golyan Mechi Vrah (2,617 m) in southwestern Rila at an altitude of 2,546 m. It initially flows a mountain stream south to Macedonia refuge, where it turns west in a deep valley covered with old-growth coniferous forests where trees reach heights of almost 60 m and protected within Parangalitsa biosphere reserve.[1]
The river then continues to flow westwards in a deep steep valley until the village of Bistritsa, where it takes a turn to the southwest through an eroded valley. Then it forms a large alluvial cone, on which the city of Blagoevgrad is situated, and flows into the Struma at an altitude of 321 m, in Blagoevgrad's neighbourhood Strumsko.[1]
Its catchment area covers a territory of 234 km² and represents 1.35% of Struma's total drainage basin. The largest tributary is Slavova Reka. Blagoevgradska Bistritsa has predominantly snow-rain feed with high water in late spring and early summer (May–June) and low water in winter (February). The average annual flow is 3.17 m3/s at the mouth and 2.96 m3/s at Bistritsa.[1]
There are two settlements along the river — the city of Blagoevgrad and the village of Bistritsa, both in Blagoevgrad Province. Its waters in the lower reaches are used for irrigation.[1] Common fish species in the river include brown trout, Struma barbel and European chub.
Citations
References
- Мичев (Michev), Николай (Nikolay); Михайлов (Mihaylov), Цветко (Tsvetko); Вапцаров (Vaptsarov), Иван (Ivan); Кираджиев (Kiradzhiev), Светлин (Svetlin) (1980). Географски речник на България [Geographic Dictionary of Bulgaria] (in Bulgarian). София (Sofia): Наука и култура (Nauka i kultura).