Ombla

Coordinates: 42°40′32″N 18°8′12″E / 42.67556°N 18.13667°E / 42.67556; 18.13667
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ombla
The Ombla at Komolac, Croatia
Ombla catchment area:   Ombla River course and proposed power plant site   catchment area, limestones   limestones   dolomites   flysch   Adriatic Sea; Inset map: location of the area within Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina
Location
CountryCroatia
RegionDalmatia
DistrictDubrovnik-Neretva County
Physical characteristics
SourceGolubov Kamen
 • locationKomolac, Croatia
 • coordinates42°40′33″N 18°8′12″E / 42.67583°N 18.13667°E / 42.67583; 18.13667
 • elevation2.38 m (7 ft 10 in)
MouthAdriatic Sea
 • location
Komolac, Croatia
 • coordinates
42°40′32″N 18°8′12″E / 42.67556°N 18.13667°E / 42.67556; 18.13667
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length0.03 km (0.019 mi)
Basin size600 km2 (230 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationsource
 • average24.1 m3/s (850 cu ft/s)
 • minimum3.96 m3/s (140 cu ft/s)
 • maximum104 m3/s (3,700 cu ft/s)

The Ombla is a

short river in Croatia, northeast of Dubrovnik. Its course is approximately 30 metres (98 feet) long, and it empties into the Rijeka Dubrovačka, ria formed by the Adriatic Sea near Komolac in Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Rijeka Dubrovačka is actually a ria, a flooded river valley formed through changes in sea surface elevation on a geologic time scale. The river rises as a karst spring fed by groundwater replenished by Trebišnjica, which is an influent stream flowing in Popovo Polje
, in the immediate hinterland of the Ombla. The elevation difference between the river's source and its mouth is just over 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches). The average discharge of the river is 24.1 cubic metres (850 cubic feet) per second. The drainage basin of the Ombla encompasses 600 square kilometres (230 square miles) and, besides the short surface course, includes only groundwater flow.

The Ombla is used as a source of

megawatt power plant. The plan sparked controversy amid doubts raised with respect to environmental protection and biodiversity management, technical and financial feasibility
, and procedural problems related to the project. A particular concern expressed was that the underground reservoir might trigger earthquakes.

Source and course

The course of the Ombla River is located in the

embayment of the Adriatic Sea.[4]
The Ombla rises at the foot of the 422-metre (1,385 ft) Golubov Kamen
Bosnia-Herzegovina.[6]

The river rises in an 80-by-40-metre (260 by 130 ft) cave whose roof has an 8-metre (26 ft) clearance above the surface of the water. The primary source is located at an elevation of 15 metres (49 feet)

Dinarides.[8] The surface of the water in the cave is 2.38 metres (7 feet 10 inches) a.s.l.[9] The watercourse flows for approximately 30 metres (98 feet)[10] before reaching a weir across which the Ombla discharges into the Adriatic Sea,[11] leading to claims that the Ombla is the shortest river in the world.[12]

Drainage basin

The

seepage and flow.[13] The area comprises 176 settlements and 50,000 inhabitants.[7]

The area exhibits

historical earthquake in the immediate area was the 1667 Dubrovnik earthquake, which was followed by a tsunami.[17]

The

river bed. On the other hand, the minimum discharge was not affected by the river engineering works.[20]

The catchment basin area straddles boundary of two

precipitation varies depending on the climate zones: 1,238 millimetres (48.7 inches) in Dubrovnik, at the coast, and 2,037 millimetres (80.2 inches) in Hum, in Popovo Polje.[7]

Economy

Rijeka Dubrovačka—a ria formed by the Ombla

As of 2012, the Ombla is used as a source of drinking water for the city of Dubrovnik. The water intake plant at Komolac has a water supply capacity of 560 litres (120 imperial gallons; 150 US gallons) per second.[21] The Ombla has been used as a part of Dubrovnik's water supply network since 1897, when the first contract to supply 960 cubic metres (34,000 cubic feet) of water per day was made with an owner of watermills operating on the river.[22] The river water becomes opaque, containing increased proportion of suspended particulate matter, three to five times a year for periods of four to five days after increased rainfall. The situation is proposed to be addressed through moving of the intake plant to a higher elevation during construction of a proposed Ombla Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP).[23] The new water intake is planned to be constructed at 55 metres (180 feet) a.s.l.[24] These changes are expected to improve the quality of the drinking water, and to increase the water supply capacity to 1,500 litres (330 imperial gallons; 400 US gallons) per second.[25] Average volume of water diverted to the water supply network varies considerably by month, peaking during summer tourist seasons. In August 2008, daily volume of water taken from Ombla for the water supply network averaged at 23,419 cubic metres (827,000 cubic feet). In 2008, the annual daily volume of the water diverted averaged 17,750 cubic metres (627,000 cubic feet).[26]

Proposed power plant

See also: Energy in Croatia

The Ombla HPP is proposed to be built as an underground power plant utilizing headwaters of the Ombla River through a planned underground reservoir, which would hold the water behind a

megawatts.[27] The project is to be financed in part through a European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) loan in the amount of 123.2 million Euros, approved on 22 November 2011.[28] Total project cost is estimated at 152.4 million Euros. Pursuant to the European Union Habitats Directive, an additional assessment and a biodiversity management plan are required before the EBRD actually provides the approved funds. The documents should define any mitigating or compensating activities that might be needed.[29]

Ombla rises at the foot of Golubov Kamen massif, additional springs formed uphill after heavy rains[30]

The development project became controversial as environmental protection non-governmental organizations (NGOs) drew public attention to a possible threat that may arise to seven species of bats.[31] Subsequently, the NGOs alleged that the project is illegal, environmentally unsafe, financially not feasible, and technically questionable. Project legality was disputed because it is based on a 1999 environmental impact assessment (EIA), while Croatian legislation requires that EIAs must not be more than two years old. Flooding of Vilina Cave is cited as an environmental concern, while the financial issues are based on previous cost overruns by Hrvatska elektroprivreda—the state-owned company planning the development—in other projects. One objection to the technical aspects of the project is the possibility that the groundwater may trigger earthquakes.[25][32] Opponents of the project have urged the Prime Minister of Croatia to cancel development of the plant.[33]

After the

Minister of Environment and Nature Protection. In 2012 the ministry commissioned four reviews of the EIA. The reviews—one of them supporting the EIA and three disproving the conclusions of the original EIA—were submitted to the Government of Croatia one day after Holy resigned her post,[34] reportedly over an unrelated matter, on 7 June 2012.[35] Objections were raised by authors of the EIA that the reviews were not published and the names of the authors have been kept secret. Prime Minister Zoran Milanović said he wanted to collect opinions from the foremost Croatian, European, and worldwide experts before deciding on the matter, which has been under consideration since the early 1990s.[36]

In May 2013, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development cancelled its proposed loan to the project, pointing at environmental concerns.[37]

Etymology

In

water well
. Since the 16th century, the river was called Ombla or Umbla, or a variety of similar names which all translate as "River"—Rika, Rieka, Ričina, and Rijeka. In the 19th century, the use of name Orion was also reported, apparently based on the Arion of the classical period. The word ombla means 'sweet water' in Albanian.[5]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ombla.

References

  1. ^ "Rijeka Dubrovačka". City of Dubrovnik Tourist Board. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b Vesna Kusin (5 March 2012). "U ponoru Omble" [In Ombla's abyss] (in Croatian). Vjesnik. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Significant landscapes". Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board. Archived from the original on 1 September 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Rijeka Dubrovačka" (in Croatian). peljar.cvs.hr. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d Mirjana Cukrov; Roman Ozimec (January 2012). "Prirodoslovne značajke rijeke Omble" [Natural properties of the Ombla River] (PDF) (in Croatian). City of Dubrovnik. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  6. ^ Dube Marjanović (10 October 2011). "Tu se čovjek nije imao gdje sakriti..." [One had no place to hide there...]. Dubrovački vjesnik (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d Zvonimir Sever; Stjepan Mišetić (July 1999). "Hidroelektrana Ombla – Sažetak studije utjecaja na okoliš" [Ombla Hydroelectric Power Plant – Environmental impact assessment summary] (PDF) (in Croatian). Zagreb: Hrvatska elektroprivreda. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-953-6953-13-4. Retrieved 21 June 2012.[permanent dead link
    ]
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-1-85617-502-9
    . Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  10. ^ Djuro Skondric (4 April 2009). "Ombla kod Dubrovnika najkraća rijeka na svijetu" [Ombla near Dubrovnik is the shortest river in the world] (in Bosnian). Tuzla Canton Television. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  11. ^
    ISSN 0350-2465
    . Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  12. ^ Roman Ozimec; et al. (June 2009). "Poljoprivredna bioraznolikost Dalmacije – Tradicijsko poljoprivredno bilje i domaće životinje" [Agricultural Biodiversity of Dalmatia – Traditional Agricultural Plants and Domestic Animals of the Dalmatia Region] (PDF) (in Croatian). United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  13. ^ "Urbanistički plan uređenja "Zaton Mali" – prijedlog plana za javnu raspravu – knjiga 2" ["Zaton Mali" urban development plan – public review proposal – volume 2] (PDF) (in Croatian). City of Dubrovnik. May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  14. ^
    ISSN 1331-2294
    . Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  15. ^ Mladen Juračić. "Geologija mora, Mediteran i Jadran" [Geology of the sea, Mediterranean and Adriatic] (PDF) (in Croatian). University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Geology Department. Retrieved 28 January 2012.[permanent dead link] (in Croatian)
  16. ^ "Historical Seismicity of Montenegro". Montenegro seismological observatory. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  17. ISBN 978-0-7923-6548-8
    . Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  18. ^ "Pejzaži kraških polja Bosne i Hercegovine" [Landscapes of karst poljes of Bosnia-Herzegovina] (PDF) (in Bosnian). Ministry of Environment and Tourism (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  19. ^ Mladen Juračić. "Geologija (i hidrogeologija) krša – Primjeri krškog razvoja u području Dinarida" [Geology (and hydrogeology) of karst – Examples of development of karst in the Dinarides] (PDF) (in Croatian). University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Geology Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2012. (in Croatian)
  20. ISBN 978-1-85617-502-9
    . Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  21. ISSN 1332-5310. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  22. ISSN 1330-0628
    . Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  23. ^ "Za bistru vodu 365 dana godišnje" [For clear water 365 days a year] (PDF) (in Croatian). Hrvatska elektroprivreda. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  24. ^ "Projekt poboljšanja vodoopskrbe" [Water supply improvement project] (in Croatian). limun.hr. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  25. ^ a b Gabrijela Bijelić (14 June 2012). "Dr. Duje Bonacci: HE Ombla će izazvati odrone i jače potrese" [Duje Bonacci, Ph.D.: Ombla HPP will cause rockfall and major earthquakes]. Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  26. ^ Vicko Brbora. "Dubrovački vodovod" [Dubrovnik water supply] (in Croatian). Retrieved 24 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ "HPP Ombla – Environmental and Social Impact Assessments". Hrvatska elektroprivreda. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  28. ^ "Minutes of the board meeting of 22 November 2011" (PDF). European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  29. ^ "Ombla HPP". European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  30. ^ Davor Mladošić (22 March 2012). "Projekt HE Ombla prijeti formiranjem novih izvora i potresima" [Ombla HPP project threatens with appearance of new springs and earthquakes] (in Croatian). DubrovnikPress.hr. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  31. ^ Nenad Jarić Dauenhauer (1 September 2011). "Hrvatska žuri uništiti vrijedne spilje prije nego što uđe u EU" [Croatian hurries to destroy valuable caves before EU accession] (in Croatian). t-portal.hr. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  32. ^ Tea Romić (30 May 2012). "Zelena akcija: HE Ombla nelegalna je i ekološki štetna" [Zelena akcija: Ombla HPP is illegal and harmful to the environment]. Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  33. ^ "Prosvjedi protiv Plomina C i HE Ombla" [Protests against Plomin C and Ombla HPP] (in Croatian). Croatian Radiotelevision. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  34. ^ Marko Biočina; Marko Špoljar (9 June 2012). "Trijumf na odlasku: Konačno NE gradnji štetne HE Ombla!" [Triumph at the exit door: Final NO to harmful Ombla HPP!]. Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  35. ^ Marko Špoljar; Josip Bohutinski (7 June 2012). "Mirela Holy dala ostavku – presudio joj Milanović" [Mirela Holy resigns – Milanović brought the verdict]. Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  36. ^ Josip Bohutinski; Ivanka Toma (14 June 2012). "Milanović sve bliže davanju zelenog svjetla za HE Omblu" [Milanović ever closer to giving Ombla HPP the green light]. Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  37. ^ Victory for civil society as EBRD cancels loan for controversial Croatian dam, Bankwatch blog, May 28, 2013.
  38. ISBN 978-1-60206-270-2
    . Retrieved 22 June 2012.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ombla&oldid=1177177107"
This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article: Ombla. Articles is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; additional terms may apply.Privacy Policy