Jur River
Encyclopedia
The Jur River is a river
in western South Sudan
, flowing through the Bahr el Ghazal
and Equatoria
regions. About 485 kilometres (301.4 mi) long, it flows north and northeast, joining the Bahr el Ghazal River
on the western side of the Sudd
wetlands. The Jur River is part of the Nile
basin, as the Bahr al-Ghazal flows into the White Nile
.
The Jur is a seasonal stream. Its discharge can reach 14300 cuft/s in September.
The upper course of the Jur is also called the Sue.
and Congo River
basins, along South Sudan's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and the Central African Republic
. The main tributaries being the Sue River (itself sometimes called the Jur), Busseri River, Wau River, and Numatinna River. The spelling and precise meaning of these river names differ among sources. The tributaries come together near Wau
, the capital of the state of Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Below Wau the Jur River bends eastward, entering the swampy Sudd region. Due to the nature of the wetlands it is not always clear whether one river flows into another or merely merges in the general Sudd swamps. Some sources cite the Lol River
as a tributary of the Jur while others do not. Some sources say the Jur joins the Bahr al-Arab
and the confluence
marks the start of the Bahr el Ghazal, but more recent sources say that the Jur joins the Bahr el Ghazal at Lake Ambadi and that the Bahr al-Arab joins the Bahr el Ghazal some distance downriver from Lake Ambadi.
According to author Mamdouh Shahin, the Lol, Jur, Tonj, Bahr al-Arab, and others streams, are all tributaries of the Bahr el Ghazal, but that their channels disappear in the wetlands before reaching any outlet.
The Jur River was explored by John Petherick
between 1853 and 1865. In 1897-1898 the Jur River was carefully surveyed throughout its course by Lieutenant A.H. Dyé and other members of a French mission under Jean-Baptiste Marchand
during the Scramble for Africa
.
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 western South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
, flowing through the Bahr el Ghazal
Bahr el Ghazal
The Bahr el Ghazal is a region of western South Sudan. Its name comes from the river Bahr el Ghazal.- Geography :The region consists of the states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, and Warrap. It borders Central African Republic to the west...
and Equatoria
Equatoria
Equatoria is a region in the south of present-day South Sudan along the upper reaches of the White Nile. Originally a province of Egypt, it also contained most of Northern part of present day Uganda including Albert Lake...
regions. About 485 kilometres (301.4 mi) long, it flows north and northeast, joining the Bahr el Ghazal River
Bahr el Ghazal River
The Bahr el Ghazal is a river in South Sudan. The name translates as "sea of gazelles". The South Sudanese region of Bahr el Ghazal takes its name from the river....
on the western side of the Sudd
Sudd
The Sudd , also known as the Bahr al Jabal, As Sudd or Al Sudd, is a vast swamp in South Sudan, formed by the White Nile. The word “sudd” is derived from the Arabic word “sadd”, meaning “block.” The term has come to refer to any large solid floating vegetation island or mat...
wetlands. The Jur River is part of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
basin, as the Bahr al-Ghazal flows into the White Nile
White Nile
The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
.
The Jur is a seasonal stream. Its discharge can reach 14300 cuft/s in September.
The upper course of the Jur is also called the Sue.
Course
The Jur River's headwaters flow from the drainage divide between the NileNile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
and Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
basins, along South Sudan's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
and the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
. The main tributaries being the Sue River (itself sometimes called the Jur), Busseri River, Wau River, and Numatinna River. The spelling and precise meaning of these river names differ among sources. The tributaries come together near Wau
Wau, Sudan
Wau is a city in South Sudan.-Location:It lies on the western bank of the Jur River, in Wau County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, in northwestern South Sudan. Its location lies approximately , northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in that country...
, the capital of the state of Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Below Wau the Jur River bends eastward, entering the swampy Sudd region. Due to the nature of the wetlands it is not always clear whether one river flows into another or merely merges in the general Sudd swamps. Some sources cite the Lol River
Lol River
The Lol River, also spelled Loll, is a stream in northern South Sudan that feeds the Bahr al-Arab, known locally as the Kiir River. It meets the larger river in Warrap state, south of the disputed Abyei Area and roughly 100 kilometers west of Bentiu....
as a tributary of the Jur while others do not. Some sources say the Jur joins the Bahr al-Arab
Bahr al-Arab
Bahr al-Arab is a river which flows approximately through the southwest of Sudan and marks part of its international border with South Sudan...
and the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
marks the start of the Bahr el Ghazal, but more recent sources say that the Jur joins the Bahr el Ghazal at Lake Ambadi and that the Bahr al-Arab joins the Bahr el Ghazal some distance downriver from Lake Ambadi.
According to author Mamdouh Shahin, the Lol, Jur, Tonj, Bahr al-Arab, and others streams, are all tributaries of the Bahr el Ghazal, but that their channels disappear in the wetlands before reaching any outlet.
History
Among the ethnic groups living in the Jur basin are the Dinka, and Jurchol who call themselfes Jo-luo . "Jur" is a Dinka word for "alien" or "non-Dinka".The Jur River was explored by John Petherick
John Petherick
John Petherick , Welsh traveller in East Central Africa, was born in Glamorganshire, and adopted the profession of mining engineer....
between 1853 and 1865. In 1897-1898 the Jur River was carefully surveyed throughout its course by Lieutenant A.H. Dyé and other members of a French mission under Jean-Baptiste Marchand
Jean-Baptiste Marchand
Major Jean-Baptiste Marchand was a French military officer and explorer in Africa. Marchand is best known for commanding the French expeditionary force during the Fashoda Incident...
during the Scramble for Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
.