Cem (river)
Cem Cijevna, Цијевна | |
---|---|
Location | |
Countries | Albania and Montenegro |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Accursed Mountains |
Mouth | |
• location | Morača |
• coordinates | 42°21′04″N 19°12′20″E / 42.35111°N 19.20556°E |
Length | 58.8 km (36.5 mi) |
Basin size | 368 square kilometres (142 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
• average | 24.86 m3/s (878 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
Progression | Morača→ Lake Skadar→ Bojana→ Adriatic Sea |
The Cem (Albanian: Cem, or in its definite form Cemi), also known as the Cijevna (Cyrillic: Цијевна), is a river that rises in Kelmend, Albania and after nearly half of its length crosses into Montenegro, where it flows into the River Morača near the capital Podgorica.
The Cem is fully formed at the confluence of its two tributaries the
The first cultural indicators of human settlement in the Cem river basin are from the late Copper Age and early Bronze Age (3500-2300 BC). Illyrian tribes such as the Labeatae lived in the area in classical antiquity. In the following millennia, the area passed under the control of the Roman Empire and its eastern counterpart, Slavic principalities, the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire. The Cem basin was the home of Albanian tribes (fise) such as Kelmendi, Hoti, Gruda and Triepshi until the 20th century. Today, the river is divided between Albania and Montenegro.
The Cem is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Europe. The river's basin is a source of very high
Name
The Greek geographer
Geography
The Cem originates in
The Selcë Cem rises at 1,250 m (4,100 ft) on Mount Bordolec near
The Cem then flows to the southwest for 26.5 kilometres (16.5 mi) before crossing into Montenegro, near the village of Grabom.
The Cem canyon (Kanjon Cijevne/Kanioni i Cemit) is 12 km (7.5 mi) long and has a depth of 903 m (2,963 ft).
Geology
The geomorphological features of the Cem basin have their origin in the
An abundance of limestone has enabled the formation of uvalas, caves and other karst formations.[9] However, water is retained in limestone, and so the denudation of geological formations is decreasing.[10] The result of these interconnected processes is that the Cem flows mostly through elevated, vertical and steep terrain, which forms canyons and crosses into small valleys. In these places, such as in the valley of Tamara, non-carbonate rocks have caused horizontal erosion to occur. Then, the river exits high elevation areas and flows towards the Morača as the relief flattens and a polje is formed by karst processes.[11]
Drainage basin
The
The river flows from above 1,250 m (4,100 ft) to no more than 50 m (160 ft). In Montenegro, waterfalls more than 50 m (160 ft) high are formed. Annual precipitation is about 2,500 mm (98 in). The month with highest precipitation is November (361 mm (14.2 in)) and the driest month is July (69.9 mm (2.75 in)). Snowfall can be observed as late as May. There is on average a 40-day period of annual snowfall and an accumulation average of 70 cm (28 in).[12]
The Cem has a continental climate in its upper part and a Mediterranean one as it reaches the Morača.[5] The annual temperature averages 6.8-7 °C - January being the coldest month at -3 °C and July the hottest at 15.7-20 °C. Water temperatures range from 5 °C in the spring to 13 °C in the summer. There are three local winds that affect the Cem in Albania.[13] The Murlani is a dry and cold northern and northeastern wind which blows towards the Adriatic, whereas the Shiroku and the Juga are humid and warm southern winds which are associated with rainy periods.[13]
Discharge
The river's streamflow increases as tributaries and springs flow into it. Elevation and other morphological features also cause variations in its discharge. In general, the upper part of the Cem in Albania has a lower velocity and thus a lower streamflow than the flow of the Cem through the canyon in Montenegro, where the Cem's streamflow increases as it descends. When it reaches the Zeta plain, it slows again as it flows into the Morača.[14]
The Cem of Vukël contributes 10.2–10.5 m3/s (360–370 cu ft/s) to the river. Measurements at Tamarë, where the confluence with Cem of Selcë is located, show an average discharge of 13.99–14.4 m3/s (494–509 cu ft/s). As the river passes into Montenegro near Grabom, karstic springs in at Dverbta and Brezhda increase its streamflow.[12] After this point the average discharge through the canyon is 24.86 m3/s (878 cu ft/s), but as it crosses into the valley, it can drop below 5 m3/s (180 cu ft/s) in the dry summer months. The maximal discharge rate of the river has been observed in May at 41.6 m3/s (1,470 cu ft/s).[15]
Causes of the flow decrease include its use in the water supply network and environmental factors linked to climate change, which has led to a cyclical decrease of rainfall, groundwater and karstic springs water yield to the river.
Ecosystem
The ecosystem of the Cem river basin is very biodiverse. The
Many bird species live on the banks of the Cem and the river's canyon is an Important Bird Area. Short-toed snake eagles, Levant sparrowhawks and the rock partridge use the canyon for breeding and nesting in the summer months.[20] The Egyptian vulture, an endangered species - once very common in the Balkans - lived in the canyon until 1997, when it became extinct there as in many other areas in the Balkans.[21][22] In Albania, 130 bird species in total have been identified along the Cem and its tributaries.[23]
There are 22 species of fish in the river including endemic marble trout and eel.[20][24] The height of the Cem above sea level affects flora distribution zones. At elevations between 900–1,200 metres (3,000–3,900 ft) oak trees are common around Selcë and Vukël, but as elevation drops pomegranates become much more common. In the river basin about 40% of the total plant species found in Albania, have been identified.[23] In the Cem canyon, 813 plant species have been identified, with a total of 959 in the wider canyon area.[25] The canyon is host to a quarter of the total plant species of Montenegro.[26]
A full identification of the flora of the Cem has yet to be completed. In 2018, the moss species Fissidens fontanus was identified for the first time in the part of the river in Montenegro, near Podgorica and in the nearby Sitnica river.[27]
Environmental issues
Until the 1990s, Kelmendi's geographical position as a heavily guarded border zone and lack of industrial development preserved the Cem's ecosystem. Ecological indicators and water quality assessment have consistently shown that the Cem is one of the least polluted rivers in the country.[28] While in the post-1990 transition era there were no adequate monitoring stations, since 2008-2010 environmental monitoring has become more frequent. Within Albania, in recent years, the Cem's ecosystem and very high biodiversity have been threatened by the planned installation of 14 small hydropower plants.[29] As of 2020, construction of two units has begun, in Muras (2 MW) and Dobrinjë (1 MW), both along the Cem of Selcë.[30][31]
In Kelmend, locals have protested strongly against the projects as water used for
In Montenegro, the river is ranked as one of the cleanest rivers in the country. As in Albania, before the 1990s, the part nearest to the border was heavily militarized and no activity was allowed in its vicinity. The municipality of Podgorica declared the river canyon a "natural monument" in 2017. Environmental organizations argue that despite their formal commitment to protect the river's basin, Montenegrin authorities have consistently allowed sewage pollution, gravel exploitation and unauthorized construction.[33][34] In the lower part, beyond the canyon, industrialized agriculture and the Podgorica landfill have contributed to the deterioration of surrounding land quality. After the split of Tuzi from Podgorica, across which the Cem flows, the municipality of Tuzi voted in 2018 in favor of a resolution on the protection of the river.[33]
As a result of climate change inflow and outflow from the Cem steadily decreased during the 2010s.[16]
Economy
Economic activities and development in settlements in Cem's basin are deeply affected by the ecosystem of the river. Communities along the river rely on agriculture, livestock and alpine forestry. Small-scale, sustainable trout farming has developed in recent years. In Albania, Kelmend was before the 1990s a key area of wood production. In Montenegro, soil fertility of the river basin has allowed viticulture to develop. Plantaže owns on the banks of Cem one of the largest vineyards in the region with around 11.5 million grapevines.[35] Seasonal workers cross the border in the season of the year when farming and forestry require extra workforce.[36]
The collapse of the economies of the Eastern Bloc had a profound economic effect upon both countries. Many agricultural cooperatives shut down and public services deteriorated during the 1990s and 2000s. As a result, there is a heavy migration flow towards Italy, Greece and particularly the US, where a large community from Tuzi and Malësia lives in Detroit.[36]
In Kelmend, a slow and gradual reorganization of the economy happened in the 2000s and 2010s with an orientation towards ecologically sustainable development. Medicinal agriculture and alpine tourism were developed, which have become an important source of income for many villages.[37]
History
Human activity in the Cem basin has been recorded since the late
During the Roman period, the Cem region served as a route between the urbanized centers of the Roman Balkans in the province of
Avar-Slavic raids and incursions caused the destruction of many post-Roman routes and urban centers. The Slavic state of
The Albanian fis pattern of settlements on the banks of the Cem continued in the Ottoman period and even after the division of the river between Montenegro and Albania in the Balkan Wars. The Ottomans placed the Cem area under the jurisdiction of the Sanjak of Scutari to control the Catholic clans of Malësia. Nevertheless, in practice local communities were semi-autonomous throughout the era. The Selcë Cem and the Vukël Cem formed part of the territory of the Kelmendi tribe.[45] As Cem passes into modern Montenegro in Grabom, the settlements of right-bank Cem were part of Triepshi. The villages of left-bank Cem were part of Hoti and beyond that point, the area belonged to Gruda.[46]
Historical accounts of the Cem increased in the second half of the 19th century as the political rivalry of the Great Powers affected the region and the
The
Settlements
The Cem traverses the Kelmend and Tuzi municipalities in Albania and Montenegro respectively as well as some settlements in Podgorica municipality (Mitrovići, Mojanovići, Mahala, and Ljajkovići). Kelmend has a population of about 3,000, Tuzi 12,000 and the total population of the settlements near Podgorica is about 4,700.[52][53]
Kelmend is Albanian and Catholic. In Tuzi, two thirds of the population are Catholic Albanians and some are Muslim Albanians, while the rest are Orthodox Montenegrins and Muslim Bosniaks. In Mitrovići, Mojanovići, Mahala and Ljajkovići about 85% are Orthodox Montenegrins and 15% Orthodox Serbs.[52]
Over the years, the Cem basin has experienced heavy migration towards Europe and the USA.[36] The two principal municipalities of the area, Kelmend and Tuzi, have been greatly affected by the population drain of emigration. The urban agglomeration of Podgorica is spreading towards where the Cem meets the Morača.[54]
The Cem's significance in the region is reflected in the use of the river as a symbol of both state institutions and non-state organizations. Tuzi municipality uses the river in its flag and in Ljajkovići, the local football club (FK Bratstvo Cijevna) is named after it.[55]
Gallery
-
The valley of the Cijevna above the Montenegrin-Albanian border
-
The dried out riverbed of the Cem i Vuklit, Albania
-
The Cem River Canyon, Tuzi, Montenegro
See also
- List of rivers in Albania
- List of rivers in Montenegro
References
- ^ a b Mayer 1957, p. 215.
- ISBN 9789027933157.
- ^ a b c d Marojević 2014, pp. 4–6
- ^ a b Kodhelaj & Hasalami 2019, p. 18.
- ^ a b c Marojević 2014, p. 5
- ^ Djurović & Petrović 2007, p. 16.
- ^ Djurović & Petrović 2007, pp. 14–18.
- ^ Mrdak & Hadžiablahović 2015, p. 16
- ^ Mrdak & Hadžiablahović 2015, p. 17
- ^ Djurović & Petrović 2007, pp. 15, 18.
- ^ Djurović & Petrović 2007, pp. 15, 16, 18.
- ^ a b Marojević 2014, p. 6
- ^ a b Kodhelaj & Hasalami 2019, p. 16.
- ^ Mrdak & Hadžiablahović 2015, p. 20
- ^ Mrdak & Hadžiablahović 2015, p. 19
- ^ a b Mitrović 2019, pp. 83–85.
- ^ Dhora 2016, p. 26.
- ^ Marojević 2014, p. 12
- ^ Marojević 2014, p. 10
- ^ a b Marojević 2014, p. 9
- ^ "Comments on the Special Purpose Spatial Plan for the Skadar Lake National Park". Centre for Protection and Research of Birds. p. 2. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
- ^ Méndez & Donázar 2015, p. 3.
- ^ a b Marojević 2014, p. 11
- ^ "Fish Database - Save the Blue Heart of Europe". balkanrivers.net. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ^ Mrdak & Hadžiablahović 2015, p. 39
- ^ "IBA Montenegro". CZIP. Center for Protection and Research of Birds. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ Anđić 2018, p. 2.
- ^ Meco et al. 2014: "Gjendja "shumë mirë" përfshin të gjitha stacionet, të cilat përgjithësisht gjenden në pjesët e sipërme malore të rrjedhjeve, ku prania dhe ndikimi ndotës i njeriut në ujëra është i ulët, si në Lurë, Valbonë, Cem, Vermosh etj."
- ^ a b Kajosevic, Samir (2019). "Montenegro to Grill Albania Over River Power Plants". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Muras HS" (PDF). Ministry of Energy of Albania. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Dobrinjë HS" (PDF). Ministry of Energy of Albania.
- ^ "NGOs demand: Government gives up the construction of small hydro power projects on the Moraca River". EU Info Centre Montenegro. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Asking Europe to help with the Cijevna" (PDF). Vijesti. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- S2CID 133725916. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Ćemovsko polje vineyard". Plantaže.com. Plantaže. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
- ^ a b c Axhemi 2019, pp. 288–291.
- ^ Axhemi 2019, pp. 284–282.
- ^ Bugaj 2013, p. 430.
- ^ Lulgjuraj 2019, p. 3.
- ^ a b Selami 1972, p. 357.
- ^ Radulović 1997, p. 63.
- ^ Šufflay 2000, p. 136.
- ^ a b Vukotić 2019, p. 7
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 515.
- ^ Odile 1989, p. 46.
- ^ von Hahn & Elsie 2015, p. 129.
- ^ Ahrens 2007, p. 266.
- ^ a b Verli 2014, p. 64.
- ^ Rustja 2014, p. 54.
- ^ Singleton 1985, p. 183.
- ^ Kamusella 2008, p. 21.
- ^ a b "Census 2011 data - Montenegro". Monstat. Statistical Office of Montenegro. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Settlements of Shkodër County - 2011 Census" (PDF). Statistical Office of the Republic of Albania. 2016-03-03. p. 85. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Podgorica Climate Change Adaptation" (PDF). Municipality of Podgorica. p. 8. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Camaj, Nikollë (2019). "Përkrahje zgjidhjes së Stemës së komunës, por edhe të drejtës në reagim". Malesia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
Bibliography
- Ahrens, Geert-Hinrich (2007). Diplomacy on the Edge: Containment of Ethnic Conflict and the Minorities Working Group of the Conferences on Yugoslavia. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801885570. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- Anđić, Branko (2018). "Fissidens fontanus, a new species to Montenegro". Lindbergia. 41: 01094. S2CID 133725916. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- Axhemi, Sokol (11 June 2019). "Heritage of borderland and population development trends in the cross-border area of Albania-Montenegro" (PDF). Studia z Geografii Politycznej i Historycznej. 7 (7): 283–292. S2CID 199094987. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
- Bugaj, Urszula (2013). "Bronze-Age stone tumuli on Planinica hill, obs. Tuzi, Montenegro". Sprawozdania Archeologiczne. 65: 427–433. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- Dhora, Dhimitër (2016). "Liqeni i Shkodrës [Lake of Shkodra]" (PDF). University of Shkodra. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- Djurović, Predrag; Petrović, Aleksandar (2007). "Large Canyons in Dinaric and Prokletije Mountains Region of Montenegro" (PDF). Geographica Pannonica. 11 (11): 14–18. . Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5.
- Kamusella, Tomasz (2008). The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe. Springer. ISBN 978-0230583474. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- Kodhelaj, Saidjon; Hasalami, Agim (2019). "Environmental Assessment Plan of Hydropower Station "Ura e Tamarës"" (PDF). Agjencia Kombëtare e Mjedisit [National Environmental Agency] (in Albanian).
- Lulgjuraj, Anton (2019). "PREHISTORIC FORTIFICATION IN LOPARI AND GRAVEYARD IN DINOSHA VILLAGE (MONTENEGRO)". Anglisticum Journal. 8 (4). . Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- Marojević, Jelena (2014). "Plani i veprimit të përbashkët për mbrojtjen ekologjike të lumit Cem dhe zhvillimi i qendrueshëm mjedisor në zonën ndërkufitare [Mapping of common action plan for trans-border protection of Cem]" (PDF). GreenHome. Albania-Montenegro CrossBorder Cooperation Programme. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- Mayer, Anton (1957). Die Sprache der alten Illyrier. In Kommission bei R. M. Rohrer. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- Meco, Marjol; Ndoj, Eriselda; Nika, Olsi; Miho, Aleko (2014), Vështrim mbi cilësinë biologjike të ujërave sipërfaqësore shqiptare, University of Tirana, retrieved 2 January 2020
- Méndez, María; Donázar, José (2015). "Genetic analysis of Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) in the Balkans and Turkey" (PDF). Life+ Project. LIFE+ project “The Return of the Neophron”. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
- Mitrović, Luka (2019). "The impact of the climate change on the groundwater regime in the area of the Podgorica-Shkodër Basin". Regionalni Vodovod Crnogorsko Primorje. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- Mrdak, Duško; Hadžiablahović, Sead (2015). "STUDIJA ZAŠTITE ZA SPOMENIK PRIRODE "KANJON CIJEVNE [Environmental protection study of the natural monument "Kanjon Cijevne"] - chapters on Geology and Flora" (PDF). Agencija za zaštitu životne sredine Crne Gore [Environmental Protection Agency of Montenegro]. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- Odile, Daniel (1989). "Montagnes Tribales et Coutumiers". L'Ethnographie. 2. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- Radulović, Vasilije (1997). "The waters of the Lake Skadar and its neighbouring aquifers as water supplying sources". Prirodne Vrijednosti i Zaštita Skadarskog Jezera: Radovi Su Naučnog Skupa: Podgorica, 8-9. Novembar 1995. ISBN 9788672150889. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- Rustja, Dritan (2014), HAPËSIRA PERIURBANE E SHKODRËS: PËRDORIMI I TERRITORIT DHE VEÇORITË E ZHVILLIMIT SOCIAL-EKONOMIK [The Suburbia of Shkodra: Land Use and Details of Social and Economic Growth] (PDF), University of Tirana, archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2021, retrieved 15 January 2020
- Selami, Hasan (1972). "Prerjet monetare të Skodrës, Lisit dhe Gentit (Përpjekje për një rishqyrtim të problemit". Iliria. 2: 351–376. . Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- Singleton, Fred (1985). A Short History of the Yugoslav Peoples. Cambridge University Press. p. 183. ISBN 9780511608070. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ISBN 9789531502573. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- Verli, Marenglen (2014). "The role of Hoti in the uprising of the Great Highlands". Studime Historike (1–2). Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- von Hahn, Johan Georg; Elsie, Robert (2015). The Discovery of Albania: Travel Writing and Anthropology in the Nineteenth Century. I. B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1784532925.
- Vukotić, Vukota (2019). "Litteratura Praevalitana - Form of Literature from the 1st to the 7th century". Muzejski Glasnik. 14. Retrieved 10 April 2020.