Djedi River
| Djedi River | |
|---|---|
Arabic) | |
| Location | |
| Country | Algeria |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Saharan Atlas |
| • elevation | 1,400 m (4,600 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Chott Melrhir |
• elevation | −40 m (−130 ft) |
| Length | 480 km (300 mi) |
Djedi River, also called Djeddi River, Oued Djedi or Ouad-ed-Djedi (
rain season in winter, the river helps to rise the water level of Chott Melrhir, and in summer, the lake and lower reaches of the river dry out.[3][4] The river is up to several kilometers wide, but its banks are rarely covered with water. The river bed mostly consists of gypsum and mud and bears traces of erosion associated with the large variations of the flow. Although the soil in and around the river appears arable, it is barren due to the high concentration of salt. For the same reason, the soil absorbs much condensation overnight that keeps it partly humid during much of the day.[5]
The river has numerous wadi tributaries, including Bedjran, Bicha, Mlili, Msaad and Mzi, all of those flowing from the left and none being navigable.[6] Djedi River flows near the town of Laghouat (population about 125,000), and the town of Sidi Khaled (population ~40,000) stands on its left (northern) bank.[7] The river's name is thought to be derived from the Berber languages Irzer Idjdi meaning river of sand which transformed into Arabic Ouad Djedi (meaning the river of the goat).[8]
References
- ^ Annales des mines: Mémoires, Cadrilian-Gœury et Vor. Dalmont, 1880 pp. 154, 159, 172
- ^ Oued Djedi (or Djeddi) Archived October 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jean-Louis Ballais. Des oueds mythiques aux rivières artificielles: l'hydrographie du Bas-Sahara algérien (in French). pp. 107–127.
- ^ The Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Including Zoology, Botany, and Geology, Taylor and Francis, Ltd., 1871 p. 377
- ^ Henry Woodward Geological Magazine, Volume 1, Cambridge University Press., 1864, p. 28
- ^ William Austin Cannon (1913) Botanical features of the Algerian Sahara, Carnegie Institution of Washington
- ^ Hizia a nomadic homeland Archived January 31, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 1-85077-017-4(search for Ouad-ed-Djedi)