Sitnica
Encyclopedia
The Sitnica is a 90 km (56 mi) long river in Kosovo
. It flows into the Ibar River
at Kosovska Mitrovica
, and it's the longest river that flows completely within Kosovo's borders.
, since the Nerodimka flows to the south into the Lepenac
river and thus belongs to the Aegean sea
drainage basin
, while the Sitnica flows to the north, into the Ibar river and belongs to the Black Sea
drainage basin. After World War II
, the canal was covered with earth again.
The Sitnica was supposed to be the major part of the huge Ibar-Lepenac Hydrosystem, which was to regulate Ibar-Sitnica-Lepenac watercourse (including ecological protection, irrigation and power production), but the projected plan never came true.
, and it is initially called the Sazlija river itself.
The Sitnica flows generally to the north, as the main river in the Kosovo Field, on the western slopes of the Žegovac mountain (from which it receives the right tributary of Žegovska river, south of Lipljan), next to the villages of Muhadžer Talinovac, Muhadžer Babuš, Robovce (where it receives the tributary of Crnoljeva river from the left), Topličane, Gracko, Mali Alaš and the town of Lipljan. The river continues to the north between the villages Suvi Do, Skulanovo, Radevo and Batuse, as it enters the Kosovo coal basin (with the major mine, Dobri Do, right on the river), west of the provincial capital of Pristina
. This is also an area where the Sitnica receives some of its most important tributaries: the highly polluted Gračanka and Prištevka from the right, and Drenica
from the Drenica depression, from the left.
The river passes west of the Pristina's suburbs of Kosovo Polje
and Obilić
and the village of Plemetina, between the mountain of Čičavica
on the west, and the northernmost slopes of the Kopaonik
mountain, on the east. The Sitnica leaves the coal basin as the most polluted river in Serbia, especially notorious for its highly toxic phenol
spills, which pollutes not only the Sitnica, but also the Ibar and West Morava rivers, too.
The Sitnica continues to the northwest, next to the villages of Prilužje, Mijalić, Reka (where it receives its major tributary, the Lab
, from the right, Malo Kosovo
field), Pestovo (where it receives another right tributary, the Slakovačka river), the town of Vučitrn
, Senjak, Veliki Kičić and Malo Kičiće, emptying into the Ibar as its right tributary at Kosovska Mitrovica, with an average discharge of 9,5 m³/s.
Because of the relatively small inclination in its 3129 km² (1,208 sq mi) drainage basin (altitudes of 560 m (1,837 ft) on its outflow from the Sazlija and 499 m (1,637 ft) on its confluence into the Ibar), the Sitnica meanders a lot. Many meanders have been cut through and dried out, so a curiosity is the long, nine-pillar Vojnovića bridge above the dry river bed, near Vučitrn.
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. It flows into the Ibar River
Ibar River
The Ibar is a river that flows through eastern Montenegro and Serbia, with a total length of . The river begins in the Hajla mountain, eastern Montenegro, passes through Kosovo and flows into the West Morava river, Central Serbia, near Kraljevo....
at Kosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica
Kosovska Mitrovica , is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district....
, and it's the longest river that flows completely within Kosovo's borders.
History
In 14th century, during the reign of king Milutin, a canal connecting the Sazlija and the river Nerodimka was dug, creating an artificial bifurcationRiver bifurcation
River bifurcation occurs when a river flowing in a single stream separates into two or more separate streams which continue downstream. Some rivers form complex networks of distributaries, especially in their deltas...
, since the Nerodimka flows to the south into the Lepenac
Lepenac
The Lepenac is a river in southern Kosovo and northern Macedonia, a long left tributary to the Vardar river.- Sirinić :The Lepenac springs out on the Kodža Balkan mountain, east of the city of Prizren, Kosovo, at an altitude of . It flows eastward, into the župa of Sirinić, between the Žar...
river and thus belongs to the Aegean sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
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...
, while the Sitnica flows to the north, into the Ibar river and belongs to the Black Sea
Black 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. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the canal was covered with earth again.
The Sitnica was supposed to be the major part of the huge Ibar-Lepenac Hydrosystem, which was to regulate Ibar-Sitnica-Lepenac watercourse (including ecological protection, irrigation and power production), but the projected plan never came true.
Course
The Sitnica originates from the Sazlija pond, north of the town of UroševacUroševac
Ferizaj or Uroševac is a city and municipality in southern Kosovo, located some south of the capital Pristina.Uroševac is the third most populous city in Kosovo, after Pristina and Prizren.It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district...
, and it is initially called the Sazlija river itself.
The Sitnica flows generally to the north, as the main river in the Kosovo Field, on the western slopes of the Žegovac mountain (from which it receives the right tributary of Žegovska river, south of Lipljan), next to the villages of Muhadžer Talinovac, Muhadžer Babuš, Robovce (where it receives the tributary of Crnoljeva river from the left), Topličane, Gracko, Mali Alaš and the town of Lipljan. The river continues to the north between the villages Suvi Do, Skulanovo, Radevo and Batuse, as it enters the Kosovo coal basin (with the major mine, Dobri Do, right on the river), west of the provincial capital of Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
. This is also an area where the Sitnica receives some of its most important tributaries: the highly polluted Gračanka and Prištevka from the right, and Drenica
Drenica River
The Drenica '; ) is a river in Kosovo, a 50 km-long right tributary to the Sitnica river. It flows entirely within Kosovo and gives its name to the surrounding Drenica region....
from the Drenica depression, from the left.
The river passes west of the Pristina's suburbs of Kosovo Polje
Kosovo Polje
Kosovo Polje or Fushë Kosova is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo, at 42.63° North, 21.12° East, or approximately eight kilometres south-west of the capital Pristina...
and Obilić
Obilic
Obilić is a town and municipality in central Kosovo, belonging to the Pristina district. The municipality includes the town of Obilić and 19 villages, with a total population of approximately 21,548....
and the village of Plemetina, between the mountain of Čičavica
Cicavica
Čičavica is a mountain situated at the center of Kosovo with a length of about and a width of about . Its highest peak reaches to a height of . It is in the boundary line between the Drenica region and the Kosovo Plain. The river Sitnica passes close by it. The village of Stanovci is located...
on the west, and the northernmost slopes of the Kopaonik
Kopaonik
Kopaonik ; is one of the larger mountain ranges of Serbia. It is located in the central part of Serbia, while a small portion extendeds to North Kosovo. Its highest point, Pančić's Peak, is above sea level....
mountain, on the east. The Sitnica leaves the coal basin as the most polluted river in Serbia, especially notorious for its highly toxic phenol
Phenol
Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, phenic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid. The molecule consists of a phenyl , bonded to a hydroxyl group. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds...
spills, which pollutes not only the Sitnica, but also the Ibar and West Morava rivers, too.
The Sitnica continues to the northwest, next to the villages of Prilužje, Mijalić, Reka (where it receives its major tributary, the Lab
Lab River
The Lab is a river in the north-eastern part of Kosovo. The long right tributary to the Sitnica river, it is the main river in the Malo Kosovo depression...
, from the right, Malo Kosovo
Malo Kosovo
Malo Kosovo/Llap Region is a small basin in northeastern Kosovo....
field), Pestovo (where it receives another right tributary, the Slakovačka river), the town of Vučitrn
Vucitrn
Vučitrn or Vushtrri is a city and municipality in north-eastern Kosovo. It is the seat of the Kosovska Mitrovica District. The name of the city means "wolf's thorn", the name of the spiny restharrow plant in Serbian....
, Senjak, Veliki Kičić and Malo Kičiće, emptying into the Ibar as its right tributary at Kosovska Mitrovica, with an average discharge of 9,5 m³/s.
Because of the relatively small inclination in its 3129 km² (1,208 sq mi) drainage basin (altitudes of 560 m (1,837 ft) on its outflow from the Sazlija and 499 m (1,637 ft) on its confluence into the Ibar), the Sitnica meanders a lot. Many meanders have been cut through and dried out, so a curiosity is the long, nine-pillar Vojnovića bridge above the dry river bed, near Vučitrn.