Segura (river)

right|thumb|250px|Source of the Segura River.

right|thumb|250px|The Vega Alta del Segura near [[Calasparra, Murcia, famous for its rice.]]

thumb|right|250px|The Vega Baja del Segura in Orihuela, Alicante.

Segura (<small>Spanish and Valencian:</small> ; ; , or ) is a medium-sized river in southeastern Spain. It has its source in the Sierra de Segura.

Course

The 325-km (202 mi) long river begins at Santiago Pontones (province of Jaén), passes Calasparra, Cieza, Blanca, Murcia, Beniaján (Region of Murcia), Orihuela, Rojales, and flows into the Mediterranean Sea near Guardamar del Segura in the province of Alicante. Some of its tributaries are the Mundo (which starts near Riópar), the Alhárabe (which starts in Moratalla), the Mula, and the Guadalentín.

The alluvial plain is called the Vega del Segura and is a very productive agricultural region growing a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, and flowers. The Vegas are divided into three areas: Alta, Media, and Baja (upper, medium, and lower).

Tributaries

The Segura's main tributaries are:

Right bank:

Zumeta
River Taibilla, 2,95 m³/s
River Alhárabe, 0,20 m³/s
Río Benamor
Río Argos, 0,50 m³/s
Río Quípar, 0,79 m³/s
River Mula, 5,10 m³/s
River Pliego
Rambla Salada
River Guadalentín, also called Sangonera or Regueron, 1,35 m³/s
Rambla Bosch
Rambla Nogalte
River Luchena
River Turrilla
Rambla Torrealvilla

Left bank:

River Madera
River Tus, 0,15 m³/s
River Mundo, 20,42 m³/s
River Bogarra
Rambla Judío
Rambla Moro
Rambla Tinajón
Rambla Abanilla

Recovery

By the 1990s, the Segura had become one of the most polluted rivers in Europe, due to the canning industry and urban and agricultural residues originating in the densely populated area in the medium and lower areas of the basin.

By 2003, the quality of the Segura's water started improving. Since 2010, pollution has been unnoticeable, leading to the recovery of fauna and flora including increased otter population in parts of the river they had once abandoned. Birds now rest at two recovered wetland areas recognised by the Ramsar Convention, during their migration between Europe and Africa. In addition, around 110 million m of reclaimed water is reused annually for agriculture in the region.

Average discharge

{| class="wikitable" align="center"

|- style="background:#efefef;"

! Place !! Discharge

| Cenajo || align="right" |17.1 m/s

| Cieza || align="right" |26.3 m/s

| Orihuela || align="right" |5 m/s

| Guardamar del Segura || align="right" |1 m/s

Floods

The Segura is usually in a state of semi-permanent drought, however, now and then, it does occasionally flood as the consequence of the torrential rains (cold drop), which typically take place once every 6–9 years approximately, always in Autumn and Spring.

The Guadalentín river, a tributary of the Segura, is the wildest European river.

In the twentieth century significant flooding occurred in 1946, 1948, 1973, 1982, 1987 and 1989. Since 1990 the lower reaches of the river have been canalized, removing meanders and hence improving the evacuation of flood waters. The new canal was put to the test in September 1997, in October 2000, in December 2016 and September 2019, when heavy rainfall resulted in significant runoff.

Segura floods in Murcia and Orihuela

{| class="wikitable" align="center"

|- style="background:#efefef;"

! Date !! Murcia!! Orihuela

| October, 1651 || align="right" |1.700 m/s ||

| October, 1834 || align="right" |1.000 m/s ||

| 15 October 1879 (Santa Teresa flood)|| align="right" |1.890 m/s || align="right" |2.000 m/s

| April, 1946 || align="right" |1.187 m/s || align="right" |1.138 m/s

| October, 1948 || align="right" |934 m/s || align="right" |1.172 m/s

| November, 1987 || || align="right" |1.000 m/s

References

External links

Segura's river basin body "Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura"
Chronology of the main floods occurred in the river basin, beginning with Santa Teresa flood.