Meža
Encyclopedia
The Meža is a 43 kilometres (26.7 mi) long river
in Carinthia
, Slovenia
. It has its source on the Austria
n side of the state border near Mount Olševa, becomes subterranean a kilometer from its source, and reappears on the surface in Koprivna
near Črna na Koroškem
, Slovenia. It is the central river of the Mežica Valley. It flows through Črna na Koroškem, Mežica
, Prevalje
, and Ravne na Koroškem
, and into the Drava
River at Dravograd
. In its first part the Meža falls rapidly and is a typical alpine river with its tributaries from the Kamnik Alps
and the Karavanke Mountains. After Črna na Koroškem it becomes a slow meandering lowland river. Its main tributary is the Mislinja
River, which joins the Meža River a couple of hundred meters before it joins the Drava.
The Meža is noted for being the most polluted river in Slovenia. In 1982 the singer-songwriter Marijan Smode wrote a song about it titled (The Dead River). This song has even been published in primary-school textbooks. The main polluter has been the Ravne Steelworks conglomerate.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Carinthia
Carinthia (province)
Slovenian Carinthia or Slovene Carinthia, most commonly simply Carinthia is a traditional region in the north of Slovenia. It has no official status as an administrative unit within Slovenia, although the association with an informal province is still quite common.The region is referred to as...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It has its source on the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n side of the state border near Mount Olševa, becomes subterranean a kilometer from its source, and reappears on the surface in Koprivna
Koprivna
Koprivna may refer to one the following villages:* Koprivna, Črna na Koroškem, in Slovenia* Koprivna , in Serbia* Koprivna, Modriča, in Bosnia and Herzegovina* Koprivna, Sanski Most, in Bosnia and Herzegovina...
near Črna na Koroškem
Crna na Koroškem
Črna na Koroškem is a town and a municipality in northern Slovenia. It lies at the confluence of the Meža River with its tributary Javorski potok in the traditional Slovenian province of Carinthia. The German name Schwarzenbach means 'black creek'....
, Slovenia. It is the central river of the Mežica Valley. It flows through Črna na Koroškem, Mežica
Mežica
Mežica is a town and a municipality in northern Slovenia. It lies on the Meža River in the traditional Slovenian province of Carinthia) near the Austrian border. The town developed close to a lead and zinc mine under Mount Peca. Mining began in 1665 and ended in 1994...
, Prevalje
Prevalje
Prevalje is a settlement and a municipality in northern Slovenia. It lies in the traditional Slovenian province of Carinthia. On 1 January 1999 Prevalje became an independent municipality. Prevalje lies in a valley where the Meža River emerges from a narrow gorge, full of fluvioglacial sediments...
, and Ravne na Koroškem
Ravne na Koroškem
Ravne na Koroškem is a town and a municipality in northern Slovenia. Until 1918, the town was part of the Duchy of Carinthia. It is the largest town in the traditional Slovenian province of Carinthia and its capital. Its Slovene name means 'Ravne in Carinthia', in order to distinguish it from...
, and into the Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
River at Dravograd
Dravograd
Dravograd is a small town and a municipality in northern Slovenia, close to the border with Austria. It lies on the Drava River at the confluence with the Meža and the Mislinja. It is part of the traditional Slovenian province of Carinthia)....
. In its first part the Meža falls rapidly and is a typical alpine river with its tributaries from the Kamnik Alps
Kamnik Alps
The Kamnik–Savinja Alps are a mountain range, part of the Southern Limestone Alps in north Slovenia and at the border with Austria. Its western part, the Kamnik Alps, is in the basin of the Kamniška Bistrica and is named after the town Kamnik. Its eastern part is in the basin of Savinja and is...
and the Karavanke Mountains. After Črna na Koroškem it becomes a slow meandering lowland river. Its main tributary is the Mislinja
Mislinja
Mislinja is a river in the northern part of Slovenia. It is long. It flows through Mislinja and Slovenj Gradec and empties into the Meža River near Dravograd just before the Meža joins the Drava River.-External links:*, interactive map at...
River, which joins the Meža River a couple of hundred meters before it joins the Drava.
The Meža is noted for being the most polluted river in Slovenia. In 1982 the singer-songwriter Marijan Smode wrote a song about it titled (The Dead River). This song has even been published in primary-school textbooks. The main polluter has been the Ravne Steelworks conglomerate.
External links
- Confluence of the Meža, Mislinja and Drava rivers, interactive map at Geopedia.si.