Segre River
Encyclopedia
The Segre (ˈseɣɾə, ˈseɣɾe; ) is a river tributary to the Ebro
(Ebre in Catalan
) with a basin comprising territories across three states: France
, Andorra
and Spain
.
The river Segre, known to Roman
s and Greek
s as Sicoris, and to the Arabs of Al-Andalus
as Nahr az-Zaytūn (نهر الزيتون - River of Olives) has its source
s on the north face of the Pic del Segre
or Puigmal de Segre ("Segre's Peak") in the French department Pyrénées-Orientales
(historically the comarca of Alta Cerdanya), in the Catalan Pyrenees
. It follows a western direction all along the Cerdanya
(Cerdagne) Valley, and crosses the town Saillagouse
, the Spanish exclave Llívia
and Bourg-Madame
.
It enters Spain at Puigcerdà
and continues west until La Seu d'Urgell
, where it meets the Valira River
coming from Andorra
. From this point it adopts a south-western course across the pre-Pyrenees (with several dams along its gorges) and the western plains of Catalonia
. It passes through Balaguer
, Lleida
and flows into the Ebro at Mequinenza
.
Among its tributaries: Valira
(from Andorra), Noguera Pallaresa
, Noguera Ribagorzana, Cinca.
It is crossed in the city of Lleida by a number of bridges, namely: Pont Vell, Pont del Ferrocarril, Pont Nou, Pont de la Universitat, Pont de Pardinyes, Pont de Príncep de Viana, Passarel·la de Ruefa, Passarel·la dels Maristes, Passarel·la d'Onze de Setembre, Passarel·la de Pardinyes and Passarel·la del Liceu Escolar.
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
(Ebre in Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
) with a basin comprising territories across three states: France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The river Segre, known to Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
s and Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
s as Sicoris, and to the Arabs of Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
as Nahr az-Zaytūn (نهر الزيتون - River of Olives) has its source
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
s on the north face of the Pic del Segre
Pic del Segre
Pic del Segre or Puigmal del Segre is a mountain of Catalonia, France and Spain. Located in the Pyrenees, close to Vall de Núria it has an altitude of above sea level.The Segre River has its source by this peak.-External links:*...
or Puigmal de Segre ("Segre's Peak") in the French department Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales
Pyrénées-Orientales is a department of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. It also surrounds the tiny Spanish enclave of Llívia, and thus has two distinct borders with Spain.- History :...
(historically the comarca of Alta Cerdanya), in the Catalan Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. It follows a western direction all along the Cerdanya
Cerdanya
Cerdanya is a natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it has been one of the counties of Catalonia....
(Cerdagne) Valley, and crosses the town Saillagouse
Saillagouse
Saillagouse is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.The inhabitants are called Saillagousains.-References:* -External links:*...
, the Spanish exclave Llívia
Llívia
Llívia is a town of Cerdanya, province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is a Spanish exclave within the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
and Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies right on the border with Spain. It abuts directly onto the Spanish town of Puigcerdà, and is near the Spanish exclave of Llívia....
.
It enters Spain at Puigcerdà
Puigcerdà
Puigcerdà is the capital of the Catalan comarca of Cerdanya, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, northern Spain, near the river Segre and the border with France .- History :...
and continues west until La Seu d'Urgell
La Seu d'Urgell
La Seu d'Urgell is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of Bishop of Urgell, one of the Andorra co-princes...
, where it meets the Valira River
Valira River
The Gran Valira is the biggest river in Andorra. It flows through the capital, Andorra la Vella, and exits the country in the south near the Spain-Andorra road border crossing....
coming from Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
. From this point it adopts a south-western course across the pre-Pyrenees (with several dams along its gorges) and the western plains of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. It passes through Balaguer
Balaguer
Balaguer is the capital of the comarca of Noguera, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.It is located by the river Segre, a tributary to the Ebre....
, Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
and flows into the Ebro at Mequinenza
Mequinenza
Mequinenza or Mequinensa is a town and municipality of the province of Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It is located by the confluence of the rivers Segre and Ebro.-History & Features:...
.
Among its tributaries: Valira
Valira River
The Gran Valira is the biggest river in Andorra. It flows through the capital, Andorra la Vella, and exits the country in the south near the Spain-Andorra road border crossing....
(from Andorra), Noguera Pallaresa
Noguera Pallaresa
The Noguera Pallaresa is a river in Catalonia, Spain. Its source is at Era Font d'era Noguereta in the municipality of Naut Aran at an elevation of about 2000 m and barely a hundred meters from those of the Garonne...
, Noguera Ribagorzana, Cinca.
In Lleida
The river Segre is an essential feature of the Lleida's geography, dividing the city in two. During the city's history several floods have occurred, the last one being in the late 1970s. There's also a dam on the river, near the natural park La Mitjana. Another park, Els Camps Elisis, is located immediately next to the Segre.It is crossed in the city of Lleida by a number of bridges, namely: Pont Vell, Pont del Ferrocarril, Pont Nou, Pont de la Universitat, Pont de Pardinyes, Pont de Príncep de Viana, Passarel·la de Ruefa, Passarel·la dels Maristes, Passarel·la d'Onze de Setembre, Passarel·la de Pardinyes and Passarel·la del Liceu Escolar.