Pek River
Encyclopedia
The Pek is a river in eastern Serbia
. It is a 129 km long right tributary of the Danube
, flowing through the regions of Homolje
, Zvižd and Braničevo
.
The Mali Pek comes down from the northern slopes of the Liškovac
mountain, flows to the southwest through the city of Majdanpek
, one of the major mining centers of Serbia (city's name itself, Majdan-pek, means Mine on the Pek). After a short course, the Pek reaches the western side of the Homolje mountains
and flows in into the river Lipa at the village of Debeli Lug. Measured from the Lipa source, Pek is 129 km long, measured from its own, 110 km.
Near the confluence of the two rivers is the reservoir of Veliki Zaton (or Valja Fundata), artificial body of water used as a tailing pond for the near-by mines. Highly polluted, it is a big threat for the ecology of the region and the Pek itself.
The Lipa (or Veliki Pek) springs out on the western side of the Veliki Krš
mountain, near the village of Lipa. It flows straight to the north, following the western side of the Mali Krš
mountain, next to the villages of Vlaole, Jasikovo (where it receives the left tributary Jagnjilo/Јагњило) and Leskovo before it meets the Pek.
Shotly after the confluence of Lipa and Mali Pek, the river receives the small stream of Todorov (Cyrillic: Тодоров) from the left, and Železnik (Cyrillic: Желеник) from the right. The Pek continues to the north, curves between the mountains of Homolje and northern Kučaj, next to the villages of Blagojev Kamen and receives the rivers Brodica from the right and Komša and Kisela Voda from the left.
, leaves the gorge and enters the Kučevska kotlina (Cyrillic: Кучевска котлина; Depression of Kučevo) where the regional center Kučevo
is located. The Pek continues to the north through the Kaonska klisura (Cyrillic: Каонска клисура; Gorge of Kaona), between the villages of Kaona and Turija. The river makes another elbow turn, next to the villages of Sena, Lješnica and Mišljenovac and enters Braničevo.
. In this section, important left tributary is the Češljebarska reka (Cyrillic: Чешљебарска река).
drainage basin
. It is not navigable.
The river's course is characterized by many elbow turns, similar to the Danube's on this same section (most notably, the Đerdap), but on a much lesser scale. Average discharge is 8.5 m³/s and the river's mouth is known for the Danube's inverse flow (during high levels, water from the Danube flows up the Pek).
The areas surrounding the Pek's course are rich in a variety of ores and minerals, like copper, iron, pyrite, zinc, wolfram and coal (Rakova Bara coalmine), but the river is famous for the gold which it brings from the mountains around Majdanpek in small amounts, so from time to time, a media coverage of the gold findings (more often used as a publicity stunts) provoke gold rush
in the region. For this, the river is nicknamed Zlatni Pek (Cyrillic: Златни Пек; Golden Pek).
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. It is a 129 km long right tributary of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, flowing through the regions of Homolje
Homolje
Homolje is a region in east Serbia south of the Danube river. It is centered around the town of Žagubica, with smaller parts belonging to municipalities of Kučevo, Majdanpek and Petrovac...
, Zvižd and Braničevo
Branicevo
Braničevo can refer to:* Braničevo , a geographical region in Serbia.* Braničevo District, a district in Serbia.* Braničevo , a village in Serbia, in the Golubac municipality....
.
Homolje region
The Pek originates from two major headwaters, Veliki Pek and Mali Pek (Cyrillic: Велики Пек and Мали Пек; Great Pek and Little Pek).The Mali Pek comes down from the northern slopes of the Liškovac
Liškovac
Liškovac is a mountain in eastern Serbia, between towns of Majdanpek and Donji Milanovac. Its highest peak Veliki Liškovac has an altitude of 803 meters above sea level. Along with Miroč, Liškovac is part of the Iron Gate of the Danube river. It is located in the Đerdap national park....
mountain, flows to the southwest through the city of Majdanpek
Majdanpek
Majdanpek is a town and municipality in Bor District of Serbia. According to 2011 census, the municipality of Majdanpek has a population of 18,179 people, while the town of Majdanpek has a population of 7,367....
, one of the major mining centers of Serbia (city's name itself, Majdan-pek, means Mine on the Pek). After a short course, the Pek reaches the western side of the Homolje mountains
Homolje mountains
Homolje mountains is a mountain range in eastern Serbia. It lies in the region known as Homolje between towns of Žagubica on south and Kučevo on north. Its highest peaks are Štubej and Vranj . On the mountain, there is Orthodox monastery of Vitovnica...
and flows in into the river Lipa at the village of Debeli Lug. Measured from the Lipa source, Pek is 129 km long, measured from its own, 110 km.
Near the confluence of the two rivers is the reservoir of Veliki Zaton (or Valja Fundata), artificial body of water used as a tailing pond for the near-by mines. Highly polluted, it is a big threat for the ecology of the region and the Pek itself.
The Lipa (or Veliki Pek) springs out on the western side of the Veliki Krš
Veliki Krš
Veliki Krš is a mountain in eastern Serbia, near the city of Bor. Its highest peak Veliki krš has an altitude of 1148 meters above sea level. Like nearby Mali Krš and Stol, it is dominated by karst formations, and they are collectively known as "Gornjanski kras". Veliki Krš has a elongated...
mountain, near the village of Lipa. It flows straight to the north, following the western side of the Mali Krš
Mali Krš
Mali Krš is a mountain in eastern Serbia. Its highest peak, Garvan, has 929 metres above sea level. While not particularly rugged, Mali Krš is remote, hidden between nearby mountains of Liškovac, Veliki Krš and Homolje mountains. Like nearby Veliki Krš and Stol, Mali Krš is dominated by karst...
mountain, next to the villages of Vlaole, Jasikovo (where it receives the left tributary Jagnjilo/Јагњило) and Leskovo before it meets the Pek.
Shotly after the confluence of Lipa and Mali Pek, the river receives the small stream of Todorov (Cyrillic: Тодоров) from the left, and Železnik (Cyrillic: Желеник) from the right. The Pek continues to the north, curves between the mountains of Homolje and northern Kučaj, next to the villages of Blagojev Kamen and receives the rivers Brodica from the right and Komša and Kisela Voda from the left.
Zvižd region
This section of the river course both begins and ends with a gorge. At the village of Rečica, the Pek enters the Kučevska klisura (Cyrillic: Кучевска клисура; Gorge of Kučevo). The river receives from the left the stream Gložana (Cyrillic: Гложана) and from the right the Dajša (Cyrillic: Дајша), makes an elbow turn to the north at the village of NeresnicaNeresnica
Neresnica is a small town in the municipality of Kučevo, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 2365 people....
, leaves the gorge and enters the Kučevska kotlina (Cyrillic: Кучевска котлина; Depression of Kučevo) where the regional center Kučevo
Kucevo
Kučevo is a town and municipality located in the Braničevo District of Serbia. In 2011, the population of the town is 3,950, while population of the municipality is 15,490....
is located. The Pek continues to the north through the Kaonska klisura (Cyrillic: Каонска клисура; Gorge of Kaona), between the villages of Kaona and Turija. The river makes another elbow turn, next to the villages of Sena, Lješnica and Mišljenovac and enters Braničevo.
Braničevo region
In the final section, the Peck gently makes a big curve to the east. Braničevo is the lowest part of the Pek valley, so the river spills in several arms and passes next to many villages (Zelenik, Klenje, Mrčkovac, Miljević, Šuvajić, Donja Kruševica, Tribrode, Braničevo, Kusiće, before it empties into the Danube east of the town of Veliko GradišteVeliko Gradište
Veliko Gradište is a town and municipality located in Serbia, in north-east Serbia , on the right bank of the Danube river and left bank of the Pek river...
. In this section, important left tributary is the Češljebarska reka (Cyrillic: Чешљебарска река).
Characteristics
The Pek drains an area of 1,230 km² and belongs to the Black SeaBlack Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. It is not navigable.
The river's course is characterized by many elbow turns, similar to the Danube's on this same section (most notably, the Đerdap), but on a much lesser scale. Average discharge is 8.5 m³/s and the river's mouth is known for the Danube's inverse flow (during high levels, water from the Danube flows up the Pek).
The areas surrounding the Pek's course are rich in a variety of ores and minerals, like copper, iron, pyrite, zinc, wolfram and coal (Rakova Bara coalmine), but the river is famous for the gold which it brings from the mountains around Majdanpek in small amounts, so from time to time, a media coverage of the gold findings (more often used as a publicity stunts) provoke gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
in the region. For this, the river is nicknamed Zlatni Pek (Cyrillic: Златни Пек; Golden Pek).