Besòs (river)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Besòs
BCN-RiuBesos-4948.jpg
Location
CountrySpain
Physical characteristics
Mouth 
 • location
Mediterranean Sea
 • coordinates
41°27′29″N 2°11′39″E / 41.45806°N 2.19417°E / 41.45806; 2.19417Coordinates: 41°27′29″N 2°11′39″E / 41.45806°N 2.19417°E / 41.45806; 2.19417
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length17.7 km (11.0 mi)
Basin size1,039 km2 (401 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average4.33 m3/s (153 cu ft/s)

The Besòs (Catalan pronunciation: [bəˈzɔs]; Spanish: Besós) is a river flowing through Catalonia, Spain, formed by the confluence of the and Congost rivers.[1] It ends in the Mediterranean. Its full watershed includes the following cities: Aiguafreda, La Garriga, Sant Fost de Campsantelles, Canovelles, Granollers, Montmeló, Mollet del Vallès, Montcada i Reixac, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona and Sant Adrià de Besòs. Due to its Mediterranean climate, the river can have extreme discrepancies in flow depending on the weather.

Tributaries[]

The Besòs river has five main tributaries:[2]

  • Congost River
  • Ripoll River
  • Mogent River
  • Tenes River
  • de Caldes stream

History[]

A non-navigable river, the Besòs was nonetheless a link between the Catalan coast and the interior. In the 10th century, the Rec Comtal was built to use the river for irrigation.

As it passes through a highly industrialized area (Barcelona metropolitan region), it had the dubious honor of being the most contaminated river in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. Since the mid-1990s, however, the river has been in the process of recovery. The Fòrum Universal de les Cultures, which took place in Barcelona during 2004, allowed the creation of a recreation area called Parc Fluvial del Besòs between the cities of Barcelona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià del Besòs.

Gallery[]

  • View from Sant Adrià de Besòs to the mountains

  • View from Sant Adrià de Besòs to the sea

  • The river mouth

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Besós River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. ^ "La Conca del Besòs". Consorci per a la Defensa de la Conca del riu Besòs. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
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