Nivelle river
Encyclopedia
The Nivelle is a 41 km long river in the Basque Country
(France
) flowing largely south-east to north-west, with only 7 km of its length being considered navigable. The river results from the union of various streams in Urdazubi (Navarre
), going on to cross the Spanish-French border at Dantxarinea after 14 km meandering across Navarre
se soil. The river pours into the Bay of Biscay
on the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz
(French
for Donibane Lohizune) after cutting its way between this town and Ciboure
(French
for Ziburu) on its final stage. At this point, celebrated Basque French composer and arranger Maurice Ravel
was born in one of the front houses overlooking the channel.
at different stretches of the course, eg Sarrakaria, Urma, Uhertsi (spelled sometimes Ur Ertsi), besides the above Ugarana and Urdazuri. This conspicuous diversity reflects the historic situation of the native language, deprived of official recognition whatsoever or transmission through formal schooling up to recent times (and still). Locals, when asked for the name of the river in Basque, often may answer U(r)handi, meaning "big water", a descriptive naming that has sometimes applied to the neighbouring and main river of Labourd
the Errobi/Nive
.
). Many in the village and the whole basin were subject to extensive damage and injuries, including the facilities and equipment of the touristy caves of Urdazubi/Urdax
. The events hasten the scheme for building a dam (Lurberria) upstream, echoing a long-running claim of the inhabitants.
is well entrenched in the river, especially in its upstream tributaries (more than 90 brooks). In contrast, salmon
, trout
and shad
stick to the lower stretch of the Nivelle, where they fall prey to fishers. Actually, since the 1990s a noticeable fail to achieve the upstream spawning areas has been detected in the salmon population, ie 470 individuals in 1993 vs 88 in 2003 (checked at Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle
), the fish remaining largely in the estuary where they are subject to fishing activity. This erratic behaviour has been put down to rising water temperature and climate change. Actually, the threshold of the 12º C was topped 60% of the days from 2000 to 2002.
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
(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...
) flowing largely south-east to north-west, with only 7 km of its length being considered navigable. The river results from the union of various streams in Urdazubi (Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
), going on to cross the Spanish-French border at Dantxarinea after 14 km meandering across Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
se soil. The river pours into the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
on the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Saint-Jean-de-Luz is part of the province Basque of Labourd and the Basque Eurocity Bayonne - San Sebastian .-Geography:...
(French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for Donibane Lohizune) after cutting its way between this town and Ciboure
Ciboure
Ciboure is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies across the river Nivelle from the harbour of Saint-Jean-de-Luz....
(French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for Ziburu) on its final stage. At this point, celebrated Basque French composer and arranger Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
was born in one of the front houses overlooking the channel.
Variety of Basque names
For all its shortness, the river takes on several names in Basque languageBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
at different stretches of the course, eg Sarrakaria, Urma, Uhertsi (spelled sometimes Ur Ertsi), besides the above Ugarana and Urdazuri. This conspicuous diversity reflects the historic situation of the native language, deprived of official recognition whatsoever or transmission through formal schooling up to recent times (and still). Locals, when asked for the name of the river in Basque, often may answer U(r)handi, meaning "big water", a descriptive naming that has sometimes applied to the neighbouring and main river of Labourd
Labourd
Labourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
the Errobi/Nive
Nive
The Nive is a French river that flows through the French Basque Country. It is a left tributary of the river Adour. The river's source in the Pyrenees in Lower Navarre...
.
Troubled waters
The geographical situation of the basin makes its climate mild (average temperature 14ºC) under the influence of humid air masses blowing from the sea. Yet the clash between these air currents and the Pyrenean region spurs sudden showers frequently (average annual rainfall on the watershed 2,000 mm). On May 4, 2007, like in 1983, the banks of the river go through dire consequences on account of floods (170 mm pour down in 24 hours at Saint-Pée-sur-NivelleSaint-Pée-sur-Nivelle
Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle is a village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France....
). Many in the village and the whole basin were subject to extensive damage and injuries, including the facilities and equipment of the touristy caves of Urdazubi/Urdax
Urdazubi/Urdax
Urdazubi/Urdax is a town and municipality located in the province of Navarre, in the autonomous community of Navarre, in the North of Spain.-External links:*...
. The events hasten the scheme for building a dam (Lurberria) upstream, echoing a long-running claim of the inhabitants.
Fishing and river fauna
Brown troutBrown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
is well entrenched in the river, especially in its upstream tributaries (more than 90 brooks). In contrast, salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and shad
Shad
The shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fish related to herring in the family Clupeidae. They are distinct from others in that family by having a deeper body and spawning in rivers. The several species frequent different areas on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea....
stick to the lower stretch of the Nivelle, where they fall prey to fishers. Actually, since the 1990s a noticeable fail to achieve the upstream spawning areas has been detected in the salmon population, ie 470 individuals in 1993 vs 88 in 2003 (checked at Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle
Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle
Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle is a village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France....
), the fish remaining largely in the estuary where they are subject to fishing activity. This erratic behaviour has been put down to rising water temperature and climate change. Actually, the threshold of the 12º C was topped 60% of the days from 2000 to 2002.